Album Club: Michael Jackson, Off the Wall (1979)

Many of us know that Thriller (#12 on the Top 100) made Michael Jackson the biggest pop star on earth. But three years before that masterpiece, there was Off the Wall (#36 on the Top 100).

Released in 1979, Off the Wall was Michael Jackson's first full collaboration with producer Quincy Jones, and together they created something that didn't quite fit any existing category. It was funky, polished, and joyful. And from what I've read, the music establishment at the time didn't quite know what to do with it.

The album is now recognized as a turning point, both in Jackson's career and in the sound of popular music itself. Tracks like "Don't Stop 'Til You Get Enough," "Rock with You," and "She's Out of My Life" showed a 21-year-old artist stepping fully into his own voice for the first time, no longer the kid from the Jackson 5, but something new and hard to define.

Whether you're a newbie to this album, a lifelong fan, or somewhere in between, spend some time with it before we meet. I can't wait to hear what you think.

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Peace ❤️