Off the Wall

Production notes

Off the Wall was recorded primarily at Allen Zentz Recording Studios and Westlake Recording Studios in Los Angeles during late 1978 and early 1979, and was released in August 1979 on Epic Records. The album was produced by Quincy Jones, who had met Jackson while both worked on the film The Wiz, with additional production contributions from Jackson himself and Rod Temperton, a former member of Heatwave who wrote several key tracks including the title song and "Rock with You." Bruce Swedien served as the principal recording engineer, employing his meticulous "Acusonic Recording Process," which utilized multiple two-track analog tape machines to capture an exceptionally warm and detailed stereo sound. The production blended elements of disco, funk, pop, and soul with lush string and horn arrangements by Jerry Hey and rhythm section work from elite session musicians including guitarist David Williams, bassist Louis Johnson, and drummer John Robinson. Off the Wall became a landmark in pop music production, selling over 20 million copies worldwide and establishing a new standard for the fusion of dance music with sophisticated studio craftsmanship, setting the stage for the even more ambitious Thriller sessions that followed.