Jackson 5 reunion in 2009

The Jacksons: during their radioactive period.
The Jacksons: during their radioactive period.

Jermaine Jackson seems to have confirmed the long-standing rumour that The Jackson 5 are set to reform. Speaking to reporters in Sydney, he revealed that "we're planning on being out there next year".

The eldest Jackson brother also suggested that sister Janet will be involved in the reunion, saying: "It is going to be more like a family affair, Janet's going to open and, of course, the original Jackson 5".

This means that we could finally see Michael Jackson making his long-awaited comeback. He featured on an Akon track, Hold My Hand, that was leaked earlier this year, but this is as much as we've heard from him.

The reunion news follows recent reissues of Destiny and Triumph, classic Jacksons albums that contain vintage cuts such as Blame It On The Boogie and Can You Feel It.

These demonstrate that the band have a fantastic back catalogue of material on which to draw, but whether they can produce performances like this any more remains to be seen.

Ben Rogerson

I’m the Deputy Editor of MusicRadar, having worked on the site since its launch in 2007. I previously spent eight years working on our sister magazine, Computer Music. I’ve been playing the piano, gigging in bands and failing to finish tracks at home for more than 30 years, 24 of which I’ve also spent writing about music and the ever-changing technology used to make it.