The Jackson Family Record Sales: Who Sold Millions, Who Had Hits, and Who Had Us Asking “Where Is the Album?”

Honey, when we talk about musical families, there are families with talent…and then there are THE JACKSONS.

Katherine and Joe Jackson didn't raise one singer. They didn't raise two singers. They had nine children who ALL eventually charted as solo recording artists. Rebbie, Jackie, Tito, Jermaine, La Toya, Marlon, Michael, Randy and Janet all managed to get their names onto a Billboard chart at some point. Guinness World Records recognizes the Jacksons for the most siblings to have solo hits on Billboard charts.

But baby, charting and SELLING are two different conversations.

So grab your tea because we're looking at the Jackson brothers and sisters and asking one messy question:

WHO ACTUALLY SOLD THE RECORDS?

And before somebody starts fighting me in the comments, worldwide sales figures from decades ago can vary dramatically depending on the source. For several Jackson siblings, there isn't a reliable published career total. So we're not making numbers up just because everybody's last name is Jackson.

MICHAEL JACKSON — Everybody Else Can Go Home

Let's start with the obvious.

Michael Jackson.

Sir.

There is successful, there is superstar successful, and then there is Michael standing somewhere on another planet waving at everybody.

Sony reported in 2017 that Michael Jackson's worldwide record sales had exceeded 1 BILLION, although industry estimates and methodologies for counting worldwide sales vary. Sony also reported Thriller alone at more than 105 million copies worldwide at that time.

Read that again.

One album sold more copies than many legendary performers' entire catalogs.

Off the Wall.

Thriller.

Bad.

Dangerous.

HIStory.

Michael wasn't playing with y'all.

The Washington Post's historical discography listed Off the Wall at 20 million worldwide, Bad at 30 million, Dangerous at 32 million, HIStory at 20 million and Invincible at 10 million, although estimates can differ depending on source and year.

Michael basically looked around the Jackson house and said:

“Thank you for getting me started. I'll take it from here.”

NEXT!

JANET JACKSON — Miss Jackson Came to COLLECT

If Michael is sitting on the Jackson family throne, Janet has her own chair right beside the stage.

Janet has sold more than 100 million records worldwide, according to widely reported industry figures. GRAMMY.com also credits her with 100 million albums sold and 10 Billboard Hot 100 No. 1 hits.

And remember: Janet did this while establishing an identity completely separate from her brothers.

Control.

Rhythm Nation 1814.

janet.

The Velvet Rope.

All for You.

Janet said, “I'm not just Michael Jackson's little sister. Learn my choreography and stay out of my way.”

That Jackson house must have been stressful.

Imagine bringing home a Gold record and somebody at the dinner table says:

“That's cute. Michael sold another 20 million.”

THE JACKSON 5/THE JACKSONS — Don't Forget Where It Started

Before Michael became MICHAEL, there was the Jackson 5.

Jackie, Tito, Jermaine, Marlon and Michael created the foundation of the family's recording empire, with Randy later becoming part of The Jacksons.

Historical accounts put the group's worldwide sales at more than 100 million records.

And those group sales matter.

You can't simply assign 20 million records to each brother because that's not how record sales work. Those were group records, not five separate solo careers.

Albums including ABC, Destiny, Triumph and Victory helped build the family legacy. The Washington Post reported Victory at approximately 7 million worldwide.

So Jackie, Tito, Jermaine, Marlon, Michael and Randy all have enormous group success attached to their names.

But SOLO?

Now the tea starts getting hotter.

JERMAINE JACKSON — Put Some Respect on His Name

Jermaine had the strongest sustained solo recording career among the brothers outside Michael.

And sometimes people forget that.

Jermaine had “Let's Get Serious,” “Do What You Do,” “Dynamite” and “Tell Me I'm Not Dreamin'.”

His 1984 Jermaine Jackson album reportedly sold more than 900,000 copies in the United States and was certified Gold.

No, he wasn't doing Michael numbers.

WHO WAS?

That's like saying your neighborhood restaurant wasn't as successful as McDonald's.

Jermaine had legitimate solo success.

REBBIE JACKSON — CENTIPEDE!

Rebbie was the oldest Jackson sibling, and when she finally stepped into the recording booth, she gave us:

“Centipede!”

Michael wrote and produced the song, and it became Rebbie's signature record.

Publicly available sales information for Rebbie's entire catalog is limited. Reported figures include approximately 300,000 worldwide for R U Tuff Enuff and about 285,000 for Yours Faithfully, while “Centipede” earned a U.S. Gold certification.

Rebbie didn't need 47 albums.

She gave us “Centipede,” collected her things and minded her business.

I respect it.

LA TOYA JACKSON — Don't Laugh Because La Toya WAS RECORDING

Now y'all know I wasn't going to leave out Miss La Toya.

La Toya Jackson has released multiple albums during her career, beginning with her self-titled debut in 1980.

One secondary source estimates that debut album at around 2 million copies worldwide, but that number isn't as firmly documented as the major industry totals available for Michael and Janet.

So I'm not going to sit here and tell you La Toya sold 10, 20 or 50 million records when dependable evidence isn't there.

But La Toya DID have a recording career.

She recorded.

She charted.

She performed.

She posed.

She promoted.

And she gave us Jackson family entertainment whether America was ready or NOT.

MARLON JACKSON — ONE ALBUM AND GOOD NIGHT!

Marlon released his solo album Baby Tonight in 1987.

And then basically said:

“That's enough music business for me.”

Marlon did score solo chart activity, and Guinness includes him among all nine Jackson siblings who charted individually.

But there isn't a dependable, widely accepted worldwide career-sales total for Marlon.

Translation:

I'm not putting fake millions on this man's résumé.

JACKIE JACKSON — The Quiet Jackson

Jackie also released solo material, including albums in 1973 and 1989.

His solo career never approached the commercial scale of Michael, Janet or even Jermaine, and there isn't a trustworthy published worldwide career-sales total I can give you.

But Jackie DID chart as a solo artist.

Jackie always gives me:

“I was there. Check the credits.”

And you know what?

HE WAS.

RANDY JACKSON — Yes, Randy Had Music Too!

Randy became an important part of The Jacksons and later pursued projects outside the group, including Randy & the Gypsys.

He also earned solo Billboard chart recognition.

But once again, there is no solid publicly documented worldwide solo career-sales figure.

Randy's biggest commercial legacy is connected much more strongly to The Jacksons than to a blockbuster solo catalog.

And that's okay!

Everybody can't sell 100 million records.

Apparently, unless your name is Michael or Janet.

TITO JACKSON — The Last Sibling to Complete the Record

Tito spent decades being known primarily as the guitar-playing Jackson brother before getting more attention for his solo work later in life.

In 2016, Tito's “Get It Baby” reached Billboard's Adult R&B Songs chart, officially making all nine Jackson siblings Billboard-charting solo artists.

That's actually incredible.

There isn't a dependable multimillion worldwide solo-sales total available for Tito, but his importance to the Jackson legacy goes way beyond solo record sales.

THE FINAL JACKSON TEA

If we're talking documented commercial scale, the Jackson family story has some VERY different levels.

Michael Jackson exists in another universe commercially, with Sony reporting more than a billion records sold worldwide.

Janet Jackson built her own massive empire with more than 100 million records sold.

The Jackson 5/The Jacksons became a phenomenon themselves, with historical estimates exceeding 100 million records worldwide.

Jermaine had substantial solo success.

Rebbie, La Toya, Jackie, Tito, Marlon and Randy all recorded and charted, but trustworthy lifetime worldwide sales totals for their solo catalogs simply aren't consistently available.

And THAT might be the most fascinating part of the Jackson story.

One family produced Michael Jackson.

The same family produced Janet Jackson.

The same family produced one of America's biggest groups.

And every single Jackson sibling charted as a solo recording artist.

That's not a family reunion.

That's a record label with potato salad.

😂

Now I want to hear from YOU:

Who is your favorite Jackson besides Michael and Janet?

Are you Team Jermaine?

Team Rebbie?

Do you secretly have a La Toya song on your playlist?

And what Jackson album are you playing from beginning to end with NO SKIPS?

Drop your answer in the comments, share this post with another Jackson family fan, and follow the blog because we're keeping the old-school music tea HOT!