Matthew McConaughey Says Janet Jackson Song Helped Him Quit Smoking Weed
AUSTIN, TEXAS - AUGUST 10: Matthew McConaughey attends Matthew McConaughey Cinema's dedication ceremony and "The Rivals Of Amziah King" special screening at Matthew McConaughey Cinema on August 10, 2026 in Austin, Texas. Photo Credit: Rick Kern
by Chris Tremblay Aug 18
3 MIN READ
Matthew McConaughey says Janet Jackson’s “That’s the Way Love Goes” played an unexpected role in his decision to stop smoking weed.
The actor discussed the episode in a Rolling Stone video interview focused on 10 songs that have been important throughout his life. The interview was reported by Entertainment Weekly on Aug. 15 and by People on Aug. 17.
“What a cool, groovy little tune,” McConaughey said of Jackson’s 1993 hit. He then added: “It’s also the reason I quit smoking weed.”
McConaughey’s explanation was not that the song itself was unpleasant; rather, he associated it with an experience in which marijuana became so powerful that he lost track of the event he was supposed to attend.
McConaughey recalled that the incident took place when he was on his way to his own birthday party. According to his account, the celebration was being held at a club that had been taken over for the occasion, and he planned to drive himself there.
Before entering the venue, a friend gave him a joint that was described as unusually strong. McConaughey said he smoked it while sitting in his car and quickly realized that it did not feel like the marijuana he had used previously.
He began listening to “That’s the Way Love Goes” repeatedly. McConaughey said he played the song 24 times in a row and remained in the car instead of going into the party.
By the time he finally left the vehicle and went inside, the party had ended and the guests had gone. “I listened to Janet Jackson’s ‘That’s the Way Love Goes’ 24 times in a row,” he said, according to Entertainment Weekly’s account.
“And when I finally got out of the car to go into my birthday party, no one was in there, ’cause it was over,” McConaughey said.
McConaughey placed the experience “right around the time weed started turning hydroponic.” He contrasted what he described as earlier marijuana use—smoking, laughing and getting the munchies—with what he experienced as a more potent form of cannabis.
In the interview, he said the stronger marijuana made the “subplots” of the experience feel unmanageable and caused people to “implode.” Those comments describe McConaughey’s personal recollection rather than a medical assessment of cannabis potency or its effects.
The actor’s account does not identify the exact date of the birthday party or establish how long he had been using marijuana before the incident. It does establish that he viewed the episode as a turning point in his own behavior.
McConaughey emphasized that his decision was directed at marijuana, not Jackson’s music. “Love the song, didn’t love the weed,” he said.
He also clarified that he still enjoys the track. “Still like the tune, though,” he said.
The anecdote has drawn renewed attention because it combines a familiar pop song with an unusually specific personal memory: a birthday party missed while the future Oscar-winning actor remained in a car listening to the same song on repeat.
The Rolling Stone interview also connected McConaughey’s relationship with music to his work as an actor. Entertainment Weekly reported that he makes playlists based on what he thinks a character would listen to.
McConaughey said he learned that approach while working with director Richard Linklater on “Dazed & Confused,” when Linklater gave cast members a cassette representing what their characters might hear. He described music as a way to establish a character’s rhythm and atmosphere without explicitly instructing the performer how to behave.
The actor is also associated with a new film, “The Rivals of Amziah King,” in which he plays a musician and beekeeper. In that context, his discussion of songs served both as a reflection on his personal history and as an explanation of how music informs his performances.
For McConaughey, “That’s the Way Love Goes” remains a song he appreciates, even though one particularly intense listening session helped bring his marijuana use to an end.
“What a cool, groovy little tune,” McConaughey said of Jackson’s 1993 hit. He then added: “It’s also the reason I quit smoking weed.”
McConaughey’s explanation was not that the song itself was unpleasant; rather, he associated it with an experience in which marijuana became so powerful that he lost track of the event he was supposed to attend.
A missed birthday celebration
McConaughey recalled that the incident took place when he was on his way to his own birthday party. According to his account, the celebration was being held at a club that had been taken over for the occasion, and he planned to drive himself there.
Before entering the venue, a friend gave him a joint that was described as unusually strong. McConaughey said he smoked it while sitting in his car and quickly realized that it did not feel like the marijuana he had used previously.
He began listening to “That’s the Way Love Goes” repeatedly. McConaughey said he played the song 24 times in a row and remained in the car instead of going into the party.
By the time he finally left the vehicle and went inside, the party had ended and the guests had gone. “I listened to Janet Jackson’s ‘That’s the Way Love Goes’ 24 times in a row,” he said, according to Entertainment Weekly’s account.
“And when I finally got out of the car to go into my birthday party, no one was in there, ’cause it was over,” McConaughey said.
His description of stronger cannabis
McConaughey placed the experience “right around the time weed started turning hydroponic.” He contrasted what he described as earlier marijuana use—smoking, laughing and getting the munchies—with what he experienced as a more potent form of cannabis.
In the interview, he said the stronger marijuana made the “subplots” of the experience feel unmanageable and caused people to “implode.” Those comments describe McConaughey’s personal recollection rather than a medical assessment of cannabis potency or its effects.
The actor’s account does not identify the exact date of the birthday party or establish how long he had been using marijuana before the incident. It does establish that he viewed the episode as a turning point in his own behavior.
“Love the song, didn’t love the weed”
McConaughey emphasized that his decision was directed at marijuana, not Jackson’s music. “Love the song, didn’t love the weed,” he said.
He also clarified that he still enjoys the track. “Still like the tune, though,” he said.
The anecdote has drawn renewed attention because it combines a familiar pop song with an unusually specific personal memory: a birthday party missed while the future Oscar-winning actor remained in a car listening to the same song on repeat.
Music in McConaughey’s acting process
The Rolling Stone interview also connected McConaughey’s relationship with music to his work as an actor. Entertainment Weekly reported that he makes playlists based on what he thinks a character would listen to.
McConaughey said he learned that approach while working with director Richard Linklater on “Dazed & Confused,” when Linklater gave cast members a cassette representing what their characters might hear. He described music as a way to establish a character’s rhythm and atmosphere without explicitly instructing the performer how to behave.
The actor is also associated with a new film, “The Rivals of Amziah King,” in which he plays a musician and beekeeper. In that context, his discussion of songs served both as a reflection on his personal history and as an explanation of how music informs his performances.
For McConaughey, “That’s the Way Love Goes” remains a song he appreciates, even though one particularly intense listening session helped bring his marijuana use to an end.
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