"Miss You Much" is the lead single

Lead single

A lead single is usually the first single released by a musician or a band before the release of its home album.During the era of the grammophone record, all music arrived in the marketplace as what is now termed a single, one potential hit song backed by an additional song of generally less...

 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). The song was written and produced by Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis

Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis

James Samuel "Jimmy Jam" Harris III and Terry Steven Lewis are an American R&B and pop-music songwriting and record production team...

.

Song information

Much was riding on the song, as it would either prove or disprove detractors of Jackson, who thought she was a fluke and a one-hit-album wonder. As it happened, it became one of Jackson's biggest-selling singles to date, hitting number one on both 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...

 and 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,...

 charts, and becoming her second number-one hit on the Billboard Hot 100, where it stood for four weeks. The song sold over four million copies, becoming the biggest-selling song of 1989. Apart from the United States, the song peaked at number two in Canada and managed to reach the top twenty in Australia and many European countries.

Jackson was honored with two American Music Awards for Favorite Soul/R&B Single and Favorite Dance Single for "Miss You Much", and was nominated for Favorite Dance Artist and a Grammy Award

Grammy Award

A Grammy Award — or Grammy — is an accolade by the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences of the United States to recognize outstanding achievement in the music industry...

 for Best Female R&B Vocal Performance

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 single also won a Soul Train Music Award

Soul Train Music Awards

The Soul Train Music Awards is an annual award show which previously aired in national television syndication, and honors the best in Black music and entertainment...

 for Best R&B/Soul Single, Female

Soul Train Music Award for Best R&B/Soul Single, Female

The Soul Train Music Award for Best R&B/Soul Single, Female was given out every year since the first annual Soul Train Music Awards in 1987. From 1989-1992 the award was known as the R&B/Urban Contemporary Single - Female....

. The single contains a B-side

A-side and B-side

A-side and B-side originally referred to the two sides of gramophone records on which singles were released beginning in the 1950s. The terms have come to refer to the types of song conventionally placed on each side of the record, with the A-side being the featured song , while the B-side, or...

 called "You Need Me", an outtake from Janet Jackson's Rhythm Nation 1814. The song is about Jackson's personal feelings about her father, and how the tables are turned, that now he needs her. At the time of its release there were reports that the B-side was the product of Jackson's record labels pressure on her in an attempt to produce specifically "Control Part 2" which reportedly was to address the rumors that remained in the press regarding her personal life and family. Jackson never caved in and followed the alleged orders to produce the project beyond this single track and therefore it is considered autobiographical and a collectors' item.

Jackson has performed the song on all of her tours, including 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...

, 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...

, and 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...

. It was also included 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...

.

Chart performance

Heavy anticipation and pre-retail-single radio airplay

Airplay (song)

Airplay is a term used in the radio broadcasting industry to state how frequently a song is being played on over-the-air radio stations. For example, a song which is being played several times every day would be classed as receiving a large amount of airplay...

 during the late summer of 1989 allowed "Miss You Much" to debut at number forty-two on the Billboard Hot 100 the week of September 2, 1989, and soared to the number-one spot in five weeks, by October 7, 1989, where it remained for four weeks; easily becoming the biggest hit of 1989 in terms of weeks at number one. (Phil Collins

Phil Collins

Philip David Charles "Phil" Collins, LVO is an English singer-songwriter, drummer, pianist and actor best known as a drummer and vocalist for British progressive rock group Genesis and as a solo artist....

 would match this feat the week of December 23, 1989 with "Another Day in Paradise

Another Day in Paradise

"Another Day in Paradise" is a song by Phil Collins released as the first single from his number-one album But Seriously . As with his song from Genesis, "Man on the Corner" "Another Day in Paradise" was written to bring attention to the problem of homelessness; as such, the song was a substantial...

".)

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...

 for "Miss You Much" was directed by Dominic Sena

Dominic Sena

-Life and career:Sena was born in Niles, Ohio. He is of Italian-American heritage. His family hails from the town of Bagnoli Irpino, Avellino, Italy. As one of the founders of Propaganda Films, Sena worked primarily in music videos early in his career. Sena directed several of Janet Jackson's...

 and choreographed by Anthony Thomas in early August 1989 and is a part of the Rhythm Nation 1814 Film. The black-and-white

Black-and-white

Black-and-white, often abbreviated B/W or B&W, is a term referring to a number of monochrome forms in visual arts.Black-and-white as a description is also something of a misnomer, for in addition to black and white, most of these media included varying shades of gray...

 video begins with dancers hanging out at a pool hall gossiping about Jackson and her boyfriend. Jackson enters the room and her dancers look at her. One dancer asks Jackson what she has been up to. She calls them nosey, and then demonstrates her love through song and dance. The end of the video cuts out a final dance routine performed with chairs (choreographed by Terry Bixler). The chair routine can be found on the Rhythm Nation Compilation CD and DVD.

Official versions/remixes

• Album Version – 4:12
• Design of a Decade International Edit – 3:51
• A Cappella – 3:25
• 7" Edit – 3:55
• Mama Mix – 7:24
• Oh I Like That Mix – 4:56
• Sing It Yourself Mix – 4:19
• Shep
  Shep Pettibone
  Robert E. Pettibone, Jr. is a record producer, remixer, songwriter and club DJ, one of the most prolific of the 1980s. His earliest work known to the public was for one of New York City's top disco/dance radio stations, WRKS 98.7 "Kiss" FM, and later as remixer/producer for the disco label Salsoul...
  
  's 7" House Mix – 4:56
• Shep's House Mix – 8:45
• Shep's House Dub – 6:05
• Slammin' 7" R&B Mix – 4:17
• Slammin' R&B Mix – 7:45
• Slammin' Dub – 5:48
• The Bass You Much Mix/That Bass You Much Mix – 4:20

Track listings

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

1. "Miss You Much" (7" edit)
2. "You Need Me"

Japan maxi CD single

1. "Miss You Much" (7" edit) – 3:57
2. "Miss You Much" (Mama Mix) – 7:24
3. "Miss You Much" (Slammin' R&B Mix) – 7:37
4. "Miss You Much" (Shep's House Mix) – 8:38
5. "Miss You Much" (Shep's House Dub) – 6:03
6. "Miss You Much" (Slammin' Dub) – 5:45
7. "Miss You Much" (7" R&B Remix) – 4:17
8. "Miss You Much" (7" House Mix) – 4:56
9. "Miss You Much" (7" Slammin' R&B Mix) – 4:28
10. "Miss You Much" (That Bass You Much Mix) – 4:22
11. "Miss You Much" (Oh I Like That Mix) – 4:58
12. "Miss You Much" (Sing It Yourself Mix) – 4:21
13. "Miss You Much" (a cappella) – 3:26

UK maxi CD single

1. "Miss You Much" (7" edit)
2. "Miss You Much" (Mama Mix)
3. "You Need Me"

UK 12" single

1. "Miss You Much" (Mama Mix)
2. "Miss You Much" (Oh I Like That Mix)
3. "You Need Me"

International 12" single

1. "Miss You Much" (Mama Mix)
2. "Miss You Much" (Sing It Yourself Mix)
3. "Miss You Much" (Oh I Like That Mix)
4. "You Need Me"

International CD single

1. "Miss You Much" (7" edit)
2. "Miss You Much" (Mama Mix)
3. "Miss You Much" (Sing It Yourself Mix)
4. "You Need Me"

US 12" promo/West Germany 12" single – The Shep Pettibone Mixes

1. "Miss You Much" (Slammin' R&B Mix) – 7:45
2. "Miss You Much" (Slammin' Dub) – 5:48
3. "Miss You Much" (a cappella) – 3:25
4. "Miss You Much" (Shep's House Mix) – 8:45
5. "Miss You Much" (Shep's House Dub) – 6:05
6. "Miss You Much" (The Bass You Much Mix) – 4:20

West Germany CD maxi – The Shep Pettibone Mixes

1. "Miss You Much" (7" Slammin' R&B Mix) – 4:30
2. "Miss You Much" (7" House Mix) – 4:55
3. "Miss You Much" (7" R&B Mix) – 4:20
4. "Miss You Much" (Slammin' R&B Mix) – 7:45

Australian 12" picture disc

1. "Miss You Much" (Slammin R&B Mix)
2. "Miss You Much" (Slammin Dub)
3. "Miss You Much" (Shep's House Mix)
4. "Miss You Much" (Shep's House Dub)

In popular culture

• "Miss You Much" can be heard playing in the background of an episode of Tori Spelling
  Tori Spelling
  Victoria Davey "Tori" Spelling is an American actress. Spelling became known in the early 1990s for her role as Donna Martin on Beverly Hills, 90210. Spelling then had roles in a string of made-for-television films, such as A Friend to Die For and Mother, May I Sleep with Danger?...
  
  's show So NoTORIous
  So NoTORIous
  So NoTORIous is an American sitcom on VH1, loosely based on the life of actress Tori Spelling. The series debuted on April 2, 2006 and despite lasting only ten episodes, received substantial acclaim from critics.-Premise:...
  
  .

• The song was used in one of the opening scenes of the 1990 film Ghost Dad
  Ghost Dad
  As part of the publicity for the movie, a Ghost Dad novelization written by Mel Cebulash was released the year of the film's debut.-Critical reaction:...
  
  , starring Bill Cosby
  Bill Cosby
  William Henry "Bill" Cosby, Jr. is an American comedian, actor, author, television producer, educator, musician and activist. A veteran stand-up performer, he got his start at various clubs, then landed a starring role in the 1960s action show, I Spy. He later starred in his own series, the...
  
  .

• "Weird Al" Yankovic
  "Weird Al" Yankovic
  Alfred Matthew "Weird Al" Yankovic is an American singer-songwriter, music producer, accordionist, actor, comedian, writer, satirist, and parodist. Yankovic is known for his humorous songs that make light of popular culture and that often parody specific songs by contemporary musical acts...
  
   included the chorus in his polka medley "Polka Your Eyes Out" from his 1992 album Off the Deep End
  Off the Deep End
  Off the Deep End is the seventh studio album by "Weird Al" Yankovic, released in 1992. This album was the first album self-produced by Yankovic, after six albums with Rick Derringer. Recorded between June 1990 and January 1992, the album was a follow-up to the unsuccessful soundtrack to Yankovic's...
  
  .

• The song was remade in the 2005 South Korean comedy film 200 Pounds Beauty
  200 Pounds Beauty
  200 Pounds Beauty is a 2006 South Korean comedy film based on a Japanese manga, Kanna-San, Daiseikou Desu by Yumiko Suzuki...
  
  by Korean singer Youme. It is sung in the film by fictional Korean pop singer Ammy.

• 50 Cent
  50 Cent
  Curtis James Jackson III , better known by his stage name 50 Cent, is an American rapper, entrepreneur, investor, record producer, and actor. He rose to fame with the release of his albums Get Rich or Die Tryin and The Massacre . Get Rich or Die Tryin has been certified eight times platinum by...
  
  's 2007 song "Follow My Lead
  Follow My Lead
  "Follow My Lead" was the originally planned fifth single from 50 Cent's third album, Curtis, but was later replaced by "I'll Still Kill". However, it was released as the 6th single on November 11, 2009 for the Before I Self Destruct countdown....
  
  " featuring Robin Thicke
  Robin Thicke
  Robin Charles Thicke is an Award-winning American R&B singer-songwriter, musician, composer, and actor. Thicke's albums, which he previously released under the moniker Thicke, are noted for their feature of a predominantly R&B sound. Robin Thicke has penned hits for popular artists such as...
  
   mentions "Miss You Much" in the lines "like Janet Jackson say, 'I miss you much'".

• 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...
  
   in 2001, Jackson was paid tribute to by singers Pink
  Pink (singer)
  Alecia Beth Moore , better known by her stage name Pink , is an American singer-songwriter, musician and actress....
  
  , 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...
  
  , and Mýa
  Mya
  -A person:* Bo Mya , Chief Commander of the Karen National Union* Mýa , American R&B singer-songwriter and actress** Mýa , a 1998 album by Mýa-A code:* Burmese language, ISO 639-3 code is mya* Moruya Airport's IATA code...
  
  . Pink paid tribute by re-enacting the chair dance routine from the music video.

Charts

Chart (1989)	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...	12
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)	21
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....	2
Dutch Top 40 Dutch Top 40 The Dutch Top 40 is a weekly music chart, which started as the "Veronica Top 40", because the offshore radio station Radio Veronica was the first to introduce it. It remained "The Veronica Top 40" until 1974, when the station was forced to stop broadcasting...	15
Finnish Singles Chart	20
French Singles Chart Syndicat National de l'Edition Phonographique The Syndicat national de l'édition phonographique is the inter-professional organization which protects the interests of the French record industry...	66
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...	16
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...	22
Italian Singles Chart Federation of the Italian Music Industry The Federation of the Italian Music Industry is an umbrella organization that keeps track of virtually all aspects of the music recording industry in Italy....	22
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...	2
Swiss Singles Chart Swiss Music Charts The Swiss Music Charts are Switzerland's main music sales charts. The charts are a record of the highest-selling singles and albums in various genres in Switzerland.The Swiss Charts include:* Singles Top 75...	20
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 ...	22
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...	1
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,...	1
U.S. Billboard Hot Dance Club Play	1

End of year charts

End of year chart (1989)	Position
U.S. Billboard Hot 100	5

Chart procession and succession