Janet Damita Jo Jackson (born May 16, 1966), better known as Janet Jackson, is an American singer-songwriter, record producer, dancer, and actress. Jackson is one of the top ten selling artists in the history of contemporary music; ranked by Billboard magazine as the ninth most successful act in rock and roll history, and one of the most successful female artist in pop music history, selling over 100 million albums and singles worldwide. Guinness World Records lists her as the world's most searched-for person in Internet history.

Janet Jackson, an American singer-songwriter, producer, dancer and actress is the youngest child of the legendary Jackson family, the sister of pop icon Michael Jackson. Janet Jackson kept her level of quality control very high; her singles were always expertly crafted, with indelible pop hooks and state-of-the-art production that kept up with contemporary trends in urban R&B. Janet Jackson was able to avoid significant career missteps, musical and otherwise, and successfully shifted her image from a strong, independent young woman to a sexy, mature adult. Janet Jackson first appeared on-stage with the Jackson 5 at age seven, and began a sitcom acting career at the age of ten in 1977, when producer Norman Lear selected her to join the cast of Good Times. She subsequently appeared on Diff'rent Strokes (1981-1982) and A New Kind of Family.

Janet Jackson Music Video

Janet Jackson released her self-titled first album on A&M in 1982; a couple of singles scraped the lower reaches of the charts. She was cast in the musical series Fame in 1983; the following year, issuing her second album, " Dream Street ", which sold even more poorly than its predecessor. Her next album, "Control", presented her as a confident, tough-minded young woman which became an out-of-the-box hit, and eventually spun off six singles. Her collaboration with Jam and Lewis on more socially conscious material formed the backbone of 1989's Rhythm Nation 1814. Most of the record's singles were bright and romantically themed; four of them -- "Miss You Much," "Escapade," "Black Cat," and "Love Will Never Do (Without You)" -- hit number one, and three more -- "Rhythm Nation," "Alright," and "Come Back to Me" -- reached the Top Five, making Janet Jackson the first artist ever to produce seven Top Five hits off of one album.

"The Best Things in Life Are Free," was a major R&B hit, reaching the pop Top Ten. The following year, Janet Jackson resumed her acting career, co-starring in acclaimed director John Singleton's Poetic Justice, along with rapper Tupac Shakur. In 1995, Janet and Michael teamed up for the single "Scream," which was supported by an elaborate, award-winning, space-age video that was ranked as the most expensive music video ever made. In 1996, A&M issued a retrospective of her years at the label, Design of a Decade 1986-1996. Janet Jackson also signed a new contract with Virgin for a reported $80 million.

Her album, "The Velvet Rope" in 1997, was touted as her most personal and intimate work to date though didn't prove to be the blockbuster singles bonanza that its predecessors were. In 2000, Janet Jackson appeared in the Eddie Murphy comedy Nutty Professor II: The Klumps, and her soundtrack contribution, "Doesn't Really Matter," became a number one single. Jackson returned with a new album, "All for You", in 2001, which largely continued the sensual tone of Janet. Janet Jackson now ranks as the ninth most successful artist in the history of rock and roll, according to Billboard in 2004.