Dem Vinyl Boyz EP 132 - Janet Jackson - Control

In this empowering episode of Dem Vinyl Boyz, we drop the needle on Janet Jackson’s breakthrough album Control—the 1986 release that redefined her career and reshaped the sound of pop and R&B. With this record, Janet stepped out from her famous family’s shadow and into full creative ownership, delivering a bold, confident statement of independence, strength, and style.

Control features genre-defining hits like "What Have You Done for Me Lately," "Nasty," "Control," and "When I Think of You", each track bursting with the sharp production of Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis and Janet’s fearless, fresh vocal delivery. The album blends funk, synth-pop, and R&B with assertive lyrics that speak to self-empowerment, personal growth, and taking the reins of your own life.

In this episode, we explore the cultural and musical impact of Control, how it launched Janet Jackson into superstardom, and why it's considered one of the most influential albums of the 1980s. From its fashion to its feminism, this record didn’t just change the game—it set the rules.

Join Dem Vinyl Boyz as we celebrate Control, the album that gave Janet her voice, gave pop music a new edge, and gave fans a fierce and fearless icon.

DEM VINYL BOYZ

Before music lived in the cloud, it lived in our hands.

It came wrapped in artwork big enough to study, tucked inside a paper sleeve, and carried the faint smell of cardboard, dust, and time. You lowered the needle, heard that first warm crackle, and for the next forty minutes, the album had your complete attention.

For years, vinyl lovers were told they were stuck in the past. While the world raced toward CDs, downloads, and endless digital playlists, Dem Vinyl Boyz kept moving at 33⅓ RPM—saving the records, protecting the sleeves, and never forgetting that music was meant to be experienced, not skipped.

Turns out, vinyl never died. It was only waiting for the rest of the world to slow down and listen again.

Each week, Dem Vinyl Boyz pull a classic album from the crates and take you back to the moment it entered the world. From the opening note of Side A to the final groove of Side B, they explore the songs, the artists, the studio stories, the cultural impact, and the little-known details that transformed a collection of tracks into a legendary album.

This isn’t just a review. It’s a musical time machine.

It’s the sound of sliding a record from its jacket. The anticipation before the needle drops. The lost art of listening to an album in the order the artist intended. And the memories that return the moment an old song begins to play.

So put on your headphones, pull up a seat beside the turntable, and rediscover the greatest music ever pressed into wax.

DEM VINYL BOYZ. DROP THE NEEDLE. HEAR THE HISTORY. RESPECT THE TECHNIQUE.