Off the Wall

Off the Wall
A smiling male (Michael Jackson) with a black afro, wearing a black tuxedo, white shirt, and a black bow tie. Both of his thumbs are hooked into his pants pockets with his palms and fingers facing forward and splayed out. The sides of his jacket are tucked behind his hands as he leans back slightly, giving a playful, casual touch to his formal look. Behind him there is a brown brick wall and to the side of his head are "MICHAEL JACKSON" in yellow chalk writing and "OFF THE WALL" in white chalk writing. "JACKSON" and "WALL" are separately underlined.
Original 1979 cover
Studio album by
Michael Jackson
ReleasedAugust 10, 1979
RecordedDecember 4, 1978 – June 3, 1979
Studios
  • Allen Zentz (Hollywood, California)
  • Westlake (Los Angeles, California)
  • Cherokee (Hollywood, California)
Genres
Length42:24
Labels
Producers
Michael Jackson chronology
The Best of Michael Jackson
(1975)		 Off the Wall
(1979)		 One Day in Your Life
(1981)
Singles from Off the Wall
  1. "Don't Stop 'Til You Get Enough"
    Released: July 10, 1979
  2. "Rock with You"
    Released: October 9, 1979
  3. "Off the Wall"
    Released: November 16, 1979
  4. "She's Out of My Life"
    Released: April 1, 1980
  5. "Girlfriend"
    Released: July 4, 1980
Alternate cover
Against a brick wall, a man's bottom half of his legs, glowing socks, and black shoes are visible. It is cut from the original cover, and was also the original back cover.
Special Edition 2001 cover; remained in prints/distribution until 2016

Off the Wall is the fifth studio album by the American singer Michael Jackson, released on August 10, 1979, by Epic Records. It was Jackson's first album released through Epic Records, and the first produced by Quincy Jones, whom he previously collaborated with while working on the 1978 film The Wiz. Off the Wall was crafted from disco, pop, funk, R&B, soft rock and Broadway ballads. Its lyrical themes include escapism, liberty, hedonism and romance. The album features songwriting contributions from Stevie Wonder, Paul McCartney, Rod Temperton, Tom Bahler, and David Foster, alongside three tracks penned by Jackson himself.

Before recording his next album, Jackson desired to create a record showcasing creative freedom and individualism for the first time. Off the Wall was widely branded as a reintroduction for him. It became Jackson's highest charting on the Billboard Top LPs & Tape chart, staying in the Top 10 for over 8 months. It was also number 1 on the Top Black Albums chart for 16 weeks and was the best-selling album of 1980 in the US. The album has retrospectively been hailed as a landmark release of the disco era.

Five singles were released from Off the Wall, two of which were Billboard Hot 100 number-one singles: "Don't Stop 'Til You Get Enough" and "Rock with You". Another two, "Off the Wall" and "She's Out of My Life", were Top 10 hits; this made Jackson the first solo artist to have four Top 10 hits on the Hot 100 from one album. The album was controversially nominated for just two Grammy Awards, with Jackson winning Best R&B Vocal Performance, Male, for "Don't Stop 'Til You Get Enough". It won Favorite Soul/R&B Album at both the 1980 and 1981 American Music Awards.

Off the Wall received widespread critical acclaim, with it being credited as a significant departure from Jackson's previous work for Motown and hailed as a major breakthrough for him. It has sold over 20 million copies worldwide, making it one of the best-selling albums of all time. In 2025, it was certified diamond by the Recording Industry Association of America. The album continues to be lauded as one of the greatest albums in popular music, with some critics praising it as Jackson's magnum opus. In 2008, it was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame.

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