Janet Jackson's top 7 No. 1 hits

NEW YORK - MARCH 31: Singer Janet Jackson visits BET's... — NEW YORK - MARCH 31: Singer Janet Jackson visits BET's 106 & Park at BET Studios on March 31, 2010 in New York City. (Photo by Bryan Bedder/Getty Images) Credit: GETTY IMAGES/Bryan Bedder

By GLENN GAMBOAglenn.gamboa@newsday.comMarch 17, 2011

Janet Jackson is looking to break the cycle.

Since the infamous "wardrobe malfunction" at Super Bowl XXXVIII in 2004, Jackson has unfairly struggled to get back on mainstream radio which has, in turn, led her to pursue music that was further and further away from the mainstream she once dominated.

Now, Jackson looks like she's ready for a comeback in music, following successes as an actress and an author. Her "Number Ones" album -- which compiles her 34 chart-toppers (on various Billboard charts) -- and the related tour, which stops at Radio City Music Hall Friday, Saturday and Monday nights, serves as a reminder of how potent her career has been.

Here's a look at her seven best No. 1's:

1. "Together Again" (1997) Her irresistible disco anthem that pays tribute to those lost to AIDS shows how unifying a simple pop song can be. After the loss of her brother, Michael, the song takes on a whole new meaning.

2. "Rhythm Nation" (1989) Jackson has always been more interested in personal concerns rather than political ones, but on this No. 1 R&B track, she surveys an imperfect world and suggests that positivity can help.

3. "What Have You Done For Me Lately?" (1986) The lead single from "Control" established Jackson's new take-charge persona and how she and producers Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis would change the sound of mid-'80s pop music with slick grooves and big beats.

SEE PHOTOSJanet Jackson

4. "Love Will Never Do (Without You)" (1989) The closest Jackson gets to the kind of soul-tinged pop that her brothers made famous at Motown in the '70s. It has a production that was wholly of its time, but remains memorable because of its timeless melody.

5. "That's the Way Love Goes" (1993) After two straight smash albums and a dozen immediate hits, Jackson takes a left turn into the world of neo-soul, focusing on vibe and groove and making the most of her voice.

6. "Nasty" (1986) It's the Prince-iest jam that Jam & Lewis ever brought to Jackson, with its "1999"-era synths and its glitchy groove. But it was Jackson's female empowerment lyrics and her standing-on-my-own delivery that sold it.

7. "Got 'Til It's Gone" (1997) Building a groove out of a Joni Mitchell track and teaming with Q-Tip were both risks for Jackson, but the song's laid-back vibe shows no signs of strain. It sounded like nothing else on the radio at the time, but her superstardom got it played and fans made it a hit. (It's not her best rap-sung collaboration, though. That belongs to "New Agenda" with Public Enemy's Chuck D.)

WHO Janet Jackson

WHEN | WHERE 8 p.m. Friday, Saturday and Monday, Radio City Music Hall, 1260 Sixth Ave., Manhattan

INFO $73.35-$274.50; 212-247-4777, ticketmaster.com

What critics say

* "In past tours, Jackson's thin voice was often swallowed up by the sheer size of her production . . . Monday was a different story. In the more scaled-down setting, Jackson brought a warmth and a passion that wasn't always evident in stadiums . . . the best Janet Jackson performance I've covered in 20-plus years."

-- Greg Kot, Chicago Tribune

* "A carefully choreographed show, from the familiar dancing to the hit-or-hit set list, Jackson's tour attempts to cram in more than 30 No. 1 songs -- several of them unfortunately breezed through in medleys -- and add them up to a total that once again equals international megastar."

-- Thomas Conner, Chicago Sun-Times

* "The old Miss Jackson If You're Nasty -- she of industrial-strength pop anthems and breakneck choreography -- was in full effect. Her last appearance in the venue Reliant Stadium], during Super Bowl XXXVIII, resulted in a now-historic "wardrobe malfunction" and FCC fines. No such slips this time."

-- Joey Guerra, Houston Chronicle