The youngest of the Jackson family, she initially stepped into the limelight in the family's 1974 Las Vegas production, 1976 television show, and later on her own as a television actress. At age sixteen in 1982, she signed a recording contract with A&M, releasing her self-titled debut album Janet Jackson that same year, followed by Dream Street (1984).

In an effort to establish her own identity apart from her famous family, Jackson teamed up with producers Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis in the mid 1980s, creating a superstar-making partnership which has lasted to the present day. Jackson's breakout album, Control (1986), led to the Grammy-winning albums Janet Jackson's Rhythm Nation 1814 (1989), janet. (1993), The Velvet Rope (1997), All For You (2001), and Grammy-nominated albums Damita Jo (2004) and 20 Y.O. (2006).

In 1990, with the release of Black Cat from her Rhythm Nation 1814 album, Jackson became the first and only artist in Billboard history to score a #1 hit on Billboard's Hot 100 chart, R&B chart, Dance chart, Adult Contemporary chart, and Rock chart. When "Black Cat" hit #1 on Billboard's Mainstream Rock singles chart as well as Billboard's Hot 100, it was the first time a song had hit #1 simultaneously on both of those charts.

Together Again sold over 700,000 in the UK, making it one of the biggest selling singles ever in the UK by a female artist, and sold an overall total of four million copies.

In 2004, Jackson ranked as the ninth most successful artist in the history of rock and roll according to Billboard. Jackson also holds the record for the most Billboard Music Awards won by a single artist, a record 33. In 2006, it was announced that Jackson was the "Most Searched on the Internet" and the "Most Searched-for News Item" in the Guinness Book of World Records. In 2007, she was ranked the seventh richest woman in the entertainment business by Forbes Magazine, amassing a fortune of over $150 million.

Janet Damita Jo Jackson (born May 16, 1966) is an American recording artist and actress. Born in Gary, Indiana, and raised in Encino, Los Angeles, she is the youngest child of the Jackson family of musicians. She first performed on stage with her family at the age of seven, and started her career as an actress with the variety television series The Jacksons in 1976. She went on to appear in other television shows throughout the 1970s and early 1980s, including Good Times and Fame.

At age sixteen in 1982, she signed a recording contract with A&M, releasing her self-titled debut album the same year. She faced criticism for her limited vocal range, and for being yet another member of the Jackson family to become a recording artist. Beginning with her third studio album Control (1986), she began a long-term collaboration with record producers Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis. Her music with Jam and Lewis incorporated elements of rhythm and blues, disco, funk, and rap with sample loop, triplet swing and industrial beats, which led to crossover appeal in popular music. In addition to receiving recognition for the innovation in her albums, choreography, music videos, and prominence on MTV, Jackson was acknowledged as a role model for her socially conscious lyrics.

In 1991, she signed the first of two record-breaking, multi-million dollar recording contracts with Virgin Records, which established her as one of the highest paid artists in the music industry. Her debut album under the Virgin label, janet. (1993), saw Jackson develop a public image as a sex symbol as she began to explore sexuality in her work. That same year, she appeared in her first starring film role in Poetic Justice; since then she has continued to act in feature films. By the end of the 1990s, she was named the second most successful recording artist of the decade. All for You (2001), became her fifth consecutive studio album to hit number one on the Billboard 200 album charts. In 2007, she changed labels, signing with The Island Def Jam Music Group and released her tenth studio album Discipline the following year.

Having sold over 100 million records worldwide, Jackson is ranked as one of the best-selling artists in the history of contemporary music. The Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) lists her as the eleventh best-selling female artist in the United States, with 26 million certified albums. In 2008, Billboard magazine released a list of the Hot 100 All-Time Top Artists to celebrate the US singles chart's fiftieth anniversary, ranking Jackson at number seven. Her longevity, records and achievements reflect her influence in shaping and redefining the scope of popular music. She has been cited as an inspiration among numerous performers.