The Jacksons - Triumph (Expanded Version) (2021) [Hi-Res]

Last month, Legacy Recordings brought remastered and expanded versions of The Jacksons’ first three studio albums to digital platforms. Next Friday, March 26, sees a physical 2-LP reissue of 1981’s The Jacksons Live!, and today, Legacy announced that the group’s final three studio albums – Triumph (1980), Victory (1984), and 2300 Jackson Street (1989) – will receive the remastered and expanded treatment on April 30. A generous 39 bonus tracks are spread across the three digital releases.

1980’s Triumph lived up to its title. Produced and written by the brothers, the album yielded four hit singles – three Dance chart-toppers (“Lovely One,” “Can You Feel It,” and “Walk Right Now”) as well as the irresistible R&B No. 2 smash “Heartbreak Hotel,” renamed “This Place Hotel.” All four songs reached the Pop and R&B charts with “Lovely One” notably peaking at No. 12 Pop/No. 2 R&B. Michael Jackson, hot off the success of Off the Wall, wrote or co-wrote all but three of the album’s tracks and took the lion’s share of the lead vocals, as well. The album shot to No. 1 on the R&B survey and No. 10 Pop, earning Platinum status by the end of 1980. In 2009, Triumph was reissued on CD with three bonus tracks: the single version of “This Place Hotel” and the John Luongo extended disco and instrumental mixes of “Walk Right Now.” Those three bonuses are joined by seven more on the upcoming reissue: three new remixes of “Can You Feel It;” single versions of “Can You Feel It,” “Lovely One,” and “Walk Right Now;” and Luongo’s 7″ remix of “Walk Right Now.”

November 30, 1982 was a day that changed everything in Jacksons history – the release date of Thriller. Michael’s masterpiece would go on to become the best-selling album of all time and win a record-breaking eight Grammy Awards as well as a host of other accolades. Michael shattered the glass ceiling with Thriller; where did that leave The Jacksons?