Mixing soul with pop, the Jackson 5 rode a tidal wave of success that carried them across several decades and swept before it all preexisting barriers. They were the first African American teen idols with significant appeal to white audiences and scored many #1 hits on the charts.

The family group had been performing in their native Gary, Indiana under the management of their father, Joseph Jackson. They came to the attention of Motown chief Berry Gordy who set them up in Los Angeles with a dedicated team of songwriters (called ‘The Corporation’ for maximum mysterious effect). The first hit resulting from this collaboration was “I Want You Back,” which set the Jackson 5 on a fast rise to the top and showcased the talents of 12-year old Michael. Following that #1 hit was “ABC,” another smash hit mixing R&B and pop that managed to best the Beatles and top the charts.

The next #1 hit was “The Love You Save,” a doo-wop flavored tune that reinforced the group’s superstardom. By now the Jackson 5 were capable of selling a million albums in less than a year and went on to a record-smashing tour. Michael shared lead vocalist duties with older brother Jermaine on “I’ll Be There,” a smooth ballad that became the group’s fourth consecutive #1 hit. Other hits followed, like “Mama’s Pearl” and “Never Can Say Goodbye,” both reaching the #2 spot in the charts.

Michael’s popularity meant that he was also recording a lot of solo work, which charted as high as the group’s songs. His first hit was “Got To Be There,” followed by a remake of the old favorite “Rockin’ Robin” and the chart-topper “Ben,” about a boy and his rat.

As the 70s marched on, the Jackson 5 incorporated driving disco beats in their music, most notably “Dancing Machine” in 1974. They also headlined a popular music and comedy revue in Las Vegas and had their own Rankin/Bass Saturday morning cartoon on ABC.

Seeking to invigorate declining sales, the group moved from Motown to Epic Records in 1976 and became known as ‘The Jacksons.’ The brothers returned to TV, this time on CBS, to host an eponymous variety show that lasted for one season. Most importantly, the group was now writing and producing their own material, something they weren’t able to do while at Motown. The result was Destiny and Triumph, both albums generating a number of Top 10 hits.

Michael’s solo career had really taken off at this point but he came back to the Jacksons for the Victory album and subsequent tour, which were huge successes. In 1989, the Jacksons minus Michael released 2300 Jackson Street and disbanded soon after. All the members continued solo careers, though none could match Michaels meteoric rise. The Jacksons occasionally reunite for tours and special projects but we’ll always remember them as cute kids in afros and bellbottoms.