Janis Ian: Breaking Silence

8.2/10 · 39 votesJun 20, 2025150 min

Ranked #2 of 8 in Season 39•+0.6 vs season avg

Discussion

Discover the life of singer-songwriter Janis Ian and how she rose as a folk icon and gay rights advocate. She broke ground with “Society’s Child” (1966), a bold take on interracial love, and “At Seventeen” (1975), a searing anthem about bullying.

Previous episodeE3 · Art Spiegelman: Disaster Is My Muse Next episodeE5 · Hannah Arendt: Facing Tyranny

Seasons41

All 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41

Season 39 Episodes8

E1 8.1

The Disappearance of Miss Scott

E2 7.9

LIZA: A Truly Terrific Absolutely True Story

E3 7.0

Art Spiegelman: Disaster Is My Muse

E4 8.2Now viewing

Janis Ian: Breaking Silence

E5 6.8

Hannah Arendt: Facing Tyranny

E6 8.3

Marcella

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E7 6.6

Marlee Matlin Not Alone Anymore

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E8 7.5

Starring Dick Van Dyke

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Episode Summary

"Janis Ian: Breaking Silence" is episode 4 of American Masters season 39. It scored 8.2/10 from 39 votes, ranking #2 of 8 episodes this season (season average 7.5). It aired on June 20, 2025.

Next: E5 · Hannah Arendt: Facing Tyranny Best of Season 39