<P> Michael Jackson made his debut at the age of six with the Jackson 5 (later known as the Jacksons), who were prominent performers during the 1970s . Jackson's early solo career that same decade included albums such as Got to Be There and Ben . His two follow - ups, Music & Me and Forever, Michael, failed to sell well . In 1979, Jackson released Off the Wall, which became his first best - selling album . Three years later, Jackson issued his best - selling album to date, Thriller, which topped several international charts and became the best - selling album of all time . Jackson's follow - ups, Bad, Dangerous, and HIStory: Past, Present and Future, Book I, also became international successes . Jackson's tenth and final studio album, Invincible, was released in 2001 and topped international charts, with total confirmed sales of 6 million copies worldwide . </P> <P> Following Jackson's death in 2009, sales of his previous work skyrocketed, with his compilation album, Number Ones, becoming one of the best - selling albums internationally . </P> <Table> <Tr> <Th> Title </Th> <Th> Album details </Th> <Th_colspan="10"> Peak chart positions </Th> <Th> Sales </Th> <Th> Certifications (sales threshold) </Th> </Tr> <Tr> <Th> US </Th> <Th> AUS </Th> <Th> CAN </Th> <Th> FRA </Th> <Th> GER </Th> <Th> NL </Th> <Th> NZ </Th> <Th> SPN </Th> <Th> SWI </Th> <Th> UK </Th> </Tr> <Tr> <Th> Got to Be There </Th> <Td> <Ul> <Li> Released: January 24, 1972 </Li> <Li> Label: Motown </Li> <Li> Formats: LP, cassette, 8 - track </Li> </Ul> </Td> <Td> 14 </Td> <Td>--</Td> <Td>--</Td> <Td> 121 </Td> <Td>--</Td> <Td>--</Td> <Td>--</Td> <Td>--</Td> <Td>--</Td> <Td> 37 </Td> <Td> </Td> <Td> <Ul> <Li> US: Gold </Li> </Ul> </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Th> Ben </Th> <Td> <Ul> <Li> Released: August 4, 1972 </Li> <Li> Label: Motown </Li> <Li> Formats: LP, cassette, 8 - track </Li> </Ul> </Td> <Td> 5 </Td> <Td> 65 </Td> <Td> 12 </Td> <Td> 162 </Td> <Td>--</Td> <Td>--</Td> <Td>--</Td> <Td>--</Td> <Td>--</Td> <Td> 17 </Td> <Td> </Td> <Td> <Ul> <Li> UK: Silver </Li> </Ul> </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Th> Music & Me </Th> <Td> <Ul> <Li> Released: April 13, 1973 </Li> <Li> Label: Motown </Li> <Li> Formats: LP, cassette, 8 - track </Li> </Ul> </Td> <Td> 92 </Td> <Td> 27 </Td> <Td>--</Td> <Td> 108 </Td> <Td>--</Td> <Td>--</Td> <Td>--</Td> <Td>--</Td> <Td>--</Td> <Td>--</Td> <Td> </Td> <Td> </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Th> Forever, Michael </Th> <Td> <Ul> <Li> Released: January 16, 1975 </Li> <Li> Label: Motown </Li> <Li> Formats: 8 - track, cassette, LP </Li> </Ul> </Td> <Td> 101 </Td> <Td>--</Td> <Td>--</Td> <Td>--</Td> <Td>--</Td> <Td>--</Td> <Td>--</Td> <Td>--</Td> <Td>--</Td> <Td>--</Td> <Td> </Td> <Td> </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Th> Off the Wall </Th> <Td> <Ul> <Li> Released: August 10, 1979 </Li> <Li> Label: Epic </Li> <Li> Formats: Reel - to - reel, LP, cassette, 8 - track, MD </Li> </Ul> </Td> <Td> </Td> <Td> </Td> <Td> </Td> <Td> 27 </Td> <Td> 25 </Td> <Td> 8 </Td> <Td> </Td> <Td> 11 </Td> <Td> 27 </Td> <Td> </Td> <Td> <Ul> <Li> World: 20,000,000 </Li> <Li> CAN: 300,000 </Li> <Li> UK: 1,800,000 </Li> </Ul> </Td> <Td> <Ul> <Li> US: 8 × Platinum </Li> <Li> AUS: 5 × Platinum </Li> <Li> CAN: Platinum </Li> <Li> FRA: Platinum </Li> <Li> GER: Platinum </Li> <Li> NL: Platinum </Li> <Li> NZ: 6 × Platinum </Li> <Li> SWI: Platinum </Li> <Li> UK: 6 × Platinum </Li> </Ul> </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Th> Thriller </Th> <Td> <Ul> <Li> Released: November 30, 1982 </Li> <Li> Label: Epic </Li> <Li> Formats: Reel - to - reel, LP, cassette, 8 - track, CD, MD </Li> </Ul> </Td> <Td> </Td> <Td> </Td> <Td> </Td> <Td> </Td> <Td> </Td> <Td> </Td> <Td> </Td> <Td> </Td> <Td> </Td> <Td> </Td> <Td> <Ul> <Li> World: 66,000,000 </Li> <Li> AUS: 1,150,000 </Li> <Li> CAN: 2,400,000 </Li> <Li> FRA: 2,366,700 </Li> <Li> NL: 1,400,000 </Li> <Li> UK: 4,248,000 </Li> </Ul> </Td> <Td> <Ul> <Li> US: 3x Diamond (33 × Platinum) </Li> <Li> AUS: 16 × Platinum </Li> <Li> CAN: 2 × Diamond </Li> <Li> FRA: Diamond </Li> <Li> GER: 3 × Platinum </Li> <Li> NL: 8 × Multi-Platinum </Li> <Li> NZ: 12 × Platinum </Li> <Li> SWI: 6 × Platinum </Li> <Li> UK: 13 × Platinum </Li> </Ul> </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Th> Bad </Th> <Td> <Ul> <Li> Released: September 1, 1987 </Li> <Li> Label: Epic </Li> <Li> Formats: LP, cassette, 8 - track, CD, MD </Li> </Ul> </Td> <Td> </Td> <Td> </Td> <Td> </Td> <Td> </Td> <Td> </Td> <Td> </Td> <Td> </Td> <Td> </Td> <Td> </Td> <Td> </Td> <Td> <Ul> <Li> World: 35,000,000 </Li> <Li> US: 10,000,000 </Li> <Li> FRA: 1,289,400 </Li> <Li> NL: 500,000 </Li> <Li> UK: 3,961,000 </Li> </Ul> </Td> <Td> <Ul> <Li> US: Diamond </Li> <Li> AUS: 6 × Platinum </Li> <Li> CAN: 7 × Platinum </Li> <Li> FRA: Diamond </Li> <Li> GER: 4 × Platinum </Li> <Li> NL: Platinum </Li> <Li> NZ: 9 × Platinum </Li> <Li> SWI: 5 × Platinum </Li> <Li> UK: 13 × Platinum </Li> </Ul> </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Th> Dangerous </Th> <Td> <Ul> <Li> Released: November 26, 1991 </Li> <Li> Label: Epic </Li> <Li> LP, cassette, CD, MD </Li> </Ul> </Td> <Td> </Td> <Td> </Td> <Td> </Td> <Td> </Td> <Td> </Td> <Td> </Td> <Td> </Td> <Td> </Td> <Td> </Td> <Td> </Td> <Td> <Ul> <Li> World: 32,000,000 </Li> <Li> AUS: 740,000 </Li> <Li> FRA: 1,985,500 </Li> <Li> UK: 2,010,069 </Li> </Ul> </Td> <Td> <Ul> <Li> US: 8 × Platinum </Li> <Li> AUS: 10 × Platinum </Li> <Li> CAN: 6 × Platinum </Li> <Li> FRA: Diamond </Li> <Li> GER: 4 × Platinum </Li> <Li> NL: 3 × Multi-Platinum </Li> <Li> NZ: 6 × Platinum </Li> <Li> SWI: 5 × Platinum </Li> <Li> UK: 6 × Platinum </Li> </Ul> </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Th> HIStory: Past, Present and Future, Book I </Th> <Td> <Ul> <Li> Released: June 20, 1995 </Li> <Li> Label: Epic </Li> <Li> Formats: LP, cassette, CD, MD </Li> </Ul> </Td> <Td> </Td> <Td> </Td> <Td> </Td> <Td> </Td> <Td> </Td> <Td> </Td> <Td> </Td> <Td> </Td> <Td> </Td> <Td> </Td> <Td> <Ul> <Li> World: 20,000,000 </Li> <Li> US: 4,000,000 </Li> <Li> FRA: 1,644,200 </Li> <Li> UK: 1,500,000 </Li> </Ul> </Td> <Td> <Ul> <Li> US: 8 × Platinum </Li> <Li> AUS: 8 × Platinum </Li> <Li> CAN: 5 × Platinum </Li> <Li> FRA: Diamond </Li> <Li> GER: 3 × Platinum </Li> <Li> NL: 3 × Multi-Platinum </Li> <Li> NZ: 10 × Platinum </Li> <Li> SWI: 3 × Platinum </Li> <Li> UK: 4 × Platinum </Li> </Ul> </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Th> Invincible </Th> <Td> <Ul> <Li> Released: October 30, 2001 </Li> <Li> Label: Epic </Li> <Li> Formats: LP, cassette, CD, MD </Li> </Ul> </Td> <Td> </Td> <Td> </Td> <Td> </Td> <Td> </Td> <Td> </Td> <Td> </Td> <Td> </Td> <Td> </Td> <Td> </Td> <Td> </Td> <Td> <Ul> <Li> World: 6,000,000 </Li> <Li> US: 2,138,000 </Li> <Li> CAN: 100,000 </Li> <Li> UK: 369,913 </Li> </Ul> </Td> <Td> <Ul> <Li> US: 2 × Platinum </Li> <Li> AUS: 2 × Platinum </Li> <Li> FRA: Platinum </Li> <Li> GER: Platinum </Li> <Li> NL: Platinum </Li> <Li> NZ: Platinum </Li> <Li> SWI: Platinum </Li> <Li> UK: Platinum </Li> </Ul> </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td_colspan="15"> "--" denotes releases that did not chart </Td> </Tr> </Table> <Tr> <Th> Title </Th> <Th> Album details </Th> <Th_colspan="10"> Peak chart positions </Th> <Th> Sales </Th> <Th> Certifications (sales threshold) </Th> </Tr>

When was michael jackson's first album released