"The Jacksons" is the eleventh studio album by the American band the Jacksons, released in 1976. This album marked the group's first for Epic Records and was also their first release under the name "the Jacksons," after spending seven years at Motown as "the Jackson 5." Jermaine Jackson, a founding member of the group, chose to stay with Motown when his brothers broke their contracts and moved to Epic. As a result, youngest brother Randy Jackson replaced Jermaine in the lineup.
Produced by Philadelphia International Records heads Kenneth Gamble and Leon Huff, The Jacksons was their first album with a more adult-oriented sound. The album included the group's first top ten hit in two years, "Enjoy Yourself." The Jacksons were also able to write and produce their own material for the first time, something they were not allowed to do at Motown. Notable tracks that they wrote include "Style of Life" and "Blues Away," with "Blues Away" being the first song written by Michael Jackson, who also took a more percussive approach to his vocal style on this album.
In addition to "Enjoy Yourself," the album produced another successful R&B single, "Show You the Way to Go," which reached No. 1 in the UK. While "Good Times" was not released as a single, it became a popular album track due to its airplay on quiet storm radio.
The Jacksons became the band's first gold album, despite their previous massive success with Motown. The group had sold more than 10 million albums during their time at Motown, but the certification of their earlier works was delayed because Motown had not submitted its sales and financial records to the RIAA for auditing until 1976.
The album represents a turning point for the Jacksons, marking their transition from teen idols to a more mature and self-directed musical act, and it set the stage for their future success in the years that followed.
