Pick a Day

Janet Jackson is born Janet Damita Jo Jackson in Gary, Indiana, the youngest of nine kids in the Jackson family. She releases her first album in 1982 when she's 16 and breaks through with Control in 1986. Her next album, Rhythm Nation 1814, makes her one of the biggest pop stars on the planet.

With most of her family (including her parents) on the road with The Jacksons' Victory tour, 18-year-old Janet Jackson elopes with James DeBarge from the group DeBarge. The marriage ends eight months later.

Janet Jackson, 19, asserts her independence on her third album, Control, where she takes on much of the songwriting and production. With five big hits, including the #1 "When I Think of You," it vaults her into a league with her brother Michael.More

"When I Think of You" by Janet Jackson goes to #1 on the Hot 100, making her and Michael the first siblings to land #1 solo singles on the chart. The song is also the first #1 produced by Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis, who reach the summit 15 more times.

Janet Jackson releases her groundbreaking album Rhythm Nation 1814. It contains seven Top 5 hits and a message imploring young people to come together and stand up for education and equality.More

Three days before the Rhythm Nation 1814 album is released, Janet Jackson debuts a 30-minute film of the same name featuring videos for three of the songs, ending with a stunning dance sequence for the title track. The film, which follows two young aspiring musicians who get caught up with drug dealers, wins the Grammy for Best Long Form Music Video (Janet Jackson's first Grammy) and sells over 200,000 copies on home video.

In Miami, Janet Jackson sets out on her first headlining tour, the Rhythm Nation World Tour 1990. The dazzling stage show sees Jackson and her dancers re-creating some of the music videos, culminating with the crisply choreographed "Rhythm Nation." Two days later, a single from the album, "Escapade," hits #1.

"That's The Way Love Goes" by Janet Jackson goes to #1 in America, where it stays for eight weeks - longer than any other single by either Janet or her famous brother.

Poetic Justice, starring Janet Jackson (in braids) and Tupac Shakur, opens in theaters. Jackson has been acting on TV since she was a kid, appearing regularly on Good Times and Diff'rent Strokes, but the film marks her big-screen debut.

Janet Jackson appears shirtless on the cover of Rolling Stone. Her arms are in the air, with her boobs supported by a pair of hands that belong to her husband, Rene Elizondo.More

HBO is the home of the world premiere of Janet Jackson's new music video "Every Time." The premiere takes place just before the 8 p.m. showing of William Shakespeare's Romeo + Juliet and serves as a prelude to HBO's premiere of the live concert special from Madison Square Garden, Janet: The Velvet Rope.

Justin Timberlake punctuates the Super Bowl halftime show by tearing away part of Janet Jackson's costume, revealing her right breast to a massive audience that quickly reaches for their TiVos for a replay. Both artists blame it on a "wardrobe malfunction," but while Jackson gets blacklisted, Timberlake is welcomed back by the music industry and the NFL after a series of apologies.More

Two months after her "wardrobe malfunction" at the Super Bowl, Janet Jackson hosts Saturday Night Live and is also the musical guest.

Janet Jackson reveals that she and Wissam Al Mana, a billionaire investor from Qatar, got married in a quiet, secret ceremony sometime in 2012. It is Jackson's third marriage; her first two husbands were the singer James DeBarge and the director René Elizondo, Jr.

Janet Jackson gives birth to her first child, a baby boy named Eissa Al Mana, at age 50. The father is the singer's husband, Qatari billionaire Wissam Al Mana.