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JANET JACKSON IN CONTROL AGAIN: After 35 years, Janet Jackson's album, Control, is surging up the charts again, thanks to a recent public apology from singer-songwriter Justin Timberlake over their 2004 Super Bowl half-time performance.

During the show, televised to an audience numbering in the millions, he had ripped off her costume, baring her breast. While Jackson, 54, came under fire and her career suffered as a result of that infamous "wardrobe malfunction", he did not speak up to defend her and escaped relatively unscathed.

Over the weekend, her album climbed to the No. 8 most downloaded spot on iTunes.

In an emotional video on Twitter and Instagram, she said: "I was at home just the other day by myself and I began to cry. I was crying because I was so thankful for all that God has blessed me with, all that He has given me, and I'm so thankful for Him being in my life."

She added: "I'm so thankful for all of you being in my life. You're so special to me and I want to thank all of you for making Control number one once again. After 35 years, never in a million years would I think that this would happen."

Timberlake, 40, had faced backlash after the documentary Framing Britney Spears aired, which put the spotlight on his relationship with the troubled pop star, as well as the Super Bowl incident.

In an Instagram post last Friday, he wrote: "I understand that I fell short in these moments and in many others and benefited from a system that condones misogyny and racism. I specifically want to apologise to Britney Spears and Janet Jackson both individually, because I care for and respect these women and I know I failed."

Control had been moving up the charts even before the apology, due to a social media campaign mounted by her fans to celebrate the album's 35th anniversary. They also stream her music every year during Super Bowl, which was held on Feb 7 this year, calling it #JanetJacksonAppreciationDay.