Design of a Decade: 1986–1996 is the first greatest hits album by American singer Janet Jackson. It was released on October 2, 1995, by A&M Records. The album was issued through A&M as Jackson's contract with Virgin Records allotted her the option to leave the label following the release of her fifth studio album Janet (1993). The compilation features 14 of Jackson's singles from her three previous albums—Control (1986), Janet Jackson's Rhythm Nation 1814 (1989), and Janet—as well as two new tracks, "Runaway" and "Twenty Foreplay". The latter is a mid-tempo ballad with funk elements, which is a play on words with "twenty-four hours" and "foreplay". The release of the collection was accompanied by a same-titled home video release.
Design of a Decade: 1986–1996 received positive reviews from music critics, who cited the number of hit singles on the record, but many noted its misleading title as the album's content predominantly spanned a five-year period. It was well received commercially, reaching number three on the US Billboard 200 and was certified double platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA). The record also peaked inside the top ten in several countries worldwide, including Australia, Canada, Ireland, Japan, and the United Kingdom.
Background and content
In 1991, Jackson fulfilled her contract with A&M Records, signing a multimillion-dollar contract with Virgin Records estimated between $32 million and $50 million, with media outlets proclaiming her the highest paid recording artist at the time. Jackson's fifth studio album with Virgin, Janet—stylized as janet. and read "Janet, period"—was released in May 1993. The record was a commercial success—opening at number one in the United States, making the singer the first female artist in the Nielsen SoundScan era to do so and second overall—and sold over 14 million copies worldwide. Six singles were released from Janet, with two of them topping the Billboard Hot 100: "That's the Way Love Goes" and "Again". The former won the Grammy Award for Best R&B Song category at the 36th Annual Grammy Awards, while the latter received a nomination for a Best Original Song at the 66th Academy Awards.
As Jackson's contract with Virgin allotted her the option to leave the label during this time, she returned to A&M in order to release Design of a Decade: 1986–1996, her first compilation album. Billboard magazine reported that DreamWorks SKG and A&M were interested in signing with her. A&M president Al Cafaro stated: "We've always thought Janet was an A&M artist... And we would love to sign her if she is available. This project has reminded us how much fun she is to work with." The former is a pop and dance song which draws influences of Middle Eastern music.
Release
To release Design of a Decade: 1986–1996, A&M provided a "very aggressive but serious marketing plan", which included "a multimillon-dollar worldwide marketing plan that [involved], syndicated and local TV advertising, as well as print ads in a number of consumer publications, including Seventeen, Us, Rolling Stone, Vanity Fair, Jet, Vibe and Essence." A total of four different versions for the collection were released in various regions, three of which have distinctly different covers designed to appeal to her fan base in particular regions.
Critical reception
Design of a Decade: 1986–1996 received positive reviews from music critics. Gil L. Robertson IV from Cash Box described the package as "a treasure trove for all who like their music hot and sweet", noting how "all the songs here have been enormous hits" and writing that the new tracks "aptly showcase Jackson's continued evolution as a strong and highly-focused adult performer". Chester Chronicles Terry Underhill called the album as "one of the best compilations albums of the year", and asserted it "will be an enormous success and deserves to be."
Spins Chris Norris said: "Since Janet is state-of-the-art production right down to her sculpted nose, it makes sense that she should call her retrospective Design." The next week, it eventually peaked at number three. It became the first time a Jackson's album did not peak at number one since Control (1986). Design of a Decade: 1986–1996 also spent a total of 16 weeks on the Catalog Albums chart, with a peak of number three in 2001. On December 18, 1995, the collection was certified double platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA), denoting shipments of over 2,000,000 copies across the country. As of September 2009, it has sold over 2,422,000 million copies in the United States, as estimated by to Nielsen SoundScan. Meanwhile, BMG Music Service calculated that the compilation has sold an additional 1,480,000 units through BMG Music Clubs as of February 2003.
In Canada, Design of a Decade: 1986–1996 reached number five on the RPM albums chart. and received a double platinum certification by the British Phonographic Industry (BPI). In Germany, the album reached number ten on the chart and was certified gold by the Bundesverband Musikindustrie (BVMI), with 250,000 copies shipped.
Singles
thumb|Jackson performing lead single "[[Runaway (Janet Jackson song)|Runaway" on 1998—99's the Velvet Rope Tour.]]
"Runaway" was released as the lead single from Design of a Decade: 1986–1996 in August 1995. "Runaway" reached number three weeks later and spent 24 weeks inside the Hot 100.
"The Best Things in Life Are Free" was re-released in the United Kingdom in December 1995, serving as the second single from the project in the region. "Twenty Foreplay" was released as the third overall single, and second from the compilation in most territories, in March 1996. In contrast to "Runaway", the song was less successful commercially, reaching the top 30 in countries such as Australia, Canada and the United Kingdom. As it was not released commercially in the United States, "Twenty Foreplay" did not enter the Hot 100, but it reached number 36 on the Mainstream Top 40 chart, based on airplay.