Pop precision, stadium rock and hip-hop’s breakthrough
1986 combined highly polished pop production with the growing force of hip-hop and hard rock. Digital studio technology became more common, while artists such as Janet Jackson and Run-DMC helped redefine what mainstream pop and rap could sound like.
Janet Jackson’s Control
Working with Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis, Jackson used sharp electronic rhythm and a new lyrical independence to establish a mature identity separate from her family name.
Run-DMC and rap-rock crossover
“Walk This Way” brought rap and hard rock into direct contact and gave hip-hop unprecedented exposure to mainstream rock audiences.
Why 1986 matters
The year showed the decade becoming less segmented: pop, R&B, hip-hop and rock were increasingly crossing into one another.