In History - Feb 21

The Jackson 5 make their TV debut on American Bandstand February 21, 1970

Michael, Marlon, Jermaine, Jackie (born Sigmund) and Tito (born Toriano) were brothers growing up in Gary, Indiana. Discovering that that Jackie, Tito, and Jermaine had been playing his old guitar without permission, the boys' father was initially upset but realized that they had genuine talent. In 1965, the brothers entered and won the Rossevelt High School talent show. Two months later, they won the annual talent search at Gilroy Stadium and received their first ever press in the Gary Post Tribune.

The group finally became know as the Jackson 5. 

Four years after their group talent debut, the Jackson 5 released their first single, I Want You Back. A few months later in February of the following year, the brothers made an American Bandstand debut performing their single.  The single was originally a song Freddie Perren, Fonce Mizell, and Deke Richards wrote for Gladys Knight & The Pips called, I Want To Be Free. Berry Gordy, founder of Motown Records who signed the Jackson 5 to his music label, moved to change the storyline of the song so that it would be about a young love story suitable for the group.

The remake became Jackson 5's first single and topped the Hot 100 on Jan 31, 1970. I Want You Back has since been sampled in films, including Now and Then (1995), Drumline (2002), and Daddy Day Care (2003). Taylor Swift included the song in an acoustic version during her 'Speak Now' world tour of 2011. English singer, Graham Parker covered the single in his fourth album, Squeezing Out Sparks, released in 1979.   I Want You Back also plays under the end credits of the movie, Guardians of The Galaxy (2014). 

Guardians of The Galaxy, Dance Off

In 2020,  I Want You Back was ranked number 2 on Rolling Stone's 'The 100 Greatest Debut Singles of All Time' list.  

Reference 

Huey, S. The Jackson 5. https://www.allmusic.com/artist/the-jackson-5-mn0000083013/biography

I Want You Back by The Jackson 5. https://www.songfacts.com/facts/the-jackson-5/i-want-you-back

Jackson 5 I Want You Back. https://classic.motown.com/story/jackson-5-want-back/

Jacksons history 1960-68. https://www.thejacksons.com/history/

The 100 Greatest Debut Singles of All Time. https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-lists/greatest-debut-songs-singles-990470/jackson-5-i-want-you-back-990731/