Motown was known for producing top hit makers throughout the 1960s and 1970s, but arguably the most successful of the groups was also one of the youngest. The original line up had Jackie, Tito, Jermaine, Marlon and Michael Jackson, who were brothers from Gary, Indiana. They grew up in an incredibly strict high school with their father Joe ruling the house with an iron first. Joe also had a musical past before his family as a guitarist in an R&B band. After he discovered his children's talent, Joe decided that the brother combo was marketable. The older brothers sang together originally, but the two youngest joined soon after, including five-year-old Michael.

The group won an amateur night at the legendary Apollo Theater in 1967, which helped the group get exposure and pushed them into stardom. They soon had a deal with Motown, but by then they were already seasoned performers. The producers at Motown worked with the group to start producing hits, and they had their first number one in early 1970 with "I Want You Back."It was followed up with another hit, "ABC." Soon, they were sweeping the nation, creating a massive following of fans and selling out venues across the country. Television appearances also helped them reach superstardom, including their own variety show.

Their sound was shifting toward disco by the mid 1970s, leading to a label change to Epic. They changed their name to the Jackson's and released new albums on Epic. They had a highly-successful tour in 1984 called Victory tour, but it would be the last time that Michael was with the group. He broke out into a solo career, and the group soldiered on by releasing another album in 1989, but it was not as successful as their previous releases. The group also helped to launch the career of sister Janet, who sang with the group early on before embarking on her solo career.