Michael Jackson’s seminal 1979 album Off the Wall will be reissued just in time for the premiere of Spike Lee’s documentary on the iconic pop star.
Lee’s documentary, Michael Jackson’s Journey from Motown to Off the Wall, premieres at the Sundance Film Festival on January 24 and later airs on Showtime on February 5. The documentary will chronicle MJ’s meteoric rise to fame, from child star to international icon. Archival footage and interviews with family and friends like Quincy Jones—who produced Off the Wall—will paint a portrait of how a shy kid from Gary, Indiana transformed into the King of Pop.
Thought to be the album that showcased his true star quality after leaving The Jackson 5, Off the Wall would make MJ the star we know him as today. He was only 20 years old when he recorded it. Hits like “Don’t Stop ‘Til You Get Enough” (written by MJ) earned him his first Grammy and became his first single to hit #1 in the U.S. and internationally as a solo artist. Four singles from the album, including “Rock With You”, “Off the Wall” and “She’s Out of My Life,” peaked inside the top 10 of the Billboard Hot 100—a first for an artist.
Sony Classics will release the CD/DVD and CD/Blu Ray editions of the album and documentary on February 26.
