Design of a Decade: 1986-1996 is a misleading title. The bulk of Janet Jackson's greatest-hits collection concentrates on Control and Rhythm Nation 1814, simply by contractual necessity. That is far from a fatal flaw. The hits from those two albums were state-of-the-art dance-pop productions at the time of their release, filled with bottomless beats and memorable, catchy hooks. None of the songs has lost any of its impact, from the funk of "Miss You Much" and "What Have You Done for Me Lately," to the ballads "Let's Wait Awhile" and "Come Back to Me." In addition to all 13 Top 40 hits from Control and Rhythm Nation -- all but one went into the Top Five -- Design of a Decade includes the biggest and best hit from janet., the sultry "That's the Way Love Goes," and two new songs, "Runaway" and "Twenty Foreplay." It's a credit to Janet that the two new numbers feel like genuine hits, not tacked-on filler, and help make the album a compulsively listenable greatest-hits collection. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine, All Music Guide
Janet Jackson (Arranger), Janet Jackson (Vocals), Janet Jackson (Vocals (Background)), Janet Jackson (Rhythm), Janet Jackson (Producer), Janet Jackson (Main Performer), Janet Jackson (Executive Producer), Melanie Andrews (Arranger), Jerome Benton (Vocals), Lee Blaske (Arranger), Alan Friedman (Programming), Steve Hodge (Engineer), Steve Hodge (Mixing), Goh Hotoda (Remixing), Jimmy Jam (Arranger), Jimmy Jam (Vocals), Jimmy Jam (Multi Instruments), Jimmy Jam (Rhythm), Jimmy Jam (Producer), Jimmy Jam (Assistant Engineer), Jellybean Johnson (Vocals), Jellybean Johnson (Producer), Jellybean Johnson (Remix Consultant), Terry Lewis (Multi Instruments), Terry Lewis (Producer), Bob Ludwig (Mastering), Monte Moir (Arranger), Monte Moir (Producer), Monte Moir (Assistant Engineer), Shep Pettibone (Remixing), Shep Pettibone (Post Production), Michael Wagener (Remixing), Steve Wiese (Producer), Steve Wiese (Engineer), Steve Wiese (Assistant Engineer), John McClain (Executive Producer), David Ritz (Liner Notes), Jeri Heiden (Art Direction), Jeri Heiden (Design), Greg Gorman (Photography), Herb Ritts (Photography), Larimie Garcia (Design), Eddie Wolfl (Photography), Bruce Weber (Photography), Tony Viramontes (Photography), Patrick Demarchelier (Photography), Mike Scott (Guitar)
