Janet Jackson, global icon, has had a profound impact on the music industry ever since she debuted in the early '80s. Over the years, she's supplied us with show-stopping choreography and countless hits: "Control," "Rhythm Nation," "If," "That's The Way Love Goes," "All For You," "All Nite (Don't Stop)" — the list goes on and on and on. (And that's not even getting into all the good deep cuts!)

At the same time, Janet's style evolution across her career has been fascinating to watch, especially as she began coming into her own as an artist with 1997's introspective The Velvet Rope, which marked a drastic new change in style and sound for the entertainer. Ever since, she has proven to stay ahead of pop (and fashion!) trends, always existing on the cutting-edge of culture, all the way up until her forthcoming 2015 comeback, Unbreakable.

We decided to take a look back 20 years ago, beginning with 1997's Velvet Rope era and leading all the way up to today, to see how she's transformed over the years. Check out the evolution of Miss Jackson up top. Are you ready for this new era?

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