From The Vault: Janet Jackson – ‘That’s The Way Love Goes’/ ‘If’ Live At The 1993 MTV VMA’s

Published: Sunday 24th Aug 2014 by Joe

While the masses will be tuning in tonight to witness what is shaping up to be yet another glorious MTV Video Music Awards moment for Beyonce, we’d like to take a second and celebrate a prolific VMA performance which holds a very special place in our vault. Performing a medley of ‘That’s The Way Love Goes’ and ‘If’, we give you Ms. Janet Jackson’s 1993 Video Music Awards showing as this week’s From The Vault pick.

Produced and written by usual suspects Jimmy Jam & Terry Lewis alongside the diva herself, the two tracks were respectively the first two singles off Jackson’s eponymous fifth album ‘janet.’ which hit #1 with the largest first week sales for a woman at the time of release. The two singles, arguably two of her signature hits, fared extremely well on the Billboard charts too with ‘Love’ claiming the top spot for 8 consecutive weeks in the US and hitting #2 in the UK while ‘If’ reached the 4th position of the Hot 100 and was a UK Top 20 hit.

Closing the ceremony, Janet opted for a slow start with the sultry and sensuous ‘Love’ nonetheless engaging in ample choreography with her female dancers. For the second chapter of the performance, it seems the ‘Feedback’ singer wanted to remind people of the “stage-blazer” status she acquired during her ‘Rhythm Nation days’: extra dancers, wind machines and of course THAT dance-break were all set in motion to ensure the ceremony went out with a bang during the sickening ’If’.

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With Janet reportedly releasing a new album later this year (which would naturally come with edgy visuals), could next year’s VMA ceremony honor Janet the same way they did Justin Timberlake last year and are about to do Beyonce tonight? Granted she already won the Video Vanguard Award over two decades ago, we’re still salivating at the prospect of a 15+ minutes Janet Jackson performance on the grand stage, and we’re convinced MTV could think of something fresh and exciting to justify such an event.

Only time will tell it seems. In the meantime, we’ll heavily replay this performance and will be glued to our seats tonight, hoping for brand new VMA moments as epic as this.

Janet VMA 93

Your thoughts?

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  1. Jennifer Zaire August 24, 2014

    Janet is the G.O.A.T!

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  2. Natasha August 24, 2014

    Wow! I’ve never seen this. She really was the Queen of Pop! Please come back Janet Jackson!!!!!!!!!!

    • No Way August 24, 2014

      Janet the Queen of Pop? LMAO She has to get past Madonna, Whitney, Mariah and EVEN BRITNEY FIRST, who ALL had more success on the pop charts….

      • Sean August 25, 2014

        God, you have no f****** idea…

        You must not be from the US.

  3. pat August 24, 2014

    The slayage!!

  4. Mingxx August 24, 2014

    Brittany Spears won the MJ Vangaurd Award just like theif beyonce is…so again we are not impressed

  5. #TeamTinashe Stan (“Pretend” Ft. ASAP Rocky On iTunes 8.25.14) August 24, 2014

    I was just thinking about the SLAYAGE she did with this performance. In my opinion, best female performace on the VMAs.

    • Sean August 25, 2014

      Yup.

      Call me when Beyonce puts on a show like this. No female has even come close to the level of performance Janet put on back in the day.

      Even today, Janet still has more than any other artist out right now. Seeing this performance really makes you realize how s*** has declined.

      I’m really hoping Janet makes a return this year. She’s left an irreplaceable gap in the music industry.

  6. DD August 24, 2014

    I love this performance!

  7. Mark111 ( Did Someone Ask For Cherry Coke?) August 24, 2014

    My favorite JJ performance. This performance alone shows that Britney Spears was nothing but a Janet recreational project. #QueenOfPop

    • UGH August 24, 2014

      Go die F-A-G!!!!!

  8. S****** Blonde August 24, 2014

    Even epic performances like this are overlooked by the media, or her performances are not as celebrated as the ones of MJ, Madonna or Beyoncé for that matter. Billboard named their 15 best Mtv vmas performances and Janet wasn’t on the list, i believe, correct me if i’m wrong, she’s truly the definition of underrated or at this point forgotten, sadly.

    • D August 24, 2014

      And she was ranked by Rolling Stone, a bigger publication as having the #6 and #2 Greatest VMA openings so she isn’t forgotten. You constantly try to sneak in little sarcastic remarks whenever her name is brought up on this site. And you always try to insert Madonna’s name into all of her posts. Madonna doesn’t have anything to do with her post so stop constantly bringing her up when she isn’t needed.

      • tits mcgee August 24, 2014

        Good point about Rolling Stone. Billboard can say
        what they want, Janet still earned the most Billboard
        Awards in history, for any artist, ever!

        #Facts

    • Stephy. August 24, 2014

      Even tho I want to call you a racist moron for this comment. You are unfortunate right. She has become forgotten in today’s music/generation due to her flopping & being boycotted for the past 10 years. But, you cannot change the minds of those who knows. You know she was a Queen Paul. And, that’s all that matters.

  9. BEYHIVE_MINAJ August 24, 2014

    YASSSSS This performance was everything. So classy and s***. Janet is queen.

  10. Greg_N_Greed August 24, 2014

    Yahssss, freaking epic. This women is the original Queen.

  11. Navy Nick August 24, 2014

    Yes yes yes Gawd: queen honey, this was everything!!! Amen!

  12. tits mcgee August 24, 2014

    This Janet performance is perfection!
    #PointBlankPeriod!!!
    #TheQueen

  13. UGH August 24, 2014

    Nothing but some tacky, weak, thin prerecorded vocals, a smoke machine, and recycled dance moves from Paula Abdul crazy ass. This b**** is so UGLY & OVERRATED! Good body, but that face… NO MA’AM. She’s just as bad as Cuntdonna ugly inflated face. The worst part about it is that they both SLAY the high school undergrad Partition w**** who is performing tonight and supposed to be the best. No hope for this world.

    • LOL August 24, 2014

      Wow, Janet has you upset, it’s ok. She’s sitting back
      living her life yet she still bothers you? Janet has
      CLEARLY made her huge mark on the industry w/o
      shoving herself in our faces all of the time. #Janetwins

  14. Royalkev August 24, 2014

    This performance is just one of the many ways Janet put the P in perfection!

    #TrueQOP

  15. Stephy. August 24, 2014

    I f****** love this woman. When I here her voice I instantly “melt away & fall like rain” (in my Mariah voice)… Her music heals my soul. Her lil voice is just so relaxing. I love getting my groove on to her (dancing wise & sexual). This is my second fav era (after 1814). The era spanned 5 classic singles.

    That’s The Way Love Goes
    Again
    If I Was Your Girl
    You Want This
    Anytime, Anyplace

    Instant classic album, songs, performances, tour & of course VIDEOS…
    She is one of the QUEENS OF POPULAR MUSIC. Her vision & style & artistry was immaculate. Love you Janet.

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fSH12tHfRas&hd=1

  16. No Way August 24, 2014

    Janet was lip singing for her LIFE! I cannot respect that…

    • Sean August 25, 2014

      And Beyonce doesn’t lip synch…

  17. mixedupboy August 27, 2014

    I love Beyoncé, but she had a 16 minute performance and it didn’t even come close to this!

  18. dorothy November 1, 2014

    Love the performance!!

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