The Jacksons Biography
In 2018, The Jacksons celebrate 50 years as one of the most successful groups in music history.
Jackie, Tito, Jermaine, Marlon and Michael, five brothers from Gary, Indiana, known originally as The Jackson 5 and later The Jacksons, rose to fame for their combination of extraordinary musical talent and spectacular choreography. They earned the status of pop royalty in the music world, providing the launching pad for what would become Michael Jackson’s legendary solo career.
The group found international success at Motown in 1969, their first single "I Want You Back" reaching No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100. Their next 3 singles "ABC", "The Love You Save" and "I'll Be There" followed suit, The Jackson 5 literally making music history with 4 debut singles all reaching No. 1. They ultimately scored 17 Top Forty singles on the Hot 100, following with hits such as "Never Can Say Goodbye" and "Dancing Machine". To date, their Motown recordings alone have sold in excess of 200 million.
In 1976, the group, except for Jermaine, left Motown for Epic Records, where they added their brother Randy and changed their name to The Jacksons. They released five hit albums between 1976 and 1981, including The Jacksons (1976), Destiny (1978) and Triumph (1980), from which they produced the smash singles "Enjoy Yourself", “Blame It On The Boogie”, "Shake Your Body (Down to the Ground)" and "Can You Feel It." In 1983, the band, along with Jermaine, performed on Motown 25: Yesterday, Today, Forever, and subsequently released the Victory album the following year, (which included the Billboard No. 3 hit ‘State Of Shock’ featuring Mick Jagger). When the brothers united for The Victory Tour in 1984, it became the highest-grossing concert series ever staged in the United States.
The Jacksons have become the inspiration for several generations of boy bands, including Backstreet Boys, New Edition, N*SYNC, New Kids on the Block, and more recently, the Jonas Brothers, One Direction, and many more.
In 1980, The Jacksons were honored with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. They were inducted into The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1997, and the Vocal Group Hall of Fame in 1999. At the BMI Urban Awards in 2008, The Jacksons were honored as BMI Icons. In 2016, “ABC” joined “I Want You Back” to be inducted into the Recording Academy’s Grammy Hall of Fame.