10 Perfect Albums That Defined The 1970s
9. Michael Jackson: Off The Wall (1979)
With all the names attached to this record, it's no surprise it was such a success. You had Quincy Jones at the production helm; Paul McCartney and Stevie Wonder contributing lyrics, and of course, the darling of Motown Records, Michael Jackson, was at the forefront.
Although Jackson had already enjoyed wild success with the Jackson 5 - as well as several commercially successful solo albums - it was his fifth record, Off The Wall, that saw him transition from a teen star, to the biggest pop icon in the world.
The '70s is often regarded as the age of that most vapid of musical genres, disco. But, with Off The Wall, Jackson exhibited just how brilliant disco could be. Don't Stop 'Til You Get Enough, and Rock With You, combined disco and funk, to devastating effect.
It's near impossible not to bust into some kind of Jackson routine, when either of those tracks come on... But the album also contained, She's Out of My Life. The song gave audiences a glimpse of a more mature Jackson; no longer was he the kid singing ABC, he was a young man, emoting about lost love.
Coming right at the tale end of the decade, this represented all of those genres that had slowly become popular throughout the '70s. It was the high water mark for disco, funk, soul and R&B, all rolled into one.