Off the Wall - wikipedia Off the Wall For other uses, see Off the Wall ( disambiguation ). Off the Wall Studio album by Michael Jackson Released August 10, 1979 Studio Allen Zentz Recording Westlake Audio Cherokee Studios ( Los Angeles, California ) Genre R&B disco soul pop funk jazz Length 42 : 28 Label Epic CBS Producer Quincy Jones Michael Jackson Michael Jackson chronology Forever, Michael ( 1975 ) Forever, Michael 1975 Off the Wall ( 1979 ) Thriller ( 1982 ) Thriller 1982 Alternate cover The slipcover for the 2001 Special Edition of the album. Current pressings of the special edition do not include the slipcover. Singles from Off the Wall `` Do n't Stop ' Til You Get Enough '' Released : July 28, 1979 `` Rock with You '' Released : November 3, 1979 `` Off the Wall '' Released : February 2, 1980 `` She 's Out of My Life '' Released : April 19, 1980 `` Girlfriend '' Released : July 16, 1980 Off the Wall is the fifth album by American singer Michael Jackson, released on August 10, 1979 in the United States by Epic Records and internationally by CBS Records. It was his nineteenth album in total since Diana Ross Presents The Jackson 5 ( 1969 ), as well as his first album released through Epic Records, the label he would record on until his death roughly 30 years later. It was released following Jackson 's critically well - received film performance in The Wiz. While working on that project, Jackson and Quincy Jones had become friends, and Jones agreed to work with Jackson on his next studio album. Recording sessions took place between December 1978 and June 1979 at Allen Zentz Recording, Westlake Recording Studios, and Cherokee Studios in Los Angeles, California. Jackson collaborated with a number of writers and performers, such as Paul McCartney, Stevie Wonder and Rod Temperton. Five singles were released from the album ; three of the singles had music videos released. Jackson wrote three of the songs himself, including the number - one Grammy Award - winning single `` Do n't Stop ' Til You Get Enough ''. The record was a departure from Jackson 's previous work for Motown Records. Its lyrical themes on the record relate to escapism, liberation, loneliness, hedonism and romance. Several critics observed that Off the Wall was crafted from funk, disco, soft rock, jazz, Broadway and pop ballads. Jackson received positive reviews for his vocal performance on the record. The record gained critical acclaim and recognition, and won the singer his first Grammy Award. With Off the Wall, Jackson became the first solo artist to have four singles from the same album peak inside the top 10 of the Billboard Hot 100. The album was an enormous commercial success ; as of 2014 it is certified eight times platinum in the United States and has reportedly sold more than 20 million copies worldwide, making it one of the best selling albums of all time. On October 16, 2001, a special edition reissue of Off the Wall was released by Sony Records. It was re-released on February 26, 2016. Recent reviews by AllMusic and Blender have continued to praise Off the Wall for its appeal in the 21st century. Often considered one of the best disco albums of all time, the album was placed at number 68 on Rolling Stone list of `` The 500 Greatest Albums of All Time '' in 2003. The National Association of Recording Merchandisers listed it at number 80 on its list of the `` Definitive 200 Albums of All Time ''. In 2008, Off the Wall was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame. Contents 1 Background 2 Production 3 Music and vocals 4 Release 5 Reception 6 Legacy 7 Track listing 8 Personnel 9 Certifications 9.1 Year - end charts 10 See also 11 References 12 External links Background Starting in 1971, Michael Jackson released a total of four solo studio albums with Motown, Got to Be There, Ben, Music & Me, and Forever, Michael. These were released as part of The Jackson 5 franchise, and produced successful singles such as `` Got to Be There '', `` Ben '' and a remake of Bobby Day 's `` Rockin ' Robin ''. The Jackson 5 's sales, however, began declining in 1973, and the band members chafed under Motown 's strict refusal to allow them creative control or input. Although the group scored several top 40 hits, including the top five disco single `` Dancing Machine '' and the top 20 hit `` I Am Love '', The Jackson 5 ( minus Jermaine Jackson ) left Motown in 1975. The Jackson 5 signed a new contract with CBS Records in June 1975, first joining the Philadelphia International Records division and then Epic Records. As a result of legal proceedings, the group was renamed The Jacksons. After the name change, the band continued to tour internationally, releasing six more albums between 1976 and 1984. During that period, Michael was not just the lead singer, but also the chief songwriter for the group, writing or co-writing such hits as `` Shake Your Body ( Down to the Ground ) '', `` This Place Hotel '' and `` Can You Feel It ''. In 1978, Jackson starred as Scarecrow in the film musical The Wiz. The musical scores were arranged by Quincy Jones, who formed a partnership with Jackson during the film 's production and agreed to produce the singer 's solo album Off the Wall. Jackson was dedicated to the role, and watched videotapes of gazelles, cheetahs and panthers in order to learn graceful movements for his part. Jones recalled working with Jackson as one of his favorite experiences from The Wiz, and spoke of Jackson 's dedication to his role, comparing his acting style to Sammy Davis, Jr. Critics panned The Wiz upon its October 1978 release. Jackson 's performance as the Scarecrow was one of the only positively reviewed elements of the film, with critics noting that Jackson possessed `` genuine acting talent '' and `` provided the only genuinely memorable moments. '' Of the results of the film, Jackson stated : `` I do n't think it could have been any better, I really do n't ''. In 1980, Jackson stated that his time working on The Wiz was `` my greatest experience so far... I 'll never forget that ''. Production Quincy Jones produced Off the Wall. This was the first of three successful collaborations with Jackson. When Jackson began the Off the Wall project he was not sure what he wanted as the final result ; however, he did not want another record that sounded like The Jacksons, but rather he wanted more creative freedom, something he had not been allowed on prior albums. Jackson 's father Joseph also approved of the project and allowed him to record it on the condition that it did n't interfere with group business. Despite his brothers ' desire to work with him, Jackson wanted to make the album independently of his family. Nevertheless, his brother Randy still contributed percussion to `` Do n't Stop ' Til You Get Enough ''. Jones produced `` Off the Wall '', with co-production credit given to Jackson on the songs he wrote for the album. Songwriters included Jackson, Heatwave 's Rod Temperton, Stevie Wonder and Paul McCartney. All sessions took place at Los Angeles County - based recording studios. Rhythm tracks and vocals were recorded at Allen Zentz Recording, the horn section 's contributions took place at Westlake Audio, and string instrumentation was recorded at Cherokee Studios in West Hollywood. Following the initial sessions, audio mixing was handled by Grammy - winning engineer Bruce Swedien at Westlake Audio, after which the original tapes went to the A&M Recording Studio, also located in L.A., for mastering. Swedien would later mix the recording sessions for Jackson 's next album and his most well - known work, 1982 's Thriller. Jones recalled that, at first, he found Jackson to be very introverted, shy and non-assertive. `` She 's Out of My Life '' had been written for Jones by Tom Bahler three years earlier. Jackson heard and enjoyed it, and Jones allowed him to use it on the record. Jones called in Heatwave 's keyboardist Rod Temperton to write three songs. The intention was for Jackson and Jones to select one of his songs, but Jackson, liking them all, included all of them in the final cut. Jackson stayed up all night to learn the lyrics to these songs instead of singing from a sheet. He finished the vocals to these three Temperton songs in two recording sessions. Temperton took a different approach to his song writing after spending some time researching the background to Jackson 's music style. Temperton mixed his traditional harmony segments with the idea of adding shorter note melodies to suit Jackson 's aggressive style. Jackson wrote `` Do n't Stop ' Til You Get Enough '' after humming a melody in his kitchen. After listening to hundreds of songs, Jackson and Jones decided upon a batch to record. In hindsight, Jones believed they took a lot of risks in the production of Off the Wall and the final choice of album tracks. Attention was also paid to the album cover, which shows Jackson smiling, wearing a tuxedo and trademark socks. His manager stated, `` The tuxedo was the overall plan for the Off the Wall project and package. The tuxedo was our idea, the socks were Michael ' ''. Music and vocals Music critics Stephen Thomas Erlewine and Stephen Holden of AllMusic observed that Off the Wall was crafted from funk, disco - pop, soul, soft rock, jazz and pop ballads. Prominent examples include the ballad `` She 's Out of My Life '', the funk tune `` Workin ' Day and Night '', and the disco song `` Get on the Floor ''. `` I Ca n't Help It '' is a jazz piece. In Quincy Jones ' autobiography, he compares Jackson to other jazz singers noting that Jackson `` has some of the same qualities as the great jazz singers I 'd worked with : Ella, Sinatra, Sassy, Aretha, Ray Charles, Dinah. Each of them had that purity, that strong signature sound and that open wound that pushed them to greatness. '' `` She 's Out of My Life '' is a melodic pop ballad. The end of the former song showed an `` emotional '' Jackson crying as the track concluded. Of the song, rhythm and blues writer Nelson George proclaimed, `` ( It ) became a Jackson signature similar to the way `` My Way '' served Frank Sinatra. The vulnerability, verging on fragility that would become embedded in Michael 's persona found, perhaps, its richest expression in this wistful ballad ``. `` Rock with You '' is a romantic, mid-tempo song. The album 's songs have a tempo ranging from 66 beats per minute on `` She 's Out of My Life '', to 128 on `` Workin ' Day and Night ''. With the arrival of Off the Wall in the late 1970s, Jackson 's abilities as a vocalist were well regarded ; AllMusic writer Stephen Thomas Erlewine described him as a `` blindingly gifted vocalist ''. At the time, Rolling Stone compared his vocals to the `` breathless, dreamy stutter '' of Stevie Wonder. Their analysis was also that `` Jackson 's feathery - timbered tenor is extraordinary beautiful. It slides smoothly into a startling falsetto that 's used very daringly ''. Writer, journalist and biographer J. Randy Taraborrelli expressed the opinion that Jackson sings with `` sexy falsetto '' vocals in `` Do n't Stop ' Til You Get Enough ''. Release Taraborrelli stated, `` Fans and industry peers alike were left with their mouths agape when Off the Wall was issued to the public. Fans proclaimed that they had n't heard him sing with such joy and abandon since the early Jackson 5 days ''. On July 28, 1979 Off the Wall 's first single, `` Do n't Stop ' Til You Get Enough '', was released. It peaked atop the Billboard Hot 100 and reached number three in the UK. On November 3, 1979 the second single from the album, `` Rock with You '' was released, again it peaked atop the Billboard Hot 100. In February the album 's title track was released as a single, and went to number 10 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart and became a top 10 hit in four countries. `` She 's Out of My Life '' was released after that, also reaching number 10 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart in June. Thus Off the Wall became the first album by a solo artist to generate four US top 10 hits. Today, Off the Wall is certified 8 × Multi-Platinum in the US for shipments of eight million units and sold over 20 million copies worldwide. The album 's success led to the start of a nine - year partnership between Jackson and Jones ; their next collaboration would be Thriller, which is the world 's best selling album of all time. Reception Professional ratings Review scores Source Rating AllMusic Blender Christgau 's Record Guide Encyclopedia of Popular Music Q Pitchfork Media 10 / 10 Rolling Stone The Rolling Stone Album Guide Sounds The Village Voice A -- Off the Wall was hailed as a major breakthrough for Jackson, while receiving critical recognition, along with praises, from major music publications. In a 1979 review of the album, Rolling Stone magazine contributor Stephen Holden praised Jackson 's maturity and transition from his early Motown material, while calling the album a `` slick, sophisticated R&B - pop showcase with a definite disco slant ''. Holden went on to compare Jackson to Stevie Wonder, another Motown performer who began recording at a young age and gained critical acclaim for his transition. In The Village Voice, Robert Christgau hailed Off the Wall as `` the dance groove of the year '' and that Jackson 's vocal stylings were a reminder that he had grown up. In a review for Melody Maker Phil McNeill expressed the opinion that in Off the Wall Jackson sounded comfortable, confident and in control. He believed `` Do n't Stop ' Til You Get Enough '' had a `` classy '' introduction and that it was the best song on the album. He also praised `` Rock with You '', describing it as `` masterful ''. The reviewer concurred with a colleague that Jackson was `` probably the best singer in the world right now in terms of style and technique ''. Giving the album a favorable review in Smash Hits, David Hepworth said that Jackson `` sings like an angel ''. Sounds shared the same point of view, qualifying Jackson 's voice as `` astoninshingly agile ''. In 1980, Jackson won three awards at the American Music Awards for his solo efforts : Favorite Soul / R&B Album, Favorite Male Soul / R&B Artist and Favorite Soul / R&B Single. That year, he also won Billboard Music Awards for Top Black Artist and Top Black Album and the Grammy Award for Best Male R&B Vocal Performance. Despite its commercial success, Jackson felt Off the Wall should have made a much bigger impact, and was determined to exceed expectations with his next release. In particular, Jackson was disappointed that he had won only a single Grammy Award at the 1980 Grammy Awards, the Grammy Award for Best Male R&B Vocal Performance. Jackson stated that `` It was totally unfair that it did n't get Record of the Year and it can never happen again ''. Legacy ``... the album that established him as an artist of astonishing talent and a bright star in his own right. This was a visionary album, a record that found a way to break disco wide open into a new world where the beat was undeniable. '' -- Stephen Thomas Erlewine, AllMusic, On October 16, 2001, a special edition reissue of Off the Wall was released by Sony Records. The material found strong praise from critics more than 20 years after the original release. AllMusic gave the record a five star review, praising the record 's disco - tinged funk and mainstream pop blend, along with Jackson 's songwriting and Jones ' crafty production. The publication believed, `` ( Off the Wall ) is an enormously fresh record, one that remains vibrant and giddily exciting years after its release ''. In recent years Blender gave the record a full five star review stating that it was, `` A blockbuster party LP that looked beyond funk to the future of dance music, and beyond soul ballads to the future of heart - tuggers -- in fact, beyond R&B to color - blind pop. Hence, the forgivable Wings cover ''. In 2003, the album was ranked number 68 on Rolling Stone magazine 's list of the 500 greatest albums of all time. The National Association of Recording Merchandisers listed it at number 80 of the Definitive 200 Albums of All Time. In 2004, Nelson George wrote of Jackson and his music, `` the argument for his greatness in the recording studio begins with his arrangements of `` Do n't Stop ' Til You Get Enough ''. The layers of percussion and the stacks of backing vocals, both artfully choreographed to create drama and ecstasy on the dance floor, still rock parties in the 21st century ``. In 2008, Off the Wall was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame. On January 7, 2016, Sony Music and The Estate of Michael Jackson announced that Off the Wall would be reissued and packaged with a new documentary directed by Spike Lee entitled Michael Jackson 's Journey from Motown to Off the Wall. The reissue and documentary were both released on February 26, 2016. Grammy Awards Year Nominee / work Award Result 1980 `` Do n't Stop ' Til You Get Enough '' Best Disco Recording Nominated `` Do n't Stop ' Til You Get Enough '' Best R&B Vocal Performance, Male Won Grammy Hall of Fame Year Nominee / work Award Result 2008 Off the Wall Album Inducted Track listing No. Title Writer ( s ) Producer ( s ) Length 1. `` Do n't Stop ' Til You Get Enough '' ( recorded Dec 1978 -- June 1979 ) Michael Jackson Quincy Jones Jackson ( co. ) 6 : 06 2. `` Rock with You '' ( recorded December 1978 -- June 1979 ) Rod Temperton Jones 3 : 40 3. `` Working Day and Night '' ( recorded December 1978 -- April 1979 ) Jackson Jones Jackson ( co. ) 5 : 14 4. `` Get on the Floor '' ( recorded April -- June 1979 ) Jackson Louis Johnson Jones Jackson ( co. ) 4 : 39 5. `` Off the Wall '' ( recorded December 1978 -- April 1979 ) Temperton Jones 4 : 06 6. `` Girlfriend '' ( recorded June 1979 ) Paul McCartney Jones 3 : 06 7. `` She 's Out of My Life '' ( recorded December 1978 -- June 1979 ) Tom Bahler Jones 3 : 38 8. `` I Ca n't Help It '' ( recorded June 1979 ) Stevie Wonder Susaye Greene Jones 4 : 30 9. `` It 's the Falling in Love '' ( recorded December 1978 ) Carole Bayer Sager David Foster Jones 3 : 48 10. `` Burn This Disco Out '' ( recorded June 1979 ) Temperton Jones 3 : 41 2001 special edition bonus tracks No. Title Writer ( s ) Producer ( s ) Length 11. `` Quincy Jones Interview # 1 '' 0 : 37 12. `` Introduction to Do n't Stop ' Til You Get Enough Demo '' 0 : 13 13. `` Do n't Stop ' Til You Get Enough '' ( Original Demo from 1978 ) ( recorded December 1978, during Off the Wall sessions ) Jackson Jackson 4 : 48 14. `` Quincy Jones Interview # 2 '' 0 : 30 15. `` Introduction to Workin ' Day and Night Demo '' 0 : 10 16. `` Working Day and Night '' ( Original Demo from 1978 ) ( recorded December 1978, during Off the Wall sessions ) Jackson Jackson 4 : 19 17. `` Quincy Jones Interview # 3 '' 0 : 48 18. `` Rod Temperton Interview '' 4 : 57 19. `` Quincy Jones Interview # 4 '' 1 : 32 Notes The original LP, cassette pressings and first CD issue of Off the Wall contain the original mixes of `` Rock with You '' and `` Get on the Floor ''. Every song on the album is available either as A or B sides of single releases both in 7 or 12 inch format. Seven of the songs out of ten saw US release either as A or B sides and the UK had the remaining three songs available also as A or B sides of singles. As of 2000 the singles are available in both 7 and 12 inch formats and few different mixes, even though some releases have been more targeted to a UK / Europe audience. The original album mix of the title track is not available as a single and the original mix was kept for future reissues of the album, unlike the two songs mentioned in the upper note, the single mix did not replace the title track on all future reissues. Personnel Personnel as listed in the album 's liner notes are : Patti Austin -- lead vocals ( track 9 ), background vocals ( 9 ) Tom Bahler -- rhythm arrangement ( track 6 ), vocal arrangement ( 9 ) Michael Boddicker -- synthesizer ( track 2 ), synthesizer programming ( 5, 8 ) Larry Carlton -- guitar ( track 7 ) Paulinho Da Costa -- percussion ( tracks 1, 3 - 5, 8, 10 ) George Duke -- synthesizer ( tracks 5 - 6 ), synthesizer programming ( 5 - 6 ) David Foster -- synthesizer ( tracks 6, 9 ), rhythm arrangement ( 9 ) Jim Gilstrap -- background vocals ( tracks 1, 4 ) Gary Grant -- trumpet ( tracks 1 - 6, 8 - 10 ) Richard Heath -- percussion ( track 1 ) Marlo Henderson -- guitar ( tracks 1 - 2, 5 - 6, 9 - 10 ) Jerry Hey -- horn arrangements ( tracks 1 - 6, 8 - 10 ), trumpet ( 1 - 6, 8 - 10 ), flügelhorn ( 1 - 6, 8 - 10 ) Kim Hutchcroft -- baritone saxophone ( tracks 1 - 6, 8 - 10 ), tenor saxophone ( 1 - 6, 8 - 10 ), flute ( 1 - 6, 8 - 10 ) Michael Jackson -- lead vocals ( all tracks ), background vocals ( 1 - 6, 9 - 10 ), co-producer ( 1, 3 - 4 ), percussion ( 1, 3 ), rhythm arrangements ( 1, 3 ), vocal arrangements ( 1, 3 - 4, 6 ), percussion arrangements ( 1, 3 ) Randy Jackson -- percussion ( track 1 ) Mortonette Jenkins -- background vocals ( tracks 1, 4 ) Augie Johnson -- background vocals ( tracks 1, 4 ) Louis Johnson -- bass guitar ( tracks 1, 3 - 10 ), rhythm arrangement ( 4 ) Quincy Jones -- producer ( all tracks ), rhythm arrangements ( 4, 6, 9 ), vocal arrangements ( 6, 9 ) Johnny Mandel -- strings arrangement ( tracks 7 - 8 ) Paulette McWilliams -- background vocals ( tracks 1, 4 ) Greg Phillinganes -- electric piano ( tracks 1, 3, 5 - 10 ), synthesizer ( 2, 5, 8 ), clavinet ( 4 ), rhythm arrangements ( 1, 3, 6, 8 ) Steve Porcaro -- synthesizer programming ( tracks 6, 9 ) William Reichenbach -- trombone ( tracks 1 - 6, 8 - 10 ) John Robinson -- drums ( tracks 1 - 6, 8 - 10 ), percussion ( 3 ) The Seawind Horns -- horns ( tracks 1 - 6, 8 - 10 ) Bruce Swedien -- recording engineer ( all tracks ), audio mixer ( all tracks ) Rod Temperton -- rhythm arrangements ( tracks 2, 5, 10 ), vocal arrangements ( 2, 5, 10 ) Phil Upchurch -- guitar ( track 3 ) Gerald Vinci -- concertmaster ( tracks 1 - 2, 4, 7 - 8 ) Bobby Watson -- bass guitar ( track 2 ) Wah Wah Watson -- guitar ( tracks 4, 6, 9 ) David Williams -- guitar ( tracks 1 - 3, 5, 10 ) Larry Williams -- tenor saxophone ( tracks 1 - 6, 8 - 10 ), alto saxophone ( 1 - 6, 8 - 10 ), flute ( 1 - 6, 8 - 10 ), alto saxophone solo ( 6 ) Zedrick Williams -- background vocals ( tracks 1, 4 ) David `` Hawk '' Wolinski -- electric piano ( track 2 ) Stevie Wonder -- rhythm arrangement ( track 8 ) Ben Wright -- strings arrangements ( tracks 1 - 2, 4 ) Certifications Region Certification Certified units / Sales Australia ( ARIA ) 5 × Platinum 350,000 Austria ( IFPI Austria ) Platinum 50,000 Canada ( Music Canada ) 3 × Platinum 300,000 Europe ( IFPI ) 4 × Platinum 4,000,000 France ( SNEP ) Platinum 735,000 Germany ( BVMI ) Platinum 500,000 Hong Kong ( IFPI Hong Kong ) Gold 15,000 Italy ( FIMI ) 7 × Platinum 350,000 Japan ( RIAJ ) 2 × Platinum 500,000 New Zealand ( RMNZ ) 6 × Platinum 90,000 Switzerland ( IFPI Switzerland ) Platinum 50,000 United Kingdom ( BPI ) 6 × Platinum 1,971,000 United States ( RIAA ) 8 × Platinum 8,000,000 Summaries World 20,000,000 sales figures based on certification alone shipments figures based on certification alone Year - end charts Billboard 200 Albums ( 1980 ) Position Billboard 200 Albums See also Michael Jackson portal List of best - selling albums References Jump up ^ http://www.treblezine.com/002-10-essential-disco-albums/ ^ Jump up to : George, p. 22 Jump up ^ Taraborrelli, pp. 138 -- 144 Jump up ^ `` The Jackson Five ''. Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Retrieved 2007 - 05 - 29. Jump up ^ Taraborrelli, pp. 163 -- 169 ^ Jump up to : George, p. 23 ^ Jump up to : Jones, Quincy ( 2002 ). Q : The Autobiography of Quincy Jones. Broadway Books. pp. 229, 259. ISBN 0 - 7679 - 0510 - 5. Jump up ^ Sharp, Kathleen ( 2003 ). Mr. and Mrs. Hollywood : Edie and Lew Wasserman and Their Entertainment Empire. Carroll & Graf Publishers. pp. 357 -- 358. ISBN 0 - 7867 - 1220 - 1. Jump up ^ Posner, Gerald ( 2002 ). Motown : Music, Money, Sex, and Power. New York : Random House. pp. 293 -- 295. ISBN 0 - 375 - 50062 - 6. Jump up ^ Campbell ( 1993 ), p. 41 ^ Jump up to : Jackson, Michael ; Dineen, Catherine ( 1993 ). Michael Jackson : In His Own Words. Omnibus Press. p. 4. ISBN 0 - 7119 - 3216 - 6. Jump up ^ Crouse, Richard ( 2000 ). Big Bang Baby : The Rock and Roll Trivia Book. Dundurn Press Ltd. pp. 158 -- 159. ISBN 0 - 88882 - 219 - 7. ^ Jump up to : Taraborrelli, p. 183 Jump up ^ Taraborrelli, p. 181 ^ Jump up to : Jackson, Michael. Off the Wall Special Edition Audio. ^ Jump up to : `` Discogs.com -- Off the Wall ( 1979 LP ) ''. Discogs. Retrieved 2008 - 08 - 15. Jump up ^ Taraborrelli, p. 185 ^ Jump up to : Taraborrelli, p. 186 ^ Jump up to : Taraborrelli, p. 187 ^ Jump up to : Holden, Stephen. `` '' Michael Jackson : Off The Wall : Music Reviews `` ''. Archived from the original on June 29, 2009. Retrieved January 28, 2010. CS1 maint : Unfit url ( link ). Rolling Stone. Retrieved 2008 - 08 - 15. ^ Jump up to : Erlewine, Stephen. `` Off the Wall Overview ''. AllMusic. Retrieved 2008 - 06 - 15. Jump up ^ The Complete Michael Jackson, International Music Publications Ltd, 1997, ISBN 1 - 85909 - 447 - 3 Jump up ^ `` Michael Jackson : Biography ''. Rolling Stone. Archived from the original on 2008 - 01 - 09. Retrieved 2008 - 02 - 14. ^ Jump up to : George, pp. 37 -- 38 Jump up ^ Billboard.com -- Search Results -- Do n't Stop ' Til You Get Enough ( Singles chart ). Nielsen Business Media, Inc. Retrieved 2008 - 08 - 15. Jump up ^ Billboard.com -- Search Results -- Rock with You ( Singles chart ). Nielsen Business Media, Inc. Retrieved 2008 - 08 - 15. Jump up ^ Billboard.com -- Search Results -- Off the Wall ( Singles chart ). Nielsen Business Media, Inc. Retrieved on 2008 - 08 - 15. Jump up ^ Billboard.com -- Search Results -- She 's Out of My Life ( Singles chart ). Nielsen Business Media, Inc. Retrieved 2008 - 08 - 15. ^ Jump up to : `` Michael Jackson : Off the Wall -- Classic albums -- Music -- Virgin media ''. Virgin Media. Retrieved 2008 - 12 - 12. Jump up ^ `` Gold and Platinum ''. Recording Industry Association of America. Archived from the original on 2011 - 08 - 14. Retrieved 2008 - 04 - 08. Jump up ^ Taraborrelli, pp. 610 -- 612 Jump up ^ `` The 25 Best - Selling Albums of All - Time Cover Story Music Entertainment Weekly 1 ''. Entertainment Weekly and Time Inc. Retrieved 2008 - 08 - 15. ^ Jump up to : `` Michael Jackson : Off the Wall ''. Blender. Archived from the original on October 12, 2007. Retrieved 2008 - 08 - 26. Jump up ^ Christgau, Robert ( 1981 ). `` Michael Jackson ''. Christgau 's Record Guide : Rock albums of the Seventies. Ticknor & Fields. ISBN 0 - 89919 - 025 - 1. Jump up ^ Larkin, Colin ( 2011 ). `` Michael Jackson ''. Encyclopedia of Popular Music ( 5th ed. ). Omnibus Press. ISBN 0 - 85712 - 595 - 8. Jump up ^ Q ( September 1999 ). `` Off the Wall Review : Q magazine ''. Q : 128. Jump up ^ Domabl, Ryan ( February 24, 2016 ). `` Michael Jackson Off the Wall ''. Pitchfork. Retrieved March 11, 2017. Jump up ^ Rolling Stone. New York : 59. February 1, 2001. CS1 maint : Untitled periodical ( link ) Jump up ^ DeCurtis, Anthony ; Henke, James ; George - Warren, Holly, eds. ( 1992 ). `` Michael Jackson ''. The Rolling Stone Album Guide ( 3rd ed. ). Random House. ISBN 0 - 679 - 73729 - 4. Jump up ^ Hepworth, david ( September 15, 1979 ). The Timeless Lure of young boys ( Off The wall -- album review ). Sounds. p. 45. ^ Jump up to : Christgau, Robert ( December 3, 1979 ). `` Consumer Guide ''. The Village Voice. New York. Retrieved May 2, 2016. Jump up ^ Melody Maker ( 1980 ). `` Off the Wall Review ''. Uncut Presents NME Originals 80 's ( 2005 ) : 67. Jump up ^ Hepworth, David. `` Albums ''. Smash Hits ( October 4 -- 17, 1979 ) : 29. Jump up ^ `` The RS 500 Greatest Albums of All Time ''. Rolling Stone. Retrieved 2008 - 08 - 15. Jump up ^ `` Definitive 200 ''. The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum. 2007. Archived from the original on 2008 - 04 - 06. Retrieved 2008 - 04 - 08. Jump up ^ `` MICHAEL JACKSON ' OFF THE WALL ' CD & DOCUMENTARY COMING FEBRUARY 26 ''. MichaelJackson.com. Sony Music. Retrieved 11 January 2016. ^ Jump up to : `` Grammy Awards 1980 ''. Rock on the Net. Retrieved 2009 - 09 - 12. Jump up ^ `` GRAMMY.com -- Hall of Fame inductees ''. The Recording Academy. Retrieved 2008 - 08 - 15. Jump up ^ Off The Wall ( booklet ). Epic Records. 1979. Jump up ^ `` ARIA Charts -- Accreditations -- 2009 Albums ''. Australian Recording Industry Association. Jump up ^ `` Austrian album certifications -- Michael Jackson -- Off the Wall '' ( in German ). IFPI Austria. Enter Michael Jackson in the field Interpret. Enter Off the Wall in the field Titel. Select album in the field Format. Click Suchen Jump up ^ `` Canadian album certifications -- Michael Jackson -- Off the Wall ''. Music Canada. Jump up ^ King of Pop. Branden Books. Retrieved 2012 - 04 - 24. Jump up ^ `` IFPI Platinum Europe Awards -- 2009 ''. International Federation of the Phonographic Industry. Jump up ^ `` French album certifications -- Jackson M -- Off the Wall '' ( in French ). InfoDisc. Select JACKSON M and click OK Jump up ^ http://chartmasters.org/2016/07/france-album-sales-michael-jackson/11/ Jump up ^ `` Gold - / Platin - Datenbank ( Michael Jackson ; ' Off the Wall ' ) '' ( in German ). Bundesverband Musikindustrie. Jump up ^ `` International Gold Disc ''. IFPI Hong Kong. Archived from the original on 2012 - 02 - 06. Retrieved 2013 - 01 - 31. Jump up ^ `` Italian album certifications -- Michael Jackson -- Off the Wall '' ( in Italian ). Federazione Industria Musicale Italiana. Jump up ^ `` Japanese album certifications -- Michael Jackson -- Off the Wall '' ( in Japanese ). Recording Industry Association of Japan. Jump up ^ `` Number Ones ''. Sony Music Japan. Retrieved 2012 - 04 - 20. Jump up ^ `` Gold / Platinum Albums ''. Recording Industry Association of New Zealand. Archived from the original on 2010 - 05 - 23. Retrieved 2012 - 03 - 19. Jump up ^ `` The Official Swiss Charts and Music Community : Awards ( Michael Jackson ; ' Off the Wall ' ) ''. IFPI Switzerland. Hung Medien. Jump up ^ `` British album certifications -- Michael Jackson -- Off the Wall ''. British Phonographic Industry. Enter Off the Wall in the search field and then press Enter. Jump up ^ Craig Halstead, Chris Cadman. Michael Jackson The Solo Years. Books.google.com. Retrieved 2012 - 06 - 03. Jump up ^ `` American album certifications -- Michael Jackson -- Off the Wall ''. Recording Industry Association of America. If necessary, click Advanced, then click Format, then select Album, then click SEARCH Jump up ^ Billboard ( 1 ) Retrieved on 02 January 2018. Bibliography Campbell, Lisa ( 1993 ). Michael Jackson : The King of Pop. Branden. ISBN 0 - 8283 - 1957 - X. George, Nelson ( 2004 ). Michael Jackson : The Ultimate Collection liner notes. Sony BMG. Taraborrelli, J. Randy ( 2004 ). The Magic and the Madness. Terra Alta, WV : Headline. ISBN 0 - 330 - 42005 - 4. External links Michael Jackson discography at Discogs History of the album ; recording, production, conception, aftermath etc. at AllMichaelJackson.com Michael Jackson Albums Singles Songs Videography Unreleased songs Awards Records and achievements Studio albums Got to Be There Ben Music & Me Forever, Michael Off the Wall Thriller 25 Bad 25 Dangerous HIStory : Past, Present and Future, Book I Invincible Posthumous albums Michael Xscape Remix albums The Original Soul of Michael Jackson The Stripped Mixes The Remix Suite Live albums One Night in Japan Other albums Farewell My Summer Love Looking Back to Yesterday Blood on the Dance Floor : HIStory in the Mix Soundtracks The Wiz E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial Michael Jackson 's This Is It Immortal Compilations A Collection of Michael Jackson 's Oldies The Best of Michael Jackson 18 Greatest Hits One Day in Your Life The Michael Jackson Mix 20th Century Masters -- The Millennium Collection : The Best of Michael Jackson Love Songs Number Ones The Essential Michael Jackson King of Pop The Definitive Collection Icon Scream Box sets Anthology The Ultimate Collection Visionary : The Video Singles Thriller 25 : Limited Japanese Single Collection 50 Best Songs -- The Motown Years : Michael Jackson & The Jackson 5 The Collection Hello World : The Motown Solo Collection Concert tours Bad Dangerous World Tour HIStory World Tour This Is It Filmography Michael Jackson 's Thriller Captain EO Moonwalker Michael Jackson 's Ghosts Miss Cast Away and the Island Girls Michael Jackson 's This Is It Michael Jackson : The Life of an Icon Bad 25 Michael Jackson : The Last Photo Shoot Michael Jackson 's Journey from Motown to Off the Wall Video albums Dangerous : The Short Films Video Greatest Hits -- HIStory HIStory on Film, Volume II Number Ones The One Live in Bucharest : The Dangerous Tour Michael Jackson 's Vision Live at Wembley July 16, 1988 Television Man in the Mirror : The Michael Jackson Story Michael Jackson 's Halloween Move Like Michael Jackson `` Stark Raving Dad '' ( The Simpsons episode ) Video games Michael Jackson 's Moonwalker Sonic the Hedgehog 3 Space Channel 5 Ready 2 Rumble Boxing : Round 2 Space Channel 5 : Part 2 Michael Jackson : The Experience Planet Michael Bibliography Moonwalk Dancing the Dream Specials Motown 25 : Yesterday, Today, Forever MJ & Friends Michael Jackson : 30th Anniversary Celebration United We Stand : What More Can I Give Live at the Apollo Michael Forever -- The Tribute Concert Assets Neverland Ranch Northern Songs Sony / ATV Music Publishing ( formerly ) Influence on society Heal the World Foundation Thrill the World Thriller viral video Thriller -- Live Michael Jackson : The Immortal World Tour Michael Jackson : One Related The Jackson 5 Moonwalk Health and appearance Personal relationships 1993 child sexual abuse accusations Living with Michael Jackson People v. Jackson Death Trial of personal physician Memorial service Cover versions Thriller jacket HIStory statue Michael Jackson - related games Quincy Jones Kenny Ortega Mesoparapylocheles Bubbles Michael Jackson Video Vanguard Award We Are the World Mind Is the Magic : Anthem for the Las Vegas Show Never Can Say Goodbye : The Music of Michael Jackson Queen Forever Michael Forever -- The Tribute Concert Book Portal Quincy Jones Discography Awards Albums Jazz Abroad This Is How I Feel About Jazz Go West, Man ! Quincy 's Home Again The Birth of a Band ! The Great Wide World of Quincy Jones I Dig Dancers Around the World Newport ' 61 The Great Wide World of Quincy Jones Live ( in Zurich ! ) The Quintessence Big Band Bossa Nova Quincy Jones Plays Hip Hits Quincy Jones Explores the Music of Henry Mancini Golden Boy I Had a Ball Quincy Plays for Pussycats Quincy 's Got a Brand New Bag Walking In Space Gula Matari Smackwater Jack You 've Got It Bad Girl Body Heat Mellow Madness I Heard That ! ! Roots Sounds... and Stuff Like That ! ! Quincy Jones Live at the Budokan The Dude Back on the Block Miles & Quincy Live at Montreux Q 's Jook Joint Basie and Beyond The Original Jam Sessions 1969 Q : Soul Bossa Nostra Compilations Ndeda The Best From Q with Love Q The Musical Biography of Quincy Jones Singles `` Soul Bossa Nova '' `` Sanford and Son Theme ( The Streetbeater ) '' `` Stuff Like That '' `` Ai No Corrida '' `` Just Once '' `` One Hundred Ways '' `` I 'll Be Good to You '' `` The Secret Garden ( Sweet Seduction Suite ) '' Other works With Michael Jackson Off the Wall E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial Thriller Bad With Frank Sinatra It Might as Well Be Swing Sinatra at the Sands L.A. Is My Lady With USA for Africa `` We Are the World '' With Artists for Haiti `` We Are the World 25 for Haiti '' With Lesley Gore `` It 's My Party '' Retrieved from `` https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Off_the_Wall&oldid=843669643 '' Categories : 1979 albums Songs about dancing Albums arranged by Johnny Mandel Albums produced by Michael Jackson Albums produced by Quincy Jones Epic Records albums Grammy Hall of Fame Award recipients Michael Jackson albums Hidden categories : CS1 maint : Unfit url CS1 maint : Untitled periodical CS1 German - language sources ( de ) CS1 French - language sources ( fr ) CS1 Italian - language sources ( it ) CS1 Japanese - language sources ( ja ) Articles which use infobox templates with no data rows Music infoboxes with deprecated parameters Articles with hAudio microformats Pages using div col without cols and colwidth parameters Certification Table Entry usages for Australia Certification Table Entry usages for Austria Certification Table Entry usages for Canada Certification Table Entry usages for Europe Certification Table Entry usages for France Certification Table Entry usages for Germany Certification Table Entry usages for Hong Kong Certification Table Entry usages for Italy Certification Table Entry usages for Japan Certification Table Entry usages for New Zealand Certification Table Entry usages for Switzerland Certification Table Entry usages for United Kingdom Certification Table Entry usages for United States Certification Table Entry usages for unsupported region Good articles Talk Contents About Wikipedia Azərbaycanca Čeština Dansk Deutsch Ελληνικά Español Esperanto فارسی Français Gaeilge Galego 한국어 Հայերեն Hrvatski Bahasa Indonesia Italiano עברית ქართული Kiswahili Latina Latviešu Lietuvių Magyar മലയാളം Nederlands 日本 語 Norsk Polski Português Română Русский Scots Simple English Српски / srpski Suomi Svenska ไทย Türkçe Українська Tiếng Việt 中文 33 more Edit links This page was last edited on 30 May 2018, at 17 : 22. Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution - ShareAlike License ; additional terms may apply. By using this site, you agree to the Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. Wikipedia ® is a registered trademark of the Wikimedia Foundation, Inc., a non-profit organization. About Wikipedia

Question: when was michael jackson off the wall released
Answer: August 10, 1979