Third Album
The Jackson 5
Third Album, released on Motown in September 1970, is the Jackson 5’s third studio LP and their second album of that year, recorded between April and July 1970. Rooted in bubblegum pop, rock and roll, and soul, it runs just over 37 minutes and showcases the group at a moment of rapid commercial ascent and stylistic consolidation. The record features their fourth consecutive number-one US pop single “I’ll Be There” and the Top 5 hit “Mama’s Pearl,” alongside notable album cuts such as the semi-autobiographical “Goin’ Back to Indiana” and the harmonically rich “Darling Dear.” Its tracklist mixes originals with covers like “Bridge Over Troubled Water” and “The Love I Saw in You Was Just a Mirage,” all framed by the polished “Motown sound” developed by producers The Corporation and Hal Davis.
Critically and commercially, Third Album is often regarded as one of the group’s strongest efforts, expanding their sound without abandoning their exuberant pop-soul core. It peaked at number 4 on the Billboard Top LPs chart and reached number 1 on both the US R&B Albums chart and Cashbox, ultimately selling over six million copies worldwide. Retrospective appraisals, such as AllMusic’s four-star review, emphasize how the album refines the Jackson 5 formula—tight arrangements, dynamic rhythms, and youthful but emotionally resonant vocals—while incorporating broader influences that hint at the artistic growth to come.
Third Album
The Jackson 5
Third Album, released on Motown in September 1970, is the Jackson 5’s third studio LP and their second album of that year, recorded between April and July 1970. Rooted in bubblegum pop, rock and roll, and soul, it runs just over 37 minutes and showcases the group at a moment of rapid commercial ascent and stylistic consolidation. The record features their fourth consecutive number-one US pop single “I’ll Be There” and the Top 5 hit “Mama’s Pearl,” alongside notable album cuts such as the semi-autobiographical “Goin’ Back to Indiana” and the harmonically rich “Darling Dear.” Its tracklist mixes originals with covers like “Bridge Over Troubled Water” and “The Love I Saw in You Was Just a Mirage,” all framed by the polished “Motown sound” developed by producers The Corporation and Hal Davis.
Critically and commercially, Third Album is often regarded as one of the group’s strongest efforts, expanding their sound without abandoning their exuberant pop-soul core. It peaked at number 4 on the Billboard Top LPs chart and reached number 1 on both the US R&B Albums chart and Cashbox, ultimately selling over six million copies worldwide. Retrospective appraisals, such as AllMusic’s four-star review, emphasize how the album refines the Jackson 5 formula—tight arrangements, dynamic rhythms, and youthful but emotionally resonant vocals—while incorporating broader influences that hint at the artistic growth to come.