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The Jackson 5. Biggest pop music phenomenon of the 1970s Jackie, Tito, Jermaine, Marlon & Michael Randy replaced Jermaine in 1975 Sold over 100 million records 2 nd only to the Beatles as most successful “boy band” in history
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The Jackson 5 • Biggest pop music phenomenon of the 1970s • Jackie, Tito, Jermaine, Marlon & Michael • Randy replaced Jermaine in 1975 • Sold over 100 million records • 2nd only to the Beatles as most successful “boy band” in history • The height of their popularity ranged from their introduction in 1969 until 1972 • Still popular after 1972, but their records didn’t sell nearly as well as in those three years
Auditioned for Motown by performing James Brown’s I Got the Feeling • 1st single – I Want You Back (#1, 1970) • Their next 3 singles in 1970 went #1 as well • ABC, The Love You Save, & I’ll Be There • Mama’s Pearl & Never Can Say Goodbye both reached the Top 5 • Within their first year of production, the group was the focus of Motown marketing • By 1971, The Jackson 5 was everywhere
They were on the radio, lunchboxes, magazine covers, & had their own cartoon • Most of their hits from 1972 & beyond were Top 20 • Dancing Machine (1974) popularized “The Robot” as a dance • Part of the decline of the Jacksons’ popularity can be blamed on Motown (and Gordy’s) refusal to update their image • Wanted the older guys to keep relationships (even marriage) secret; wanted Michael to continue to act child-like • 1976 – The Jacksons let their contract expire w/ Motown & signed w/ CBS records • Had to change their name to The Jacksons, Jermaine remained w/ Motown and Randy joined the group
After 2 years at CBS, they sign w/ Epic Records to have creative control of their music • 1979 – Michael Jackson releases Off the Wall, begins solo career • 1982 – Thriller is released & becomes the biggest selling album of all time (110 million) • 7 of the 9 tracks were released as singles • All 7 songs made the Top 10 on the pop chart • Won a record 8 Grammy Awards • Michael recorded on Victory (1984) but left the group before 2300 Jackson Street (1989) (he and Marlon only appeared on the title track) • 1997 – The Jackson 5 (all 6 members) inducted into the RRHoF • 2009 – remaining members of the group provided background vocals on the song This Is It after Michael died
The Decline of Motown • Motown still had a number of successful artists signed to the label in the late 1970s & 1980s, including Lionel Richie and the Commodores, Rick James & Debarge • June 1988 – Gordy sells ownership in Motown to MCA for $81 million • During the 1990s, Motown was home to recording artists such as Stevie Wonder, Boyz II Men and Johnny Gill, even though the label was still in turmoil • 2005 – Motown bought and absorbed by Universal Records