Triumph (The Jacksons album) explained

Triumph
Type:	studio
Artist:	the Jacksons
Cover:	Jacksons-triumph.jpg
Recorded:	1980^[1]
Producer:	The Jacksons
Prev Title:	Boogie
Prev Year:	1979
Next Title:	The Jacksons Live!
Next Year:	1981

Triumph is the fourteenth studio album by the Jacksons, released on September 26, 1980, by Epic Records.^[2]

The album was certified Platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) in the United States and peaked at No. 10 on the US Billboard Top LPs & Tape chart. In the UK the album entered the charts on October 11, where it eventually peaked at No. 13.^[3] Triumph sold three million copies worldwide in its original run. Hit singles from the album were "Lovely One", "Heartbreak Hotel" (which was later renamed "This Place Hotel" to avoid confusion with the Elvis Presley song "Heartbreak Hotel"), and "Can You Feel It".

The Jacksons shared lead vocals and solo spots on some songs on the album, but Michael Jackson, who had recently released his multi-platinum selling album Off the Wall (1979), handles most of the lead vocals and writing duties. Triumph was the Jacksons' first album to reach number-one on the US Billboard R&B Albums chart since Maybe Tomorrow in 1971. The album sold over three million copies worldwide,^[4] and the Jacksons did not release another studio LP until Victory in 1984. On December 10, 1980, Triumph achieved its Platinum certification in the United States for the sales of over one million copies in the country.^[5] It was also nominated for the Grammy Award for Best R&B Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocals in 1981.

Re-release

Triumph, was re-released on January 27, 2009, on Epic/Legacy, a division of Sony Music Entertainment, with three bonus tracks of rare 7-inch and 12-inch mixes previously unavailable on CD.^[6] It was again re-released in digital format in 2021, with Victory and 2300 Jackson Street.

Personnel

The Jacksons

• Michael Jackson – lead and backing vocals, percussion
• Jackie Jackson – backing vocals, lead vocals (track 9)
• Tito Jackson – guitar, backing vocals
• Marlon Jackson – backing vocals, timpani (track 5), co-lead vocals (track 8)
• Randy Jackson – percussion, backing vocals, co-lead vocals (track 1)

Additional personnel

• David Williams – guitar (1–5, 7–9)
• Paul Jackson Jr. – guitar (5)
• Greg Poree – guitar (6)
• Michael Sembello – guitar (2, 5, 8)
• Phil Upchurch – guitar (3)
• Michael Boddicker – synthesizer (7, 9)
• Ronnie Foster – keyboards (1, 9)
• Webster Lewis – synthesizer (7)
• Greg Phillinganes – keyboards (1–9), synthesizers (7)
• Gary Coleman – vibraphone (1, 7, 8)
• Clay Drayton – bass (6, 8)
• Mike McKinney – bass (4)
• Nathan Watts – bass (1–3, 5, 7)
• Ollie E. Brown – drums (1, 2, 4–9)
• Lenny Castro – percussion (9)
• Paulinho da Costa – percussion (2, 3, 5–8)
• Gary Herbig – flute (7)
• Larry Hall – horns (4, 7)
• Jerry Hey – horns (4, 5, 7)
• Kim Hutchcroft – horns (4, 7)
• Bill Reichenbach – horns (4, 7)
• La Toya Jackson – voice scream (5)
• Julia Tillman Waters, Maxine Willard Waters, Stephanie Spruill – backing vocals (track 5)
• Audra Tillman, Brian Stilwell, Brigette Bush, Gerry Gruberth, Lita Aubrey, Peter Wade, Rhonda Gentry, Roger Kenerly II, Soloman Daniels, Yolanda Kenerly – backing vocals (The Children's Choir) (track 1)
• Arnold McCuller, Bob Mack, Bunny Hull, Carmen Twillie, Carolyn Dennis, Gerry Garrett, Gregory Wright, Jim Gilstrap, Josie James, Lewis Price, Lisa Roberts, Paulette Brown, Paulette McWilliams, Phyllis St. James, Tyrell "Rock" Deadrick, Roger Kenerly-Saint, Ronald Vann, Roy Galloway, Venetta Fields – backing vocals (The Adults' Choir) (track 1)

Production

• Produced, arranged, written and composed by the Jacksons except for "Everybody" (written by Michael Jackson, Tito Jackson and Mike McKinney)
• Greg Phillinganes – associate producer
• Tom Perry – engineer
• Tom "Tom Tom 84" Washington – arrangements on "Can You Feel It", "Lovely One", "Your Ways" and "Heartbreak Hotel"
• Jerry Hey – arrangements on "Everybody" and "Heartbreak Hotel"
• Jerry Peters – arrangements on "Time Waits for No One", "Give It Up" and string arrangements (6, 8)

Charts

Weekly charts

Chart (1980)	Peak position
Australian Albums (Kent Music Report)^[7]	13
Canadian Albums (RPM)^[8]	7
UK Albums (OCC)^[9]	13
Zimbabwean Albums (ZIMA) ^[10]	10

Year-end charts

Chart (1981)	Position
US Billboard 200^[11]	62
US Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums (Billboard)^[12]	10

Singles

Year	Single	Chart positions^[13]
		US	US R&B	US Dance	UK	IRE	AUS
1980	"Lovely One"	12	2	1	29	17	-
	"Heartbreak Hotel"	22	2	-	44	-	-
1981	"Can You Feel It"	77	30	1	6	12	10
	"Walk Right Now"	73	50	1	7	16	-

Notes and References

1. Web site: Chris Williams. Engineer Tom Perry on the making of the Jacksons' 1980 album Triumph. Wax Poetics. 2016-06-23. 2019-11-10.
2. Book: Roberts, Chris . The Complete Michael Jackson. 2018 . Carlton Books . 978-90-447-5507-7.
3. Web site: The Jackons official charts. .
4. Book: Holanda, Helládio . The Jacksons . 2019-02-08 . Clube de Autores . en.
5. Web site: Recording Industry Association of America . RIAA . 2012-03-12 . dead . https://archive.today/20120629082431/http://www.riaa.com/goldandplatinumdata.php?table=SEARCH_RESULTS/ . 2012-06-29 .
6. http://www.legacyrecordings.com/News/NewsDetail.aspx?NewsGuid=aae9d0f4-0059-485b-8f27-bdac65e1e236 LegacyRecordings.com » News
7. Book: Kent, David. Australian Chart Book 1970–1992. Australian Chart Book, St Ives, NSW. 1993. 0-646-11917-6. doc. Kent Music Report.
8. Web site: RPM: The Jacksons (albums) . RPM Magazine . April 12, 2017.
9. Web site: The Jacksons Chart History. Official Charts Company. April 12, 2017.
10. Zimbabwe. Kimberley, C. Zimbabwe: albums chart book. Harare: C. Kimberley, 2000
11. Top Billboard 200 Albums – Year-End 1981. Billboard. April 23, 2021.
12. Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums – Year-End 1981. Billboard. April 23, 2021.
13. Web site: [{{AllMusic|class=artist|id=p198366/charts-awards/billboard-singles|pure_url=yes}} The Jacksons US singles chart history]. AllMusic. August 5, 2011.