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Michael Jackson

Michael Jackson

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Michael Jackson's 'Off The Wall' | For The Record revisit-michael-jacksons-pop-star-breakthrough-wall-record

Revisit Michael Jackson's Pop Star Breakthrough, 'Off The Wall' | For The Record

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Jackson and producer Quincy Jones' pop dominance began with the GRAMMY-winning, record-breaking 'Off the Wall,' released Aug. 10, 1979
GRAMMYs
Aug 26, 2020 - 5:30 pm

In 1978, a 20-year-old Michael Jackson, alongside Diana Ross, comedian Richard Pryor and other major Black stars, starred in Universal/Motown's feature film The Wiz. It was there he would first connect with super-producer Quincy Jones, who led the GRAMMY-winning music for the cult classic. Together, they would craft three legendary albums (Off the Wall, Thriller and Bad) that broke records, won multiple GRAMMYs and earned Jackson King of Pop status.

Their pop dominance began with Off the Wall, released Aug. 10, 1979. It was Jackson's fifth solo album and the first after leaving Motown (where he and brothers found fame as the Jackson 5) for Epic.

Michael Jackson's 'Off The Wall' | For The Record

Flashback To Whitney Houston's 1985 Hit "Saving All My Love For You" | For The Record

The 10-track dancefloor-ready, disco-tinged album was produced by Jones, with Jackson co-producing three tracks, including the smash-hit opening track and lead single, "Don't Stop 'Til You Get Enough," which the singer/dancer wrote himself. It also features songwriting from Stevie Wonder (on "I Can't Help It"), Paul McCartney (on "Girlfriend) and British songwriter Rod Temperton (on "Rock with You," "Off the Wall and "Burn This Disco Out"), the latter two who return on Thriller.

The LP made history by becoming the first album by a solo artist to spawn four Billboard Hot 100 Top 10 hits. "Don't Stop 'Til You Get Enough," earned Jackson his first GRAMMY win—for Best Male R&B Vocal Performance at the 22nd GRAMMY Awards.

GRAMMY Rewind: Watch Lionel Richie & Michael Jackson Win Song Of The Year For "We Are The World"

"Don't Stop 'Til You Get Enough" was also nominated for Best Disco Recording—an award that unfortunately only lasted one year, and was won by Gloria Gaynor and her eternal disco gem, "I Will Survive."

His following album, 1982's Thriller, would see Jackson sweeping the 26th GRAMMY Awards with eight total wins, including Album Of The Year and Record Of The Year. Jones shared four of these wins for his stellar production on it.

Off the Wall and Thriller were both inducted into the GRAMMY Hall Of Fame in 2008. Jackson also received the GRAMMY Legend Award in 1993 and, posthumously, the Lifetime Achievement Award in 2010. Jones also earned the GRAMMY Legend Award (in 1991), as well as the Trustees Awards in 1989, which is the equivalent of the Lifetime Achievement Award for producers and other technical roles in music.

Get To Know GRAMMY-Winning Rapper Cardi B | For The Record

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Mariah Carey

Mariah Carey (L) in 2016

Photo: Jeff Kravitz/FilmMagic/Getty Images

 
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Mariah Carey's "All I Want For Christmas Is You" mariah-carey-all-i-want-christmas-you-record

For The Record: Mariah Carey's Eternal Merry-Maker, "All I Want For Christmas Is You"

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For the latest episode of GRAMMY.com's For The Record series, we explore the enduring cheer of the GRAMMY-winning pop/R&B icon's song
Ana Monroy Yglesias
GRAMMYs
Dec 9, 2020 - 12:12 pm

No matter how many times you've heard them, the opening jingle bells of Mariah Carey's eternal holiday classic, "All I Want For Christmas Is You," bring an inescapable joy that moves through your body.

For the latest episode of GRAMMY.com's For The Record series, we explore the enduring cheer of the GRAMMY-winning pop/R&B icon's song.

Watch the video below to learn more.

Mariah Carey's "All I Want For Christmas Is You"

Read More: Mariah Carey's "All I Want For Christmas Is You" Hits No. 1 25 Years After Its Initial Release

Originally released in October 1994 on the angelic vocalist's Merry Christmas album, the song has remained a holiday favorite, with placements in TV shows and films like Love Actually; it reached No. 1 on Billboard's Hot 100 chart in December 2019.

GRAMMY Rewind: Watch Mariah Carey Shine As She Wins Best New Artist At The 1991 GRAMMYs

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Michael Jackson in 1979

Michael Jackson

Photo: Chris Walter/WireImage.com

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Michael Jackson's 'Off The Wall' | For The Record michael-jacksons-wall-record

Michael Jackson's 'Off The Wall' | For The Record

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Go back to the disco era and relive the emergence of the classic album's fresh R&B fusion
Philip Merrill
GRAMMYs
Jul 12, 2018 - 3:08 pm

In 1979 the emerging disco genre produced amazing R&B crossover hybrids, many of them recognized at the 22nd GRAMMY Awards, the first and only year in which the Best Disco Recording category was awarded. Into this esteemed mix, after meeting on the set filming The Wiz, Michael Jackson and producer Quincy Jones dropped Off The Wall on Aug. 10.

Michael Jackson's 'Off The Wall' | For The Record

The challenge for Jackson and Jones was to make the right creative experiments, including Jackson writing songs and producing them and collaborations with Paul McCartney and Stevie Wonder. The band Heatwave had already been nominated for GRAMMYs for songs such as their funk-disco hit "Boogie Nights." Jones reached out to their keyboard player and songwriter Rod Temperton and he submitted three compositions that Jackson featured on the album — its title track, "Rock With You" and the album's closer, "Burn This Disco Down."

Musicians playing on the album included Patti Austin, George Duke and David Foster, who also co-wrote a track. Lead engineer was the legendary Bruce Swedien and Ed Cherney was one of his assistants. All of these musical geniuses went on to further greatness in the years that followed their participation in Jackson's fifth studio album. After working on Off The Wall, the five of them went on to win a combined 27 GRAMMYs.

The unprecedented splash when Off The Wall  hit shelves pushed two hits to No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 — "Don't Stop 'Til You Get Enough" and "Rock With You" — and another two at No. 10 — "Off The Wall" and "She's Out Of My Life." This was the first time an album by a solo artist had ever notched four hits in the Top 10.

Arguably the pinnacle track of the set was "Don't Stop 'Til You Get Enough." Jackson's composition of the song began in his Encino, Calif., kitchen as something he couldn't stop humming as he went through the day. He had to convince his mother the title was not just about sex, and luckily he did. The track earned Jackson his first career GRAMMY win for Best R&B Vocal Performance, Male at the 22nd GRAMMYs.

In addition to its GRAMMY win, in 2008 Off The Wall was inducted into the GRAMMY Hall Of Fame along with Jackson's follow-up album Thriller. He also earned the Recording Academy Lifetime Achievement Award for his transformative contributions to the music community in 2010, most of which started with this seminal record in 1979.

Catching Up On Music News Powered By The Recording Academy Just Got Easier. Have A Google Home Device? "Talk To GRAMMYs"

Michael Jackson performs live circa 1986

Photo: Kevin Mazur/WireImage.com

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For The Record: Michael Jackson's "Thriller" michael-jacksons-thriller-record-1

Michael Jackson's "Thriller": For The Record

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Find out how the seventh and final hit from 'Thriller' helped earn the King of Pop a place in the GRAMMY history book
Tim McPhate
GRAMMYs
Nov 2, 2017 - 5:36 pm

"Your body starts to shiver for no mere mortal can resist the evil of the thriller." — Vincent Price, "Thriller" voiceover

For The Record: Michael Jackson

By the time "Thriller" was released as a single on Nov. 2, 1983, few mortals had resisted the juggernaut that was Michael Jackson's album of the same name.

The sprawling title track was the seventh — yes, seventh — and final single from the LP, following (in reverse order of release) "P.Y.T. (Pretty Young Thing)," "Human Nature," "Wanna Be Startin' Somethin,'" "Beat It," "Billie Jean," and "The Girl Is Mine" featuring Paul McCartney.

Each single reached the Top 10, an unprecedented feat, with "Beat It" and "Billie Jean" topping the Billboard Hot 100 and "The Girl Is Mine" stopping just short at No. 2.

Though "Thriller" stalled at No. 4, it made the most lasting impression of all of the album's hits, thanks to its accompanying video. Clocking in at nearly 14 minutes, the elaborate production was truly a watershed moment for MTV. The "Thriller" video featured direction by John Landis, a screenplay, choreography, make-up and costumes, and special effects — resulting in a work that hinted at the boundless possibilities of merging filmmaking and music.

When it came time for the 26th GRAMMY Awards in 1984, Jackson savored arguably the biggest night of his music career. The King of Pop went to the podium at the Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles to accept eight GRAMMYs, including Record and Album Of The Year and Producer Of The Year, Non-Classical. "Thriller" would be responsible for two GRAMMYs: Best Pop Vocal Performance, Male and Best Video Album for Making Michael Jackson's Thriller, a captivating story behind the scenes document of the iconic video.

Michael Jackson Wins Best Pop Vocal Performance, Male

Jackson's haul set a record for the most GRAMMYs won in one night, a feat that has only since been equaled by Carlos Santana.

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Michael Jackson Wins Record Of The Year

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Michael Jackson
Michael Jackson
Photo: Kevin Mazur/WireImage.com

10 Reasons Michael Jackson Became The King Of Pop

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Ready For Michael Jackson's Halloween Special?

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Michael Jackson Wins Best Pop Vocal Performance, Male

Michael Jackson, Quincy Jones, holding GRAMMY
Michael Jackson and Quincy Jones
Photo: Chris Walter/WireImage.com

Inside Michael Jackson's 8 GRAMMYs for 'Thriller'

Remembering Michael Jackson's Record-Setting Music

Christina Aguilera at 2000 GRAMMYs

Christina Aguilera at 2000 GRAMMYs

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Christina Aguilera Wins Best New Artist In 2000 grammy-rewind-christina-aguilera-shines-2000-grammys-best-new-artist

GRAMMY Rewind: Christina Aguilera Shines As The 2000 GRAMMYs Best New Artist

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As the 2000 Best New Artist, she beat fellow nominees Macy Gray, Britney Spears, Susan Tedeschi, and Kid Rock
Ana Monroy Yglesias
GRAMMYs
Dec 18, 2020 - 2:05 pm

GRAMMY.com celebrates eternal pop diva Christina Aguilera's 40th birthday on today's episode of GRAMMY Rewind by revisiting her Best New Artist win at the 2000 GRAMMYs. In her full acceptance speech below, witness a surprised and grateful 19-year-old Xtina shine as she accepts her first GRAMMY win in a silver slip dress accented with rhinestone butterflies.

Christina Aguilera Wins Best New Artist In 2000

More: GRAMMY Rewind: Watch Mariah Carey Shine As She Wins Best New Artist At The 1991 GRAMMYs

As the 2000 Best New Artist, she beat fellow nominees Macy Gray, Britney Spears, Susan Tedeschi, and Kid Rock. "Genie in a Bottle," the hit lead single for her 1999 self-titled debut album, was nominated for Best Female Pop Vocal Performance that year as well. The "Beautiful" singer has since earned five total GRAMMY wins and 20 nominations.

GRAMMY Rewind: Witness Rihanna Accept Her First-Ever GRAMMY Win With JAY-Z For "Umbrella"

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Some of the content on this site expresses viewpoints and opinions that are not those of the Recording Academy. Responsibility for the accuracy of information provided in stories not written by or specifically prepared for the Academy lies with the story's original source or writer. Content on this site does not reflect an endorsement or recommendation of any artist or music by the Recording Academy.