Janet Jackson receives Icon Award at 2025 AMAs, performs for first time on TV in 7 years

 

Janet Jackson is getting her flowers.

The "Rhythm Nation" singer may be getting renewed Billboard love for her TikTok-viral 2001 song "Someone to Call My Lover," but she received an honor leagues higher at the American Music Awards – the Icon Award. 

The AMAs' Icon Award has only been doled out twice since it was introduced in 2013 to honor artists "whose body of work has made a profound influence over pop music on a global level." Jackson joins an alumni class of music giants Rihanna and Lionel Richie.

"I am so, so honored — so grateful. I mean no disrespect in any way, but I don't consider myself an icon," Jackson began her speech. "My family, myself, our dream was to … it wasn't ever to be famous. We always had a special love for music, dancing and singing − and fame (was the) result of hard work and dedication."

"My story, my family's story. It's truly an American story. This would have only happened in America,” Jackson added of her family’s success in the industry. "The one thing that I hope for is that I've been an inspiration to others and artists."

Need a break? Play the USA TODAY Daily Crossword Puzzle.

Introduced by Jennifer Lopez, Jackson didn't miss a single step and performed "Someone to Call My Lover" and "All For You." May 26's AMAs marked her first televised onstage performance since the 2018 Billboard Music Awards.

Janet Jackson performs onstage during the 51st American Music Awards at the Fontainebleau in Las Vegas, Nevada, on May 26, 2025. ROBYN BECK, AFP Via Getty Images

Jackson's decades-long career hasn’t been without controversy.

In 2004, Justin Timberlake ripped off a piece of Jackson's costume during their Super Bowl halftime performance, exposing her breast. Timberlake went relatively unscathed in the public eye while Jackson was ridiculed for what many deemed a "wardrobe malfunction" amid speculation that it was a publicity stunt. Jackson and her music were blacklisted from CBS parent company Viacom and its subsidiaries MTV and Infinity Broadcasting. Allegations of child sex abuse against her late brother, Michael Jackson, further marred her career.