"Throb" is a song by American singer Janet Jackson from her fifth studio album, Janet. It was written and produced by Jackson, James Harris III and Terry Lewis and is a house song. It was released commercially in the Netherlands as the album's sixth single on June 18, 1994, while in the United States it was a radio-only release. "Throb" was well received by critics who appreciated its production. In the Netherlands, the song peaked at 20 on the Tipparade. While in the United States the song peaked at number 66 on the airplay chart and number two on the Hot Dance Club Play chart. The song was performed on five of Jackson's tours.
Composition
"Throb" begins with Jackson saying "come for me", before promising to "boom, boom, boom until noon, noon, noon". "I can feel your body / pressed against my body / Wrap yourself around me / Love to feel you throbbing", there is elements of house music, C&C Music Factory-esque beats and a saxophone loop. Chuck Arnold from Philadelphia Daily News noted the song's "surprisingly frank dirty talk" with the lyric "I can feel your body/Pressed against my body/When you start to poundin'/Love to feel you throbbin'". MuuMuse described the song writing that the track "swells and deflates in an aching, circular motion–not unlike a sensual rhythm ". An exclusive remix of "Throb", the Morales Badyard Mix, was included on Jackson's remix compilation albumJanet Remixed in 1995. Peter Rauhofer remixed "Throb" in 2013 and released the remix on Valentine's Day.
Critical reception
"Throb" received positive reviews from music critics. Billboard, while reviewing the album on its twentieth anniversary, said, "If the production sounds a little dated now, the overtly sexual vibes on this track are pretty timeless – and still risqué for the early 90s.". MuuMuse gave a positive review for "Throb", defining it as "a '90's purist's house track, featuring classic dance rhythms and beat breaks". The reviewer continued saying the song is "a much grittier experience than the slinky seduction" of Madonna's "Erotica" single released the year before, and finished saying "Surprisingly however, the track has aged brilliantly, and listening to it now is still an overly enjoyable experience". Sputnikmusic considered that "Throb" has a "sexy workout feel". Philadelphia Daily Newss Chuck Arnold called the song a "deep house jam with a pumpin' bass line". A reviewer for Soulbounce commented that for the "pulsing" song, Jackson became a house music diva. Complex noted that "Throb" is "the hip-house tantric jam". Sal Cinquemani from Slant Magazine commented: "Even the nearly structure-less 'Throb', feels like a parody of Madonna's 'Erotica', right down to the hard, house beats.
Chart performance
"Throb" was released as a commercial single in the Netherlands and charted at 20 on the Tipparade. In the United States, the song was not released commercially. However, it was sent to mainstream radio and charted on the BillboardHot 100 Airplay, peaking at number 66. The song's B-side, "And On and On", went on to chart as well at number 28. "And On and On" also peaked at number twelve on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Airplay chart. However, according to Billboard's regulations, both songs were ineligible to chart on the Billboard Hot 100, due to their lack of a physical release in the US. However, "Throb" enjoyed success on the Hot Dance Club Songs chart, eventually reaching number two. Additionally, "Throb" topped Hot Dance Singles Sales as a B-side to "Any Time, Any Place".
Live performances
Jackson performed "Throb" on Saturday Night Live along with "Any Time, Any Place". It was added to the Janet World Tour in 1993. During the performance, the screens swirled with techno-style patterns of fractal curves. According to Robert Hilburn from Los Angeles Times, it was performed with equal energy and style of the album's quality. The song was performed after a "frenzied" medley of "What Have You Done for Me Lately", "The Pleasure Principle" and "Nasty" on The Velvet Rope Tour in 1998. After the performance, a red crushed-velvet curtain closed the stage, and a hidden light-and-sound came. The medley at the October 11, 1998 show in New York City, at the Madison Square Garden, was broadcast during a special titled The Velvet Rope: Live in Madison Square Garden by HBO. It was also added to the setlist at its DVD release, The Velvet Rope Tour – Live in Concert in 1999. The song was also used as an interlude on the tour in 2011. It was also included on the 2015–16 Unbreakable World Tour and the 2017–18 State of the World Tour. Janet also performed the song at the 2018 Billboard Music Awards, along with "Nasty". On this occasion, she was the first black woman to receive the Billboard Icon Award. It was also included in her 2019 Las Vegas residency.
