Performance Choice: A career‑spanning celebration from the undisputed Queen of R&B/Pop as we gear up for the 52nd annual AMAs.
As we gear up for this Monday’s 52nd annual American Music Awards, we’re looking back at some of the ceremony’s most golden, era‑defining performances — the ones that shaped the AMAs into a true pop‑culture institution.
And naturally, that brings us to Janet Jackson.
Janet Jackson turned Number Ones into a masterclass in pop command
Precision, catalog power, choreography that still snaps, and that unmistakable Janet cool — her AMAs medley plays like a reminder that some icons do not need to chase the moment. They are the moment.
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Her “Number Ones” medley at the 2009 American Music Awards was a full‑scale, career‑spanning celebration tied to her compilation album of the same name. It was a reminder of just how deep her catalog runs — hit after hit, era after era, all delivered with the precision and electricity only Janet can command.
2009 American Music Awards – Show
Nokia Theatre L.A. Live
Los Angeles, California United States
November 22, 2009
Photo by Lester Cohen/WireImage.com
To license this image (17054461), contact WireImage.com
The medley also introduced a new single, “Make Me,” a sleek, disco‑kissed track that cleverly sampled her brother Michael’s classic “Don’t Stop ’Til You Get Enough.” It was a nod to legacy, lineage, and the Jackson family’s unmatched imprint on pop and R&B.
Onstage, Janet was pure force — razor‑sharp choreography, seamless transitions, and that unmistakable mix of control, sensuality, and showmanship that defined her as a generation‑shaping icon. The performance stands as one of the AMAs’ greatest time‑capsule moments.
