Studio Album · No. 1
Control
Produced by James Harris III, Terry Lewis
Janet Jackson wrote 7 of 9 documented tracks
Authorship Breakdown 7 / 9 documented
Scored across the 9 tracks with documented writers, by whether Janet Jackson carries a lyricist or composer credit.
Share of the 9 tracks where a band member is credited, by role.
By the Numbers
Awards & Recognition 1
Control is the album where Janet Jackson took creative ownership of her career, co-writing every primary track with producers Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis. The three of them built the Minneapolis-sound foundation that would define her catalog, with Monte Moir contributing to 'The Pleasure Principle.' The album's theme of independence is reflected in the credits, where Jackson shares writing on the songs rather than performing material handed to her.
Control, released in February 1986, is the album on which Janet Jackson reinvented herself, firing her father as manager, teaming with Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis, and co-writing every single one of the album's nine tracks. The record's themes of female independence and self-determination were not mere marketing angles: they were autobiographical statements embedded in co-written lyrics that Jackson shaped alongside Jam and Lewis in the studio. 'What Have You Done for Me Lately,' 'Nasty,' 'When I Think of You,' and 'Let's Wait Awhile' all became top-five hits, making Control one of the most commercially dominant albums of 1986. The album reached number one on the Billboard 200 and was certified five times platinum in the United States, immediately establishing Jackson as an artist in her own right rather than a member of a famous family. Control also set the template for the Jam & Lewis collaboration that would define her next three decades of work.
Track Listing & Credits 9 tracks
| # | Title | Lyricist(s) | Composer(s) | Producer(s) | Performers |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |
Control
#5
|
Janet JacksonJames Harris IIITerry Lewis | Janet JacksonJames Harris IIITerry Lewis | James Harris IIITerry LewisJanet Jackson | Janet Jackson (Lead Vocals) |
| 2 |
Nasty
#3
|
Janet JacksonJames Harris IIITerry Lewis | Janet JacksonJames Harris IIITerry Lewis | James Harris IIITerry LewisJanet Jackson | Janet Jackson (Lead Vocals) |
| 3 |
What Have You Done for Me Lately
#4
|
Janet JacksonJames Harris IIITerry Lewis | Janet JacksonJames Harris IIITerry Lewis | James Harris IIITerry LewisJanet Jackson | Janet Jackson (Lead Vocals) |
| 4 |
You Can Be Mine
|
Janet JacksonJames Harris IIITerry Lewis | Janet JacksonJames Harris IIITerry Lewis | James Harris IIITerry LewisJanet JacksonJellybean Johnson | Janet Jackson (Lead Vocals) |
| 5 |
The Pleasure Principle
|
Monte Moir | Monte Moir | Monte MoirJanet JacksonSteve Wiese | Janet Jackson (Lead Vocals) |
| 6 |
When I Think of You
#1
|
Janet JacksonJames Harris IIITerry Lewis | Janet JacksonJames Harris IIITerry Lewis | James Harris IIITerry LewisJanet Jackson | Janet Jackson (Lead Vocals) |
| 7 |
He Doesn't Know I'm Alive
|
Spencer Bernard | Spencer Bernard | James Harris IIITerry LewisJanet JacksonSpencer Bernard | Janet Jackson (Lead Vocals) |
| 8 |
Let's Wait Awhile
#2
|
Janet JacksonJames Harris IIITerry LewisMelanie Andrews | Janet JacksonJames Harris IIITerry LewisMelanie Andrews | James Harris IIITerry LewisJanet Jackson | Janet Jackson (Lead Vocals) |
| 9 |
Funny How Time Flies (When You're Having Fun)
|
Janet JacksonJames Harris IIITerry Lewis | Janet JacksonJames Harris IIITerry Lewis | James Harris IIITerry LewisJanet Jackson | Janet Jackson (Lead Vocals) |