"Alright" is the fourth single

Single (music)

In music, a single or record single is a type of release, typically a recording of fewer tracks than an LP or a CD. This can be released for sale to the public in a variety of different formats. In most cases, the single is a song that is released separately from an album, but it can still appear...

 from American R&B

Contemporary R&B

Contemporary R&B is a music genre that combines elements of hip hop, soul, R&B and funk.Although the abbreviation “R&B” originates from traditional rhythm and blues music, today the term R&B is most often used to describe a style of African American music originating after the demise of disco in...

 and pop

Pop music

Pop music is usually understood to be commercially recorded music, often oriented toward a youth market, usually consisting of relatively short, simple songs utilizing technological innovations to produce new variations on existing themes.- Definitions :David Hatch and Stephen Millward define pop...

 singer Janet Jackson

Janet Jackson

Janet Damita Jo Jackson is an American recording artist and actress. Known for a series of sonically innovative, socially conscious and sexually provocative records, as well as elaborate stage shows, television and film roles, she has been a prominent figure in popular culture for over 25 years...

's fourth studio album, Janet Jackson's Rhythm Nation 1814 (1989).

Song information

"Alright" samples

Sampling (music)

In music, sampling is the act of taking a portion, or sample, of one sound recording and reusing it as an instrument or a different sound recording of a song or piece. Sampling was originally developed by experimental musicians working with musique concrète and electroacoustic music, who physically...

 Lyn Collins

Lyn Collins

Lyn Collins was an African American soul singer best known for working with James Brown in the 1970s. Contrary to some reports, she is not related to Bootsy Collins, nor Catfish Collins....

' 1972 song "Think (About It)

Think (About It)

"Think " is a funk song recorded by Lyn Collins and released as a single on James Brown's People Records in 1972. The recording was produced by Brown and featured instrumental backing from his band The J.B.'s...

". The song peaked at number four on the Billboard Hot 100

Billboard Hot 100

The Billboard Hot 100 is the United States music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by Billboard magazine. Chart rankings are based on radio play and sales; the tracking-week for sales begins on Monday and ends on Sunday, while the radio play tracking-week runs from Wednesday...

, number two on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs

Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs

Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs, is a chart released weekly by Billboard in the United States.The chart, initiated in 1942, is used to track the success of popular music songs in urban, or primarily African American, venues. Dominated over the years at various times by jazz, rhythm and blues, doo-wop, soul,...

, and number one on the Hot Dance Club Play. While it was to become the only single of the seven released off the Janet Jackson's Rhythm Nation 1814 album to not hit the top two on the Billboard Hot 100, it became the fourth consecutive single off the album to reach number one on the dance chart, helping Jackson break a record

World record

A world record is usually the best global performance ever recorded and verified in a specific skill or sport. The book Guinness World Records collates and publishes notable records of all types, from first and best to worst human achievements, to extremes in the natural world and beyond...

 set by Madonna

Madonna (entertainer)

Madonna is an American singer-songwriter, actress and entrepreneur. Born in Bay City, Michigan, she moved to New York City in 1977 to pursue a career in modern dance. After performing in the music groups Breakfast Club and Emmy, she released her debut album in 1983...

. (Madonna has since broke the record again with a string of eighteen consecutive number-one dance hits from 1999–2008.) "Alright" earned Jackson a 1991 Grammy Award

Grammy Awards of 1991

The 33rd Grammy Awards were held on February 20, 1991. They recognized accomplishments by musicians from the previous year. Quincy Jones was the night's big winner winning a total of six awards including Album of the Year.-Award winners:*Record of the Year...

 nomination for Best R&B Vocal Performance, Female

Grammy Award for Best Female R&B Vocal Performance

The Grammy Award for Best Female R&B Vocal Performance was an honor presented at the Grammy Awards, a ceremony that was established in 1958 and originally called the Gramophone Awards, to female recording artists for quality R&B songs...

. The UK 7" single

Gramophone record

A gramophone record, commonly known as a phonograph record , vinyl record , or colloquially, a record, is an analog sound storage medium consisting of a flat disc with an inscribed, modulated spiral groove...

 contains the Spanish

Spanish language

Spanish , also known as Castilian , is a Romance language in the Ibero-Romance group that evolved from several languages and dialects in central-northern Iberia around the 9th century and gradually spread with the expansion of the Kingdom of Castile into central and southern Iberia during the...

 version of "Come Back to Me

Come Back to Me (Janet Jackson song)

"Come Back to Me" is the fifth single from American R&B and pop singer Janet Jackson's fourth studio album, Janet Jackson's Rhythm Nation 1814 .-Song information:...

", entitled "Vuelve a Mi", in various versions. The song was recorded again in January 1990 with Heavy D for the music video.

Jackson has performed the song on all of her tours. In the Rhythm Nation 1814 Tour

Rhythm Nation 1814 Tour

The Rhythm Nation World Tour is the debut concert tour by American recording artist Janet Jackson. It was launched in support of her fourth studio album Janet Jackson's Rhythm Nation 1814 , and also contained material from her third studio album Control...

, janet. Tour

Janet. Tour

The Janet. World Tour is the second concert tour by American recording artist Janet Jackson. It was launched in support of her fifth studio album Janet . It began in November, 1993 and continued through April, 1995...

, The Velvet Rope Tour

The Velvet Rope Tour

The Velvet Rope World Tour is the third concert tour by American recording artist Janet Jackson. Launched in support of her sixth studio album The Velvet Rope , the tour embarked on an international trek that included Europe, North America, Africa, Asia, New Zealand and Australia.Due to the fact...

 and All for You Tour

All for You Tour

The All for You Tour was a worldwide concert tour in 2001 by American pop/R&B singer Janet Jackson in support of her multi-platinum album All for You...

, Jackson performs the song wearing a Zoot suit. In the Rock Witchu Tour

Rock Witchu Tour

The Rock Witchu Tour was the fifth concert tour by American singer-songwriter, Janet Jackson, in support of her tenth studio album Discipline. This was Jackson's first tour in nearly seven years. The tour visited North America...

, she wears a sailor suit. In her current tour, Number Ones: Up Close and Personal

Number Ones: Up Close and Personal

Number Ones: Up Close and Personal is the sixth concert tour by American recording artist Janet Jackson. Described as her "largest world tour", the show is in support of her second compilation album, Number Ones...

, she wears a black catsuit.

Music video

The video

Music video

A music video or song video is a short film integrating a song and imagery, produced for promotional or artistic purposes. Modern music videos are primarily made and used as a marketing device intended to promote the sale of music recordings...

 to the song, which was filmed in February 1990 and was styled to resemble a 1930s and 1950s musical, featured Cyd Charisse

Cyd Charisse

Cyd Charisse was an American actress and dancer.After recovering from polio as a child, and studying ballet, Charisse entered films in the 1940s...

, The Nicholas Brothers, and Cab Calloway

Cab Calloway

Cabell "Cab" Calloway III was an American jazz singer and bandleader. He was strongly associated with the Cotton Club in Harlem, New York City where he was a regular performer....

 in one of his last on-screen appearances. Anthony Thomas choreographed the video. The video begins with Jackson and two male dancers, all wearing flashy zoot suit

Zoot suit

A zoot suit is a suit with high-waisted, wide-legged, tight-cuffed, pegged trousers, and a long coat with wide lapels and wide padded shoulders. This style of clothing was popularized by African Americans, Mexican-Americans, and Italian Americans during the late 1930s and the 1940s...

s sitting on a bench. A paperboy throws newspapers on them. They wake up and read the frontpage of the newspaper, from which they learn Calloway is in town for the premiere of his Alright film. Jackson and her dancers take a cross-town journey to the premiere. There, Jackson, her dancers, and Calloway fans wait for Calloway to make his grand entrance. Jackson seemingly envisions herself as Calloway's glamorized female guest, getting pushed to the red carpet. Calloway takes her hand and helps her up. Jackson and her dancers get in Calloway's limo. They arrive at large dance out in the middle of a street. Jackson and her dancers climb on the back of a car and Jackson notices her watch is missing. They get off the car and are sprayed by a street cleaning truck. They sit on the bench. Later that night, Jackson and her dancers are homeless people asleep on the bench—revealing the video to have been a dream. Cab Calloway, in the meantime, walks to the bench and places Jackson's watch in her hand. He sneaks away saying, "Alright". There is also an extended version that features rapper Heavy D. Jackson won a Soul Train Music Award for Best R&B/Soul or Rap Music Video

Soul Train Music Award for Best R&B/Soul or Rap Music Video

The Soul Train Music Award winners for Best R&B/Soul or Rap Music Video :...

 in 1991.

During MTV

MTV

MTV, formerly an initialism of Music Television, is an American network based in New York City that launched on August 1, 1981. The original purpose of the channel was to play music videos guided by on-air hosts known as VJs....

's first-ever mtvICON

MTV Icon

MTV Icon was a series of annual television specials produced by MTV between 2001 and 2004, each paying homage to a musical artist or band selected as a cultural icon, in a format similar to the network's annual Video Music Awards and Movie Awards events...

, Usher

Usher (entertainer)

Usher Terry Raymond IV , who performs under the mononym Usher, is an American singer-songwriter, and actor. He is considered around the world to be the reigning King of R&B. Usher rose to fame in the late 1990s with the release of his second album My Way, which spawned his first Billboard Hot 100...

 paid tribute to Jackson by be re-enacting the sidewalk bench routine from the "Alright" music video.

On May 24, 2007, the video was added to iTunes

ITunes Store

The iTunes Store is a software-based online digital media store operated by Apple. Opening as the iTunes Music Store on April 28, 2003, with over 200,000 items to purchase, it is, as of April 2008, the number-one music vendor in the United States...

.

Recently, Chris Brown's video "Yeah 3x" pays tribute to this video.

1990

• 7" R&B Mix featuring Heavy D – 4:53
• 7" R&B Mix - 4:34
• 12" R&B Mix featuring Heavy D – 7:53
• 12" R&B Mix - 7:19
• 7" House Mix featuring Heavy D – 4:59
• 7" House Mix - 4:21
• 12" House Mix featuring Heavy D – 8:30
• 12" House Mix - 7:12
• Hip Hop Mix Edit featuring Heavy D - 5:11
• Hip Hop Mix featuring Heavy D – 7:24
• Hip House Dub – 6:40
• House Mix Edit - 5:03
• House Mix – 9:10
• House Dub – 5:58

Track listings

International 7"/Japan 3" CD single/Cassette single

1. "Alright" (7" R&B Mix)
2. "Alright" (7" remix)

UK 7" limited edition shaped picture disc

1. "Alright" (7" House Mix)
2. "Come Back to Me" (Spanish version)

UK cassette single

1. "Alright" (House Mix)
2. "Come Back to Me" (Spanish version)

UK 12" single

1. "Alright" (Hip Hop Mix)
2. "Alright" (House Mix)

UK CD maxi

1. "Alright" (House Mix)
2. "Alright" (Hip Hop Mix UK edit)
3. "Alright" (House Mix UK edit)
4. "Come Back to Me" (Spanish version)

International 12" single

1. "Alright" (12" R&B Mix) – 7:17
2. "Alright" (7" R&B Mix) – 4:34
3. "Alright" (a cappella) – 3:26
4. "Alright" (12" House Mix) – 8:30
5. "Alright" (Hip House Dub) – 6:40
6. "Alright" (House Dub) – 5:58

Japan maxi CD single

1. "Alright" (7" Remix) – 4:35
2. "Alright" (7" R&B Mix) – 4:54
3. "Alright" (7" House Mix) – 4:23
4. "Alright" (7" House Mix) – 4:59
5. "Alright" (12" R&B Mix) – 7:20
6. "Alright" (12" House Mix) – 8:31
7. "Alright" (House Dub) – 5:58
8. "Alright" (LP version) – 6:28

Peak positions

Chart (1990)	Peak position
Belgian Singles Chart Ultratop 50 Ultratop 50 singles, often just Ultratop 50, is the weekly chart of fifty best-selling singles in Flanders, Belgium, and is produced and published by the Ultratop organization. The chart has existed since March 31, 1995...  (Flanders)	29
Dutch Single Top 100	35
Canadian Singles Chart Canadian Singles Chart The Canadian Singles Chart is currently compiled by the U.S.-based music sales tracking company, Nielsen SoundScan . The chart is compiled every Wednesday, and is published by Jam! Canoe on Thursdays....	7
German Singles Chart Media Control Charts The official music charts in Germany are gathered and published by the company Media Control GfK International on behalf of Bundesverband Musikindustrie...	43
Irish Singles Chart Irish Singles Chart The Irish Singles Chart is Ireland's music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by the Irish Recorded Music Association and compiled on behalf of the IRMA by Chart-Track. Chart rankings are based on sales, which are compiled through over-the-counter retail data captured...	14
New Zealand Singles Chart Recording Industry Association of New Zealand The Recording Industry Association of New Zealand is a non-profit trade association of record producers, distributors and recording artists who sell music in New Zealand...	28
UK Singles Chart UK Singles Chart The UK Singles Chart is compiled by The Official Charts Company on behalf of the British record-industry. The full chart contains the top selling 200 singles in the United Kingdom based upon combined record sales and download numbers, though some media outlets only list the Top 40 or the Top 75 ...	20
U.S. Billboard Hot 100 Billboard Hot 100 The Billboard Hot 100 is the United States music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by Billboard magazine. Chart rankings are based on radio play and sales; the tracking-week for sales begins on Monday and ends on Sunday, while the radio play tracking-week runs from Wednesday...	4
U.S. Billboard Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs, is a chart released weekly by Billboard in the United States.The chart, initiated in 1942, is used to track the success of popular music songs in urban, or primarily African American, venues. Dominated over the years at various times by jazz, rhythm and blues, doo-wop, soul,...	2
U.S. Billboard Hot Dance Club Play	1
Chart (1996)	Peak position
Australian Singles Chart ARIA Charts The ARIA charts are the main Australian music sales charts, issued weekly by the Australian Recording Industry Association. The charts are a record of the highest selling singles and albums in various genres in Australia. ARIA commenced compiling its own charts in-house from the week ending 26 June...	100

End of year charts

End of year chart (1990)	Position
U.S. Billboard Hot 100	44

Chart procession and succession