the Jackson 5
In 1980 the group released the Triumph album, which featured the hits “This Place Hotel” and “Can You Feel It”, as well as the dance club hit “Walk Right Now”. The following year’s The Jacksons Live! used recordings from the group’s Triumph Tour, which in 1988 was described by Rolling Stone magazine as one of the best 25 tours from 1967 to 1987. The group’s success was outperformed, however, by Michael’s 1982 LP Thriller. Thriller went on to become the most successful album ever in the United States, and to date stands as the world’s best-selling album of all time.
The cover to the 1984 album Victory.
The Motown 25 television special, broadcast on NBC on May 16, 1983, featured a reunion performance between Jermaine and the other brothers. Outside of one 1979 appearance on the TV show Midnight Special this was the original Jackson 5’s first performance in nearly seven years. The Motown 25 Jackson 5 reunion was overshadowed, however, by Michael’s landmark performance of “Billie Jean” on the same program, which introduced his trademark “moonwalk” dance.
The Jacksons released the album Victory in 1984, featuring the hit single “State of Shock” with guest star Mick Jagger, and supported the album with the Victory Tour of the United States and Canada. The Victory album and tour marked the official return of Jermaine to the group’s lineup, making them a sextet.
Shortly after the Victory Tour, Michael left The Jacksons, as his solo career had led to the success of Thriller and its singles. His name recognition as a solo act had also grown, despite touring as part of a group. Marlon followed Michael out of the group a year later during a group meeting. The other brothers eventually drifted apart to take on solo projects (although most of them appeared with Michael on the U.S. For Africa single “We Are the World” in 1985). The Jacksons reunited for one last album, 2300 Jackson Street in 1989. While every Jackson sibling except for LaToya appeared on the title track, a #9 R&B hit single, most of the album featured Jermaine, Jackie, Tito, and Randy as the line up. Michael Jackson’s fame as a solo act as well as the growing fame of the group’s youngest sister, Janet Jackson, had overshadowed the group entirely. A CD compilation of hits from the CBS/Epic years, The Essential Jacksons, was released in 2004, as was a separate compilation assembled by Universal/Hip-O, The Jacksons Story.
2009-Present
In 2009, following the death of brother Michael, the remaining performing Jacksons re-united in a studio to record background vocals for a previously unreleased song, “This Is It” (the theme for the movie of the same name), which had originally been a demo. The single was released in October of that same year. The surviving members of the Jacksons are planning a reunion tour for 2010 as well as a new album and are appearing in an A&E Network reality show called The Jacksons: A Family Dynasty, which documents their return.
Records:
the Jackson 5 – ABC, Motown 1979
the Jackson 5 – Get it together, Motown 1979
the Jackson 5 – Body Langueage, Motown 1979
the Jackson 5 – Can You Feel it(live), Epic 1981
the Jackson 5 – Goin Back to Indiana, Motown 1979
the Jackson 5 – This Place Hotel, Epic 1981
the Jackson 5 – La La (means i love you)
the Jackson 5 – Can You Feel It
the Jackson 5 – Going Back To Indiana
