LOS ANGELES (Hip-O/UTV/UMe) - For the first time, No 1 hits from the Jackson 5, The Jacksons, Jermaine Jackson, and
Michael Jackson are heard on one collection with THE JACKSONS' STORY (Hip-O/UTV/UMe), released July 20, 2004.
Featuring 20 selections spanning 1969 to 1982, from the J5 debut DIANA ROSS PRESENTS to the mega-smash THRILLER, from Motown to Epic, THE JACKSONS' STORY brings together seven pop No 1s among 15 Top 10s, and includes several single edits making their CD debuts. From the Jackson 5's first five No 1s, all of The Jacksons' Top 40 pop hits and Jermaine's biggest seller to Michael's first No 1s as an adult, and a booklet with career-spanning photos and a retrospective essay, THE JACKSONS' STORY tells the tale of pop's most phenomenally popular musical family.
As the Jackson 5 from Gary, Indiana, brothers Michael, Jermaine, Jackie, Marlon and Tito premiered on Motown with "I Want You Back," in October 1969, and is ranked by Rolling Stone magazine as the greatest debuts in pop music history. That platinum No 1 pop/No 1 R&B was followed by the No 1 pop/No 1 R&Bs "ABC," "The Love You Save" and "I'll Be There."
"I'll Be There," the J5's first ballad, became then the group's and Motown's best-charting pop hit ever, No 1 for five weeks (also No 1 R&B). "Mama's Pearl" reached No 2 pop/No 2 R&B while "Never Can Say Goodbye" peaked at No 2 pop/No 1 R&B.
Michael's solo career began almost immediately and THE JACKSONS' STORY includes his first hit, "Got To Be There" (No 4 pop), as well as "Rockin' Robin" (No 2) and "Ben" (No 1, from the 1972 motion picture of the same name). At the same time he remained the centerpiece of the J5 and in 1973 they delved into dance music with "Dancing Machine," a No 2 pop/No 1 R&B hit that inspired Michael's Robot, a major dance craze.
The group exited Motown for Epic in the mid-'70s and billed itself as The Jacksons, with youngest brother Randy replacing Jermaine, who remained at Motown. THE JACKSONS' STORY offers their Top 10 pop platinum hits "Enjoy Yourself" and "Shake Your Body (Down To The Ground)," the Top 10 R&B smashes "Show You The Way To Go," "Lovely One" and "This Place Hotel," plus long-time favorites "Blame It On The Boogie," No 3 R&B, and "Can You Feel It," a chart hit that was their 1980 tour opener. That same year, Jermaine's solo career reached its high point with "Let's Get Serious," a collaboration with Stevie Wonder that hit Top 10 pop/No 1 R&B.
Meanwhile Michael had returned to his solo efforts with 1979's OFF THE WALL and its Grammy-winning, platinum, No 1 pop/No 1 R&B "Don't Stop 'Til You Get Enough." He entered the stratosphere with the follow-up album, 1982's THRILLER, at 26 times platinum the biggest selling original album in history, which included "Billie Jean," a No 1 pop/No 1 R&B platinum single.
The story of the Jackson phenomenon has been told over and over. Never has it been told on one CD, until now: THE JACKSONS' STORY.
