Janet Jackson Net Worth (Money & Salary)

What is Janet Jackson’s Net Worth?

With a net worth of $180 million, Janet Jackson is an accomplished American singer, actress, producer, and choreographer. Being the youngest member of the famed Jackson family, she was raised in a musical background that significantly influenced her career trajectory. Janet’s journey began in acting, making appearances on television shows like “Good Times” and “Diff’rent Strokes” during the late ’70s and early ’80s. Nonetheless, it was her musical talents that ultimately propelled her to fame on an international scale. Her 1986 album “Control” was a pivotal moment in her career, yielding multiple chart-topping singles and showcasing her unique blend of pop, R&B, and dance. The themes surrounding independence and self-empowerment within the album struck a chord with a wide audience, solidifying her as a prominent figure in the industry.

Following “Control,” her subsequent albums such as “Rhythm Nation 1814” (1989), “The Velvet Rope” (1997), and “All for You” (2001) consistently challenged both musical and thematic norms. Renowned for her elaborate choreography, groundbreaking music videos, and lyrics that address social issues, Jackson has frequently leveraged her visibility to discuss topics like racism, sexuality, and mental health.

In addition to her musical accomplishments, Janet Jackson has made her mark in film, featuring in productions such as “Poetic Justice” (1993) with Tupac Shakur. Her achievements have garnered her a multitude of awards, including six Grammy Awards, and she stands as one of the best-selling artists in contemporary music history.

Yet, her career has experienced its share of controversies. The notorious “wardrobe malfunction” during the Super Bowl halftime show in 2004 ignited extensive discussions and briefly overshadowed her musical successes. Interestingly, this incident is often credited with contributing to the rise of YouTube.

Early Life and Career Beginnings

Born on May 16, 1966, in Gary, Indiana, Janet Jackson is the youngest of ten siblings, with her brothers forming the legendary Jackson 5. After the Jackson 5 secured a recording contract with Motown in March 1969, the family relocated to Encino, Los Angeles. Janet launched her entertainment career in 1976 by performing on the variety show “The Jacksons” alongside her siblings. Following her involvement in various projects, including leading roles in sitcoms like “Good Times” (1977) and “A New Kind of Family” (1979-1980), her father and manager, Joseph Jackson, facilitated a recording contract for her with A&M Records.

Solo Music Career

While working with A&M Records and under her father’s management, Jackson released her first two albums, “Janet Jackson” (1982) and “Dream Street” (1984). After completing her second album, she opted to sever ties with her family’s business affairs and released her third album, “Control” (1986), which showcased a more mature and urban sound compared to her earlier works. The album achieved extraordinary success, earning her six Billboard Awards, three Grammy nominations, and winning four American Music Awards from a total of twelve nominations.

With the launch of her fourth album, “Rhythm Nation 1814” (1989), Jackson affirmed her status as an independent star, stepping out from her family’s shadow. The album reached number one on the Billboard 200 and received six platinum certifications from the RIAA. Notably, it was the first album ever to generate number-one singles across three calendar years. The music video for “Rhythm Nation” is deemed one of the most iconic and beloved videos historically, establishing Jackson as a style icon; the long form of the “Rhythm Nation” video also earned a Grammy Award. In addition, her Rhythm Nation World Tour in 1990 is recognized as the most successful debut tour in…history during that period and established a record for the quickest sell-out of Tokyo Dome in Japan.

Following the completion of her A&M contract, Jackson entered into a multimillion-dollar agreement with Virgin Records. Estimated between $32 million and $50 million, this deal represented the largest recording contract for a female artist at that time. With her first Virgin album, “janet.” (1993), she achieved a debut at number one on the Billboard 200 chart and featured five number-one singles, with the Grammy-winning track “That’s the Way Love Goes.”

Her subsequent albums, “The Velvet Rope” (1997) and “All For You” (2001), also launched at the top of the charts, collectively selling sixteen million copies across the globe. By the close of the 1990s, Billboard magazine recognized her as the second most successful recording artist of the decade, trailing only Mariah Carey. Other projects by Jackson include “Damita Jo” (2004), “20 Y.O.” (2006), “Discipline” (2008), and “Unbreakable” (2015), the latter of which was released under her own label, Rhythm Nation, in collaboration with BMG Rights Management. In 2019, she started the “Janet Jackson: A Special 30th Anniversary Celebration of Rhythm Nation” tour, and in 2023, Jackson returned to touring with the “Together Again Tour.”

Even after decades in the industry, Jackson continues to be a significant pop icon with a remarkable legacy. In 2004, she became the most-searched news event in Internet history (according to the 2007 Guinness Book of World Records) when Justin Timberlake ripped her shirt during the Super Bowl halftime show, exposing a breast. Jackson described the incident as an accident and declined to apologize to CBS.

Other Projects

Apart from her music career, Jackson has acted in various films. Her acting debut came with the 1993 film “Poetic Justice,” and she made several returns to cinema in movies such as “Nutty Professor II: The Klumps” (2000), “Why Did I Get Married?” (2007), and “For Colored Girls” (2010). In 2022, her documentary television series titled “Janet Jackson” premiered.

Personal Life

In 1991, she tied the knot with dancer and director Rene Elizondo Jr., keeping their marriage under wraps for several years. They finalized their divorce in 2003.

From 2002 to 2009, Jackson was in a relationship with music producer, rapper, and songwriter Jermaine Dupri.

In 2012, she wed Qatari businessman Wissam Al Mana, whom she had met in 2010. Their son was born in January 2017, and they announced their separation and intention to divorce in April of the same year.

Rene Elizondo Divorce Settlement

After their divorce, Rene Elizondo initiated a lawsuit against Janet, seeking a settlement of $25 million. Given that they were married during her most successful years, he may have been entitled to that amount or possibly more. In legal documents, Rene claimed thatDuring their marriage, income and bank accounts were shared, and at that time, he had no savings. He acknowledged the existence of a prenuptial agreement but asserted that he signed it while under duress.

After enduring three years of legal disputes, a settlement was achieved, which reportedly required Janet to pay Rene $10 million in addition to legal fees.

Stephen Lovekin/Getty Images

Janet Jackson Is NOT A Billionaire

Contrary to popular internet claims, Janet Jackson is NOT a billionaire. Despite her marriage to billionaire Qatari retail tycoon Wissam Al Mana, the belief that Janet is a billionaire arose from a misinterpretation of a May 2013 interview with Variety magazine. In that article, the total gross revenue from Janet’s ventures over the past two decades was calculated, which included sales from movies, albums, merchandise, and other endeavors. The result was $1.2 billion. Additionally, the article was accompanied by ads celebrating Janet as a “billion-dollar entertainer.” This combination led to numerous blogs mistakenly reporting that Janet’s personal net worth had exceeded $1 billion. This is clearly inaccurate. The figure of $1.2 billion refers to gross revenue and bears little connection to Janet’s actual bank account.

Real Estate

In 1998, Janet Jackson purchased a 3-bedroom, 2,100-square-foot apartment in New York City’s One Central Park West building for $2.8 million. In April 2022, she put the unit on the market for just under $9 million and eventually accepted an offer of $8.8 million in August 2022. A video tour of the property from the time it was listed is available below.