Maluma dives into his Billboard Chart History and shares stories from his iconic career. He discusses how “Felices Los 4” changed his career, the “life changing” moment he worked on The Weeknd’s “Hawái” remix, the sessions that brought “Chantaje” with Shakira to life, and his Madonna toe sucking backstory for “Medellín.” He also shares what it was like to work with his childhood idol Ricky Martin on “Vente Pa’ Ca,” filming the music video for “Corazón” in Brazil with Nego do Borel. The Colombian artist also talks about his deep friendship with Marc Anthony, how collaborating with Carín León on “Según Quién” cemented his love for Regional Mexican music and more!
Maluma:
It felt great, Madonna sucked my toes. It was cool, I didn’t wash it for two years. To this day, I still haven’t washed it. Lies! Hey what’s up friends? Maluma here talking to you, and this is my Billboard Chart History. It feels too beautiful. It feels too nice, honestly. Going back to that moment, I remember when I heard the song for the first time with The Weeknd. I was here in Los Angeles, I was in a house and I remember that the song came to me in the morning. I had just worked out, I was there looking at the city and I saw the message and it said “Hawái” remix. And I said: “No, it can’t be. Could it be?” When I opened the file and of course, I played the song there on the speaker I had there and it was like I’d say life changing, you know? It was a moment that I knew I had worked for. I mean, The Weeknd is an artist that I have admired for many, many years, since he did the first collaborations with Drake and for me that was crazy. I mean, that was something I never would have imagined. And the best of all is seeing The Weeknd singing in Spanish. That was like, well yes, I also dare to say that there’s a before and after in the history of Latin music, right? That an artist of that caliber, of that level, would want to come to work in the Latin world and sing in Spanish. Crazy, honestly. I get goosebumps.
https://i0.wp.com/neztelinc.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/station.nez_png.png?fit=943%2C511&ssl=1511943Yvetohttps://neztelinc.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/nez_png.pngYveto2026-05-14 16:01:062026-05-14 16:01:06Maluma Runs Through His Biggest Hits: ‘Felices Los 4,’ ‘Chantaje,’ ‘Vente Pa’ Ca’ & More | Chart History
In honor of her upcoming 60th birthday this Saturday (May 16), we’re doing a full week of Vintage Pop Stardom deep dives into the all-time greatness of Janet Jackson on the Greatest Pop Stars podcast. Each day this week (May 11-15), we’ll look at a different peak year in Janet Jackson’s singular career — 1986, 1990, 1993, 1998 and 2001 — and hit on all the albums, singles, videos, dance routines, tours, performances, fashion statements, social and political statements, and other big moments that made Ms. Jackson’s contributions to the music and culture of those years absolutely unforgettable.
Today, we get off the escalator with Janet Jackson in 1998, where she’d decided she’d had enough of the bigger-bigger-bigger trajectory she’d been on for nearly the past decade, and decided to swerve a little with the most musically and personally open album of her career. Host Andrew Unterberger is joined by Lina Morgan of the Song vs. Song podcast to remember Janet no longer necessarily trying to be the biggest pop star in the world, but ending up with one of her richest and most rewarding eras to date — and the album that continues to perhaps be her most celebrated today.
Along the way, we ask all the most pressing questions about ’98 Janet Jackson: Was this her actively deciding to be less popular than she was on the janet. album and accompanying World Tour? Are we underrating just what a bold statement “Got Til Its Gone” was as a lead single? Is “Together Again” actually her best pop song? How the hell did the “I Get Lonely” video end up being so expensive? Was Janet secretly a huge Smashing Pumpkins fan? How the hell did she turn Rod Stewart’s most basic sex ballad into something so subversive? What’s the deal with all the circus shit on the Velvet Rope tour? How did Colin Powell and Rudy Giuliani get involved? And perhaps most importantly: Has this now become Janet’s most beloved and influential era?
Check it out above, along with a YouTube playlist of Janet Jackson’s biggest 1998 moments — all of which are discussed in the episode — and check back for one more Janet discussion on Greatest Pop Stars, with 2001 closing us out tomorrow! Also, subscribe to the Greatest Pop Stars podcast on Apple Music or Spotify (or wherever you get your podcasts) for weekly discussions every Thursday about all things related to pop stardom!
And as we say in every one of these GPS podcast posts — if you have the time and money to spare, please consider donating to any of these causes in the fight for trans rights:
https://i0.wp.com/neztelinc.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/station.nez_png.png?fit=943%2C511&ssl=1511943Yvetohttps://neztelinc.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/nez_png.pngYveto2026-05-14 16:01:052026-05-14 16:01:05Janet Jackson Takes a Left Turn in 1998 on Her Innovative ‘Velvet Rope’ Era: Greatest Pop Stars Podcast
Leave it to Taylor Swift to eloquently proclaim, “Heartbreak is the national anthem, we sing it proudly, we are too busy dancing.”
Those are the lyrics to the superstar’s 2014 track “New Romantics,” a cathartic shout-from-the-rooftops anthem that showcased the songwriter’s heart-on-her-sleeve approach, while touching on the indomitable power of music. As all Swifties know, she built her entire career of catharsis through music and a legion of fans have experienced that catharsis right back.
Mental health and music have long gone hand in hand, because that’s the power vulnerable lyrics can have: they’re a balm, a soothing salve, a warm hug. No matter its heartbreak or anxiety, the right song provides a give and take between artist and listener. Swift of course isn’t alone: Billie Eilish bravely sings about mental health, as do luminaries like Selena Gomez and Kid Cudi. Recent breakouts like Lola Young do as well, as Young so expressively regales her feelings in songs like “Messy.” In fact, these healing lyrics have been at the bedrock of the art form since the beginning: from relating to the feeling of isolation thanks to Elvis as he crooned “I’m So Lonesome I Could Cry” or having spirits lifted by bands like the Beatles and songs like “Here Comes the Sun.”
But as much as music can change our mood or make us feel heard and seen, there’s still a stigma.
BetterHelp zeroed on the hangups that still persist in society in their recent State of Stigma report, which asked 2,000 Americans about mental health in the midst of AI, a changing world and ever-shifting perceptions. The surprising numbers the survey uncovered speak for themselves: 85 percent of both Millennials and Gen Z reported back a belief that health care is a basic necessity, while at the same time roughly half of both groups feel pressure to handle them on their own.
According to BetterHelp’s President Fernando Madeira, “Mental health needs are rising, but so is the hesitation to get help.”
As a result, he points to what he defines as a “real challenge: people believe in care, but too many still face stigma and friction when it comes to taking the first step.” Even more troubling is that a whopping 77 percent of men and 82 percent of women surveyed said they suffered from anxiety in the past two weeks. Meanwhile, 79 percent of men and 83 percent of women say they’ve felt depressed.
While artists may be providing cathartic releases through their art, more and more of today’s biggest stars are getting honest about similar issues. Doja Cat recently revealed she surfers from Borderline Personality Disorder, saying “I’ve learned from a very young age to pretend that I like stuff, to pretend that I’m happy, to pretend that I don’t like stuff that I do, to appear like everything is okay.”
Meanwhile, Lewis Capaldi reflected in a recent interview about a concert appearance in Chicago where he said he couldn’t finish a song he was performing. “I was like, backstage, convulsing and having this crazy panic attack, mental episode,” he recalled. “It was really, really bad. It was the first time people at my shows had seen it.”
This raw honesty chips away at the aforementioned stigma, with 48 percent of Gen Z saying they feel a stigma discussing mental health while 42 percent reporting that they have a worry they’ll be judged for simply seeking care. As the survey found, “Awareness is no longer the barrier; access, friction, and follow-through—are.”
In the debut episode of BetterHelp and Billboard’s LIKE MINDED series, Ravyn Lenae and Corinne Bailey Rae opened up about their respective struggles and strides in a candid conversation. “What you don’t expect is the loneliness of it,” Lenae said of her sudden success with songs like “Love Me Not.” “I remember being on tour and I remember crying one day in my hotel room and being confused about why I’m crying because everything’s going so well.”
Mimicking the power of music beyond the lyrics and sounds, BetterHelp is helping break down the walls of that stigma and get music fans, and everybody else, the healing they deserve. 72 percent of users report seeing a reduction in their mental health symptoms, while 69 percent have experienced a meaningful improvement in anxiety and depression. And much like sharing a playlist you’re proud of, an impressive 82 percent of people surveyed said they’d recommend their BetterHelp therapist to someone else.
Meanwhile, Madeira points out that “the question isn’t whether AI will play a role, but how responsibly it can be built. As a company committed to removing barriers to mental wellness, we have an obligation to ensure AI redefines how mental health care is accessed while upholding the clinical rigor, safety, and outcomes that matter.”
All of that progress makes way for what Swift sang about heartbreak: “We sing it proudly, we are too busy dancing.”
https://i0.wp.com/neztelinc.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/station.nez_png.png?fit=943%2C511&ssl=1511943Yvetohttps://neztelinc.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/nez_png.pngYveto2026-05-14 15:56:082026-05-14 15:56:08Pop’s Confessional Turn Is Rewiring the Way We Prioritize Mental Health
Nicki Minaj hasn’t been shy about her support for Donald Trump and the Make America Great Again movement in the last year, but it took a lot for her to come out publicly and back the president, as she was initially afraid of the backlash from her peers in the music industry.
Related
Nicki Minaj Calls Signed Bible from Donald Trump One of Her ‘Most Meaningful Gifts’
Nicki Minaj Says It Was the ‘Bullying’ President Trump Faced, Not His Policies, That Made Her Step Into Politics
Trevor Noah Literally Makes Nicki Minaj & Donald Trump the Butt of the Joke in Grammys Monologue
Minaj, who has branded herself as the president’s “No. 1 fan,” went deep about her Trump support and political activism in an interview with TIME published on Wednesday (May 13).
“I felt that way already about him, just that I didn’t dare act like that publicly,” she said. “It’s been ingrained in everyone’s brain in the music business that we are supposed to be a Democratic family. I just knew they would not like me supporting Trump.”
Minaj continued: “Many celebrities feel the way I do, but they don’t say it. Sometimes you just need one brave person to get the brunt of the impact. I think I am the catalyst for that change. Hopefully, when they see me and hear me speak and feel my energy.”
For the “Super Bass” rapper, she felt compelled to speak up about her MAGA pivot after she was allegedly “completely ignored” by California Governor Gavin Newsom, following repeated swatting calls to her California home.
That’s when Republican U.S. Representative Anna Paulina Luna stepped in to have her touch base with law enforcement and a private security firm to put an end to the swatting.
“I was shocked. I’d never seen anyone in politics treat me that way,” she told TIME. “That’s what made me say that I don’t care to keep this a secret anymore.”
Minaj is open to continuing to delve further into politics and doing “whatever it is” to support Trump in the upcoming midterms. The Queens, New York, native even compared him to Marilyn Monroe. “It’s the same way Marilyn Monroe represents a vibe — Donald Trump is his own vibe,” she stated.
Continuing her war with rival Jay-Z, Minaj didn’t miss a chance to take a swipe at Hov, even while talking about Barack Obama. “Lots of rappers don’t like Jay-Z and were afraid to say it,” she claimed.
She even looked back on her disproven 2021 claim that the COVID-19 vaccinewas causing impotence and swollen testicles in Trinidad. “I guess they had examined everyone’s testicles in Trinidad and came back to tell me that I was lying,” Minaj quipped.
After months of public support, she met Donald Trump for the first time at a Trump Accounts Summit in January, where the president revealed that Minaj invested “hundreds of thousands of dollars in Trump Accounts.”
Last year, Minaj commended the Trump administration during an interview with Erika Kirk at a Turning Point USA event. She also complimented the president for threatening to take military action in Nigeria over the alleged persecution of Christians in the country.
https://i0.wp.com/neztelinc.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/station.nez_png.png?fit=943%2C511&ssl=1511943Yvetohttps://neztelinc.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/nez_png.pngYveto2026-05-14 15:36:112026-05-14 15:36:11Nicki Minaj Claims Many Stars Support Donald Trump But Won’t Say It: ‘I Am the Catalyst for That Change’
Lizzo just got Chris Brown‘s endorsement for her new album, Bitch — whether he knows about it or not.
On Wednesday (May 13), the Yitty founder shared an edited version of the polarizing R&B icon’s recent video defending his new album, Brown. In the original clip, which Brown had posted on his Instagram Story the day prior, he’d told followers heatedly, “If you not my fan, I don’t want you to listen to my s–t. Go listen to motherf–king Zara Larsson or somebody.”
Related
Chris Brown Claps Back at ‘Brown’ Album Critics: ‘Go Listen to Motherf–king Zara Larsson’
Chris Brown’s Legal Problems: A Timeline of Trouble
All of Chris Brown’s Solo Albums Ranked From Worst to Best: Critics’ Picks
In Lizzo’s reconfiguration, a few seconds of Brown’s video plays before cutting to a still of his face with the “About Damn Time” singer’s eyes and mouth superimposed over his. “Pre-order Lizzo’s album Bitch coming out June 5 or something,” she says with her voice pitched down after the real Brown says, “Go listen to motherf–king …”
“I CANT BELIEVE CHRIS BROWN SAID THIS?????” she wrote satirically in the caption.
Billboard has reached out to Brown’s rep for comment.
Lizzo has been a fan of the “Run It!” artist for years. In 2021, she faced criticism for stopping Brown backstage at the Millennium Tour and asking for a photo, calling him her “favorite person in the whole f–king world.”
But Brown has long been a complicated figure in music due to his long history of physical aggression, most notably for his violent assault of then-girlfriend Rihanna in 2009, to which he pleaded guilty to one count of felony assault. In May 2025, he was arrested and taken into custody in Manchester on the charge of “inflicting grievous bodily harm” during an alleged London nightclub attack two years prior; he pleaded not guilty and was released on bail at $6.75 million in June, with a trial date set for Oct. 26 of this year.
His jab at Larsson in his video on Tuesday (May 12) likely stemmed from the Swedish pop star telling Cosmopolitanin February that she has “so many artists” blocked on Spotify, including “abusers” such as Brown, whom she named specifically. The Virginia native’s reputation has definitely fed into the pushback on his album released on May 8, with Pitchfork‘s Alphonse Pierre writing, “It’s soulless, hit-chasing music with nothing going for it if you aren’t personally invested in the Chris Brown culture wars … not every musical legend deserves to be a martyr.”
As Brown said in his video, though, “I don’t give a f–k what these n—as is talkin’ about. I know exactly who my fans is and I know exactly who hearing this album.”
https://i0.wp.com/neztelinc.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/station.nez_png.png?fit=943%2C511&ssl=1511943Yvetohttps://neztelinc.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/nez_png.pngYveto2026-05-14 15:21:252026-05-14 15:21:25Lizzo Shares Edited Version of Chris Brown’s Video Calling Out Zara Larsson to Promote Her New Album
As Janet Jackson celebrates her birthday (May 16), Billboard takes a look at the superstar’s history on the Billboard Hot 100.
Born as the youngest of 10 children to Joseph and Katherine Jackson, Janet was almost pre-destined to enter the music industry with her brothers and sisters. By her fifth birthday, five of her brothers — as The Jackson 5 — had already scored four Hot 100 No. 1 hits. Following in her family’s musical footsteps, Janet made her Hot 100 debut in 1982 with “Young Love,” at 16 years old. Though that single and her second career entry, 1984’s “Come Give Your Love to Me,” both peaked outside the top 50, Jackson found her hit-making stride with 1986’s Control. Among its many hits, she landed her first of 10 No. 1s on the chart with “When I Think of You,” which reigned for two weeks.
Related
Janet Jackson’s 60 Best Songs: Staff List
U2 Invited to Perform for Free at Mexico’s Zócalo: ‘We Love the City’
Madonna, Shakira & BTS to Headline 2026 World Cup Final Halftime Show
Through the next 15 years, Jackson remained a Hot 100 force: Her next four albums — Janet Jackson’s Rhythm Nation 1814, janet., The Velvet Rope and All for You — each all generated at least one Hot 100 champ. Thanks to her decades of hits, Jackson is one of the most influential female artists to cross through the pop, R&B and dance genres, with 19 and 15 No. 1s on the Dance Club Songs and Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs charts, respectively. She’s also scored seven No. 1 albums on the Billboard 200, between 1986 and 2015.
Jackson (who first broke through with TV roles on sitcoms Good Times and Diff’rent Strokes) has won five Grammy Awards and has been nominated for both an Academy Award and Golden Globe Award. She was honored as the first-ever MTV Icon Award recipient in 2001 and received the MTV Video Vanguard Award in 1990.
Here’s a look at Jackson’s top-performing hits on the Hot 100.
Janet Jackson’s Biggest Billboard Hot 100 Hits:
“Miss You Much,” peak position No. 1 (four weeks), peak date Oct. 7, 1989
“Escapade,” No. 1 (three weeks), March 3, 1990
“That’s the Way Love Goes,” No. 1 (eight weeks), May 15, 1993
“All for You,” No. 1 (seven weeks), April 14, 2001]”
Together Again,” No. 1 (two weeks), Jan. 31, 1998
“Love Will Never Do (Without You),” No. 1 (one week), Jan. 19, 1991
“When I Think of You,” No. 1 (two weeks), Oct. 11, 1986
“Again,” No. 1 (two weeks) Dec. 11, 1993
“Runaway,” No. 3, Oct. 21, 1995
“Doesn’t Really Matter,” No. 1 (three weeks), Aug. 26, 2000
“Rhythm Nation,” No. 2, Jan. 6, 1990
“Alright,” No. 4, June 2, 1990
“Control,” No. 5, Jan. 24, 1987
“What Have You Done for Me Lately,” No. 4, May 17, 1986
“Black Cat,” No. 1 (one week), Oct. 27, 1990
“Nasty,” No. 3, July 19, 1986
“Let’s Wait Awhile,” No. 2, March 21, 1987
“Come Back to Me,” No. 2, Aug. 18, 1990
“Any Time, Any Place”/”And On and On,” No. 2, June 25, 1994
“If,” No. 4, Sept. 11, 1993
“What’s It Gonna Be?!,” (Busta Rhymes feat. Janet Jackson) No. 3, April 17, 1999
“Someone to Call My Lover,” No. 3, Sept. 1, 2001
“You Want This”/“70’s Love Groove,” No. 8, Dec. 24, 1994
“I Get Lonely” (Janet feat. BLACKstreet), No. 3, May 23, 1998
“Scream”/“Childhood” (with Michael Jackson), No. 5, June 17, 1995
Janet Jackson’s Biggest Billboard Hot 100 hits chart is based on actual performance on the weekly Hot 100, through the May 16, 2026, ranking. Songs are ranked based on an inverse point system, with weeks at No. 1 earning the greatest value and weeks at No. 100 earning the least. Due to changes in chart methodology over the years, eras are weighted to account for different chart turnover rates over various periods.
https://i0.wp.com/neztelinc.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/station.nez_png.png?fit=943%2C511&ssl=1511943Yvetohttps://neztelinc.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/nez_png.pngYveto2026-05-14 14:46:022026-05-14 14:46:02Janet Jackson’s Biggest Billboard Hot 100 Hits
Billy Idol has been added to the performance lineup for the 2026 American Music Awards. The punk icon will perform a hits medley and will also receive a lifetime achievement award. This will mark Idol’s first time on the AMAs stage since presenting in 2004 and his first AMAs performance ever. The rocker will be the third recipient of the AMAs’ lifetime achievement award, following Diana Ross (2017) and Rod Stewart (2025).
Related
Ahead of His Rock Hall Induction, Billy Idol to Receive Lifetime Achievement Award at 2026 American Music Awards
Queen Latifah will host the annual special, which airs live coast-to-coast on Memorial Day, Monday, May 25, from the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas at 8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT. Latifah has a long history with the AMAs, having cohosted the show in 1995 with Tom Jones and Lorrie Morgan.
Related
Queen Latifah Returning to Host American Music Awards — 31 Years Later
The 52nd American Music Awards will air on CBS and stream on Paramount+ on Memorial Day for the second year in a row. This is the second American Music Awards telecast since it returned following a 2-1/2 year hiatus. It’s the second show to air on CBS and the second to be held in Las Vegas. All previous AMAs shows aired on ABC and were held in the L.A. area. Tickets are now available on AXS.
Nominations for the 52nd American Music Awards were announced on April 14. Fan voting opened the same day. Voting closed on Friday, May 8, with the exception of social song of the year and tour of the year, which will remain open through the first 30 minutes of the AMAs broadcast.
Related
Taylor Swift Leads 2026 American Music Awards Noms, With Olivia Dean, sombr & More Nipping at Her Heels
Here are all the artists who have been announced as performers on the 2026 American Music Awards. They are listed in reverse chronological order by the date of the announcement. This list will be updated as more performers are announced.
The American Music Awards are produced by Dick Clark Productions, which is owned by Penske Media Eldridge, a joint venture between Eldridge Industries and Billboard parent company Penske Media.
https://i0.wp.com/neztelinc.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/station.nez_png.png?fit=943%2C511&ssl=1511943Yvetohttps://neztelinc.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/nez_png.pngYveto2026-05-14 14:31:022026-05-14 14:31:02Here’s the Full List of Performers Announced So Far for the 2026 American Music Awards
Billy Idol will be inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in November, but he won’t have to wait that long for a major plaudit: He is set to receive a lifetime achievement award at the 52nd American Music Awards on Monday, May 25. The punk icon and survivor will be the third recipient of the award, following Diana Ross (2017) and Rod Stewart (2025).
Related
Billy Idol Reacts to Rock Hall Induction News: ‘I Almost Can’t Put It Into Words’
Billy Idol Announces Tour With Matt Rife’s Help in a Funny Video: Watch
Billy Idol Talks 2025 Tour With Joan Jett, New Album & Feeling ‘Reborn’ With Grandkids
Idol will deliver a hit medley, marking his first time on the AMAs stage since presenting in 2004 and his first AMAs performance ever.
“Billy Idol is a true rock legend whose influence has transcended generations and genres,” executive producers Barry Adelman, EVP, Television, and Alexi Mazareas, senior VP, programming & development, Dick Clark Productions, said in a joint statement. “From his groundbreaking music to his electrifying stage presence, Billy has left an indelible mark on popular culture and the music industry.”
The release early this year of Billy Idol Should Be Dead, a documentary about his life and career, directed by Jonas Åkerlund, has focused attention on the veteran rocker.
Between 1984 and 1990, Idol landed four top 10 hits on the Billboard Hot 100 and three top 10 albums on the Billboard 200. His highest-charting singles were a live version of Tommy James & The Shondells’ “Mony Mony,” which made No. 1 in 1987, and “Cradle of Love” from the Andrew Dice Clay-starring film The Adventures of Ford Fairlane, which reached No. 2 in 1990.
Idol is the second performer announced for the AMAs who will receive a special award. Colombian singer-songwriter Karol G will receive the International Artist Award of Excellence. Other performers set for the show are Hootie & the Blowfish, KATSEYE, Keith Urban, Maluma, Riley Green, SOMBR, Teddy Swims, Teyana Taylor and Twenty One Pilots, with more to be announced.
The 52nd American Music Awards will kick off summer with host Queen Latifah live from MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas on Memorial Day, Monday, May 25. The show will air live coast-to-coast on CBS and stream on Paramount+ at 8:00 p.m. ET / 5:00 p.m. PT.
The ACM Awards are produced by Dick Clark Productions, which is owned by Penske Media Eldridge, a joint venture between Eldridge Industries and Billboard parent company Penske Media.
https://i0.wp.com/neztelinc.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/station.nez_png.png?fit=943%2C511&ssl=1511943Yvetohttps://neztelinc.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/nez_png.pngYveto2026-05-14 14:01:112026-05-14 14:01:11Ahead of His Rock Hall Induction, Billy Idol to Receive Lifetime Achievement Award at 2026 American Music Awards
All week long, we’re celebrating Janet Jackson Week here at Billboard.com, as the youngest Jackson sibling turns 60 on Saturday (May 16).
We celebrate her talent, her versatility and, not least, her survival. Pop megastardom is not for the faint of heart. Not many artists achieved success on Jackson’s level in her peak era as a hitmaker that went from the mid-1980s to the early 2000s, but a disheartening number of those who did died before their time, including Whitney Houston, George Michael, Prince and of course her brother Michael. Just making it to 60 in the unforgiving glare of the modern media spotlight is an accomplishment. And to assemble an impressive and richly varied body of work while doing it is even better.
In this piece, we look at Jackson’s history at awards ceremonies. Just last week, on Friday May 8, Janet Jackson’s Rhythm Nation 1814 was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame in a ceremony at the Beverly Hilton Hotel in Beverly Hills, California. That album had been voted into the National Recording Registry, administered by the Library of Congress, in 2020.
Related
8 Highlights From 2026 Grammy Hall of Fame Gala: Janet Jackson, Heart, Lucinda Williams & More
On that 1989 album, Jackson ventured into social commentary on such tracks as “Rhythm Nation” and “State of the World.” A&M executives were reportedly nervous about the change in direction and probably would have been happier with another album of dance tracks similar to her 1986 breakthrough collection, Control. But when Jackson sang on that album’s title track that she wanted to be the one in control of her life and her choices, it turns out she meant it.
Jackson’s career tally of just five Grammy Awards – and just one nomination (as a lead artist) in a so-called Big Four category (album, record and song of the year plus best new artist) is enough to make you want to scream. But digging deeper into those Grammy nods, they reflect her versatility and range of talents. She has been nominated in five distinct music genres – R&B, pop, dance music, rock and rap, and for work in five professional capacities – vocal performance, songwriting, producing, arranging and as a video artist.
Jackson, who wrote or co-wrote all but four of her 27 top 10 hits on the Billboard Hot 100, has yet to be inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame. That honor will likely come her way, along with a lifetime achievement award from the Recording Academy and the Kennedy Center Honors.
Here are eight times Janet Jackson was in control at awards ceremonies.
https://i0.wp.com/neztelinc.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/station.nez_png.png?fit=943%2C511&ssl=1511943Yvetohttps://neztelinc.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/nez_png.pngYveto2026-05-14 14:01:112026-05-14 14:01:11Eight Times Janet Jackson Was in Control at Awards Ceremonies
Pete Townshend, the legendary guitarist and co-founder of The Who, is partnering-up with Primary Wave Music on a range of creative rights.
Announced Thursday, May 14, the new relationship will Primary Wave sees the independent music company closely involved in the exploitation of Townshend’s name, image, and likeness and the development and exploitation of future creative projects.
Townshend, now 80, gave the world his trademark windmill guitar strum, and wrote and performed on some of rock’s most enduring anthems, including “My Generation,” “Baba O’Riley,” “Behind Blue Eyes,” “Pinball Wizard,” “Won’t Get Fooled Again,” and “Let My Love Open the Door.” But his creative output isn’t limited to contemporary music.
Over time, he has worked on rock operas, stage musicals, ballets, and in 2007 launched the interactive online project “Lifehouse Method,” projects that make for “an ideal collaboration,” a statement reads.
With Primary Wave’s hands-on approach to marketing music and Townshend’s deep catalog and vision, “the potential for branding and content opportunities is boundless,” the statement continues. Also, Townshend will have access to the company’s digital department to establish a footprint across social media channels. The veteran British artist has already begun building a presence amongst the business’ licensing and sync unit, which is said to be actively working with Townshend and the copyright owners of his catalog to place his songs across film and television.
Financial terms weren’t disclosed.
“Moving forward with my creative and performative work with Primary Wave, at this time of my life when most creatives might be slowing down, is a joy for me. Their entire team exhibit an energy that is truly stimulating. Challenging too. I need that,” Townshend comments.
As for The Who, who knows if new music will come to pass. The band has primarily operated as the duo of frontman Roger Daltrey and Townshend, since the death of two key members, drummer Keith Moon (who passed in 1978, aged 32) and bass player John Entwistle (2002, aged 57), and turned off the amps in 2025 with the completion of a final run of shows in North America as part of a farewell tour. Never say never. “We are always trying to come up with SOMETHING special,” Townshend continues, “and God Willing will continue to do that, hoping one day we can astound you the way we used to.”
Townshend, Daltrey and Entwistle first performed live together as The Detours in 1962, and officially became The Who in 1964, with Moon completing the classic lineup in May of that year. Since then, Townshend has sold over 100 million albums worldwide as a solo artist and as a member of The Who, which was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1990. Additionally, Townshend has been recognized for his work with the Brit Award for Lifetime Achievement in 1983, a Grammy Lifetime Achievement award in 2001, induction into the UK Music Hall of Fame in 2005, and in 2008 he was saluted with Kennedy Center Honors.
“Pete Townshend is one of the greatest and most influential rock icons in music history,” comments Primary Wave’s CEO and founder Larry Mestel. “We are honored that he has chosen Primary Wave as a partner and collaborator and look forward to creating new opportunities together.”
Adds Adam Lowenberg, Primary Wave’s chief marketing officer: “There is no rock music without the genius of Pete Townshend. An artist, innovator and songwriter who stands alone in his own category of icon and legend. We are extremely honored to partner with Pete on his future endeavors.”
Primary Wave already holds stakes in catalogs for Prince, Whitney Houston, Notorious B.I.G., Bob Marley and Britney Spears, among many others.
https://i0.wp.com/neztelinc.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/station.nez_png.png?fit=943%2C511&ssl=1511943Yvetohttps://neztelinc.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/nez_png.pngYveto2026-05-14 14:01:092026-05-14 14:01:09‘Who’s Better, Who’s Best’? Pete Townshend Partners With Primary Wave Music
