10 Songs That Should Play at Janet Jackson's Upcoming Vegas Residency

Janet Jackson is returning to Las Vegas for a new residency at the Resorts World Theatre. Titled “JANET JACKSON: LAS VEGAS,” the bonafide superstar is set to launch the shows during New Year’s Week with eight additional performances set for 2025 in January and February, which includes Valentine’s Day Weekend. With a career spanning over five decades that has allowed her to perform worldwide, Las Vegas is where it all started for Janet. At age seven, she made her performance debut at the MGM Grand in 1974 with her two older sisters, La Toya and Rebbie Jackson. Needless to say, her entertainment career has been nothing but show-stopping ever since. Chart-topping hits, countless awards, global tours, and lead acting roles. You name it, she's done it. In 2019, Janet made her Las Vegas residency debut at the Park Theater, now Dolby Live, with Metamorphosis, a four-month stint that racked up $13 million from 18 shows, per ABC News. Returning with another slice of the action, Janet’s new residency is bound to set Sin City alight. But what ten songs should either make their live debut or make a welcome return to her setlist?

1. Because Of Love

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WbRiQxWlYgs Taken from her multiplatinum-selling 1993 janet. record, “Because Of Love” became the album’s fourth consecutive top 10 hit on the US Hot 100. As Janet continuously sings, "Shoop-shoop-a-doo-doop," over the song's funky beat, the track serves as one of her ultimate feel-good bops. To promote the album, Janet embarked on a world tour of the same name, where for its encore, “Because Of Love” was chosen to close the show each night. However, the song was seemingly forgotten and wouldn’t return to one of her concert setlists until 2023, when it appeared on the first leg of her “Together Again Tour.”

2. Empty

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m9rIjjGmJhM As one of the experimental deep cuts from 1997’s The Velvet Rope, “Empty” has remained a fan favorite ever since. Surprisingly, for the album’s world tour, Janet did not perform “Empty.” That said, when the singer made her Sin City residency debut in 2019 at Park MGM’s Park Theater, “Empty” was performed for the first-ever time and served as the show’s opening number. Proving to be a magical and memorable moment, “Empty” is far too good not to make a return to her new Vegas shows.

3. Doesn’t Really Matter

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZGo4WebNIjM Recorded for the soundtrack of the 2000 film Nutty Professor II: The Klumps, which Janet starred in as Denise Gaines, and then later added to her seventh studio album, All For You, "Doesn't Really Matter" remains a signature hit from Janet in the 2000s. Peaking at No. 1 on the US Hot 100, the R&B dance track has made its fair share of appearances on Janet’s tours since its release. However, more recently, it appears to have been taken off her setlist and needs to make a return.

4. Go Deep

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sO2-iFjjht4 As one of the more low-key singles from Janet’s The Velvet Rope album, “Go Deep” is a gem in her extensive discography. Performed on "The Velvet Rope Tour" in 1998 and 1999 and her "Number Ones, Up Close and Personal Tour" in 2011; the Missy Elliott/Timbaland remix of the song was later performed during the "Metamorphosis" Vegas shows in 2019. In 2024, we need it back.

5. Just A Little While

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iYxxAARt2Gc Despite being performed on television numerous times, “Just A Little While,” the lead single to 2004’s Damita Jo, has yet to make a performance debut on any of her tours. Both the single and album celebrated its 20th anniversary earlier this year, therefore, honoring that milestone with a performance in Vegas feels like the perfect time.

6. Take Me Away

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3MHPjwxGQzU Amongst all the deep cuts on 2015’s Unbreakable, “Take Me Away” is the greatest. In fact, you could argue it's in her top 5 of all time. Its euphoric production laced with Janet’s soft, signature vocals results in a dreamy banger that is heavily slept on. Slept on by the artist herself too, it seems, since the song has never been performed once in her entire career since its release. Please change that, Miss Jackson!

7. Every Time

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mSmrkLg1ZCU Even though “Every Time” was released as the final single from The Velvet Rope, it’s a ballad that Janet quickly abandoned. During her world tour for The Velvet Rope, the song was only performed once during her final Japanese date. While the song would serve as one of the slower numbers in Janet’s set, there is a fire Jam & Lewis Disco Mix that would undoubtedly get audiences up on their feet.

8. Runaway

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AtoyLKHmy1c Given its fanfare and success, it’s quite surprising that 1995’s “Runaway” hasn’t held a permanent place on Janet’s setlists over the years. While it has made appearances on five tours, the last time was in 2018, which feels far too long ago. The song has received massive acclaim over the years, with NME complimenting its "sweet soul tread" while The Knoxville News-Sentinel described it as a "fresh slice of upbeat pop."

9. When We Oooo

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gGCOgio91dE Janet is no stranger to slowing it down with a slow jam, and “When We Oooo” is the perfect song to be reintroduced into her set. After featuring as an album track on 2001’s All For You, Janet wouldn’t perform the song for the first time until a decade later, in 2011, for the Vegas stop of her "Number Ones, Up Close and Personal Tour." The sultry number has since appeared on setlists for “State of the World Tour” and the first leg of the “Together Again Tour,” but more fans need to witness it live.

10. I Want You

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hce2pQvJ6eA In addition to “Just A Little While,” “I Want You” is another single from 2004’s Damita Jo. The doo-woppy love song was the album’s most successful single and has never made an appearance on any tour by Jackson. With such a sing-a-long chorus as well as shows during Valentine’s Weekend, this residency would be the perfect time to perform the song.