The tenth and youngest child of the Jackson family, she began her career with the variety television series The Jacksons in 1976 and went on to appear in other television shows throughout the 1970s and early 1980s, including Good Times, Diff'rent Strokes, and Fame. After signing a recording contract with A&M Records in 1982, she became a pop icon following the release of her third and fourth studio albums Control (1986) and Rhythm Nation 1814 (1989). Her collaborations with record producers Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis incorporated elements of rhythm and blues, funk, disco, rap, and industrial beats, which led to crossover success in popular music.
In 1991, Jackson signed the first of two record-breaking multimillion-dollar contracts with Virgin Records, establishing her as one of the highest-paid artists in the industry. Prior to her first studio project with Virgin, she appeared in her first of several lead film roles in Poetic Justice (1993). Her two studio albums which followed, Janet (1993) and The Velvet Rope (1997), saw her develop a public image as a sex symbol. These records, along with their promotional music videos and live performances in concert tours, branded Jackson as one of the world's most erotic performers, garnering both criticism and praise. By the end of the 1990s, she was named by Billboard magazine as the second most successful recording artist of the decade after Mariah Carey. The release of her seventh studio album All for You in 2001 coincided with a celebration of her impact on the recording industry as the subject of the inaugural MTV Icon special.
The backlash from the 2004 Super Bowl XXXVIII halftime show controversy resulted in an industry blacklisting under the direction of Les Moonves, then-CEO of CBS Corporation. Jackson subsequently experienced reduced radio airplay, televised promotion and sales figures from that point forward. After parting ways with Virgin Records, she released her tenth studio album Discipline (2008), her first and only album with Island Records. In 2015, she partnered with BMG Rights Management to launch her own record label, Rhythm Nation and released her eleventh studio album Unbreakable the same year. Since then she has continued to release music as an independent artist.
Having sold over 100 million records, Jackson is one of the world's best-selling music artists. She has amassed an extensive catalog, with singles such as "Nasty", "Rhythm Nation", "That's the Way Love Goes", "Together Again", and "All for You"; she holds the record for the most consecutive top-ten entries on the US Billboard Hot 100 singles chart with 18. She is also the only artist in the history of the chart to have seven commercial singles from one album (Rhythm Nation 1814) peak within the top five positions. In 2008, Billboard placed her number seven on its list of the Hot 100 All-Time Top Artists, and in 2010 ranked her fifth among the "Top 50 R&B/Hip-Hop Artists of the Past 25 Years". In December 2016, the magazine named her the second most successful dance club artist after Madonna. One of the world's most awarded artists, her accolades include five Grammy Awards, eleven Billboard Music Awards, eleven American Music Awards, a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, and eight Guinness World Records entries. In 2019, she was inducted to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Jackson has been cited as an inspiration among numerous performers and credited with elevating a standard of sound, showmanship and sex appeal expected of pop stars.
Better Days
Janet Jackson Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Would I ever be happy?
Life was so bittersweet
So many disappointments
Too many ups and downs for me
When you live a nightmare, it's hard to dream
But sometimes life just isn't fair
And I don't wanna waste nobody's time
So I'm
I'm 'bout to change my vibe
Today the sun's gon' shine
'Cause I made up my mind
That today will be the start of better days
Leavin' old shit behind
And move on with my life
The blindfold's off my eyes
And now all I see for me is better days
(Hold on, ready)
Afraid of my reflection
Tell me that's not me I see
That's who I wanna be
Stuck somewhere in the middle
On half full or half empty
Waitin' for somebody to come and rescue me
Can't let that petty attitude
Start to jade my point of view
Only thing that does is bring me down
So I'm
I'm 'bout to change my vibe
Today the sun's gon' shine
'Cause I made up my mind
That today will be the start of better days
Leavin' old shit behind
And move on with my life
The blindfold's off my eyes
And now all I see for me is better days
Hurt so many times before
I used to cry but no more
Just let it go and life can feel so good
Stop livin' the blues
Can't let this petty attitude
Start to jade my point of view
The only thing it does is bring me down
So I'm
I'm 'bout to change my vibe
Today the sun's gon' shine
'Cause I made up my mind
That today will be the start of better days
Leavin' old shit behind
And move on with my life
The blindfold's off my eyes
And now all I see for me is better days (better)
I'm 'bout to change my vibe (better day, yeah)
Today the sun's gon' shine (better day)
'Cause I made up my mind (better day, yeah)
That today will be the start of better days (better)
Leavin' old shit behind (better days, yeah)
And move on with my life (better)
The blindfold's off my eyes
And now all I see for me is better days (better)
I'm 'bout to change my vibe (day, yeah)
Today the sun's gon' shine (day, yeah)
'Cause I made up my mind (day, yeah)
That today will be the start of better days (better)
Leavin' old shit behind (day, yeah)
And move on with my life
(Day, yeah)
In Janet Jackson's song, "Better Days," she reflects on a time in her life when she struggled with finding happiness. She expresses that life can be bitter and full of disappointment, and it's hard to dream when living a nightmare. However, she doesn't want to waste anyone's time with her complaints, and she decides to change her attitude and mindset. She makes up her mind that today will be the start of better days, and she leaves the old crap behind and moves on with her life.
Jackson mentions that she used to be afraid of her reflection and didn't recognize herself, but now she wants to be the person she sees. She feels stuck in the middle, not sure if her glass is half full or half empty, and waiting for someone to come and rescue her. However, she realizes that she can't let her negative attitude jade her point of view because it only brings her down. Thus, she decides to change her vibe and let go of past hurt, creating space for better things to come into her life.
Overall, the song highlights the importance of staying positive and not letting life's hurdles bring one down. Instead, it encourages people to focus on the good things in their lives, let go of past hurts, and create space for new possibilities. It's an empowering anthem that aims to uplift and inspire listeners to embrace better days ahead.
Line by Line Meaning
I used to sit and wonder
I used to ponder about the possibility of me being happy in life.
Would I ever be happy
I questioned whether true happiness would ever come my way.
Life was so bittersweet
Life had moments of happiness and joy, yet also had equal moments of sadness and struggles.
So many disappointments
I had faced numerous letdowns and setbacks in my life.
Too many ups and downs for me
The constant changes in my life, both good and bad, were overwhelming for me.
When you live a nightmare
Living through a difficult situation or circumstance can feel like a never-ending nightmare.
It's hard to dream
It's difficult to have hope and positivity when everything around you is negative.
But sometimes life just isn't fair
Life can be unjust and unfair, and it's something that cannot be controlled.
So why complain nobody cares
Complaining about life's unfairness won't change anything and nobody will sympathize with it.
And I don't wanna waste nobody's time
I don't want to make anyone feel burdened or annoyed by sharing my problems or complaints.
So I'm
This is why I'm making a change for myself.
I'm botu to change my vibe
I'm about to change my outlook and perspective on life.
Today the sun's gonna shine
I believe that today will bring positivity and good things.
Cause I made up my mind
I've decided to commit to this change and have a more positive mindset.
That today will be the start of better days
I believe that today is a turning point for me and that better days are ahead.
Leavin old shit behind
I'm letting go of the negativity from my past.
And move on with my life
I'm pushing forward and leaving the past behind me.
The blindfold's off my eyes
I'm no longer blinded by negativity and have a clear view of my bright future.
And now all I see for me is better days
I'm optimistic about my future and only see good things coming my way.
Afraid of my reflection
I was fearful of looking at myself and acknowledging my problems.
Tell me that's not me I see
I questioned if the reflection I saw was really me, since I wasn't happy with myself.
That's who I wanna be
I aspire to be the best version of myself and am taking steps to get there.
Stuck somewhere in the middle
I was in a state of being undecided and unsure of how to move forward.
On half full or half empty
I saw life as having both positive and negative aspects, but wasn't sure which outweighed the other.
Waiting for somebody to come and rescue me
I relied on external factors/people to fix my problems and bring happiness into my life.
Can't let that petty attitude
I can't allow myself to have a negative mindset over small issues.
Start to jade my point of view
I can't let negative thoughts and experiences cloud my judgement of life.
Only thing that does is bring me down
The impact of negativity in life only causes a decrease in happiness and motivation.
Hurt so many times before
I've been hurt numerous times in the past.
I used to cry but no more
I refuse to continue being upset and crying over my past struggles and mistakes.
Let it go and life can feel
If I were to let go of my negative experiences, life can become more rewarding and positive.
So good
My life can greatly improve if I let go of negativity.
Stop lying the blues
I need to stop feeling negative and downhearted.
Lyrics ยฉ Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: James Harris, Janet Jackson, Terry Lewis
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@barshamerrell1050
Beautiful song, Janet will probably never get to know how many lives were touched but her words. To those that listened to this... If you are upset, scared, happy, WHATEVER! WE ARE FAMILY AND ARE ALWAYS ! BETTER DAYS AHEAD! LOVE ! PEACE โ๏ธ , STRENGTH AND HAPPINESS ๐.
@barshamerrell1050
I meant touched BY HER WORDS! DAMN SPELL CHECK LOL.!
@WKADESIGNS
Thank you Barsha - I think I needed a little reminder that I wasn't alone as well - thank you for reminding me! ๐๐ฝ
@jakobmetselaar3308
What an amazing and uplifting video! Thank you for making this.
@WKADESIGNS
Thank you so much for watching! I'm so glad you felt some light watching this! ๐
@AveGoddess
๐๐๐๐ this song has helped uplift me through so many strugglesโฃ Love U J. (#MissJACKSON)
@WKADESIGNS
This truly is a powerful song, especially during these troublesome times we're all going through. I'm glad you find the inspiration in Janet too! ๐๐ฝ๐๐ฝ
@devintucker5483
I go this song for deliverance. I love this
@WKADESIGNS
This is a true sanctuary, glad you find peace in this track! ๐๐ฝ
@m.g.3842
Such a beautiful and uplifting song โค