Runaway (Janet Jackson song)
"Runaway" is a song recorded American singer Janet Jackson for her first greatest hits album, Design of a Decade: 1986–1996 (1995). Written and produced by Jackson and Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis, the track was released as the album's lead single on August 29, 1995, by A&M Records.
Background and composition
"Runaway" was created as a duet with Jackson's brother Michael Jackson, but he chose "Scream" instead. "Runaway" blends hard pop-hip hop beats with influences from African and Asian music, and has a similar sound to her previous hits "Escapade" and "Whoops Now". Towards the end of the song, Jackson breaks the fourth wall with the lyric, "Ooh, didn't quite hit the note/That wasn't such a good time". Africa, Nairobi, Tuscany, Australia, Mexico, Spain, and Paris are mentioned in the song.
Chart performance
"Runaway" made Jackson the first female artist in Billboard's history to debut in the top ten of the Billboard Hot 100, entering at number six in September 1995. It eventually peaked at number three. It was certified gold by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) and sold 800,000 copies domestically. The song also reached the top spot in Canada, in addition to being a top ten hit in the United Kingdom and Australia and a moderate success in continental Europe, reaching the top 30 in most countries.
