Janet JacksonJanet

The biggest pop star alive making her most intimate record. Working with Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis, Janet swings between club-ready new jack swing on "That's the Way Love Goes," where the groove melts into a slow, finger-snapping seduction, and the breathy slow-burn of "Any Time, Any Place." "Throb" pulses with a rock-edged, sweaty heat. She'd just signed the biggest contract in music history, and you can hear the freedom of total control in every loose, confident track. Sultry and grown-up. Made for late nights with the lights low.