January 1972 -- Michael Jackson gets rolling

This week's AT40 was from January 1972, when Michael Jackson was enjoying his first solo top 40 hit "Got to Be There."  Casey highlighted how he already had 4 #1 hits to his credit (with his brothers, who were also on the countdown with "Sugar Daddy") and he wasn't even a teenager!

What Casey didn't know was that in the next 50 years anyway, the Jackson 5 would never hit #1 again, but Michael would hit #1 by year's end with "Ben," have a little gap, then begin a huge streak in 1979 through 1995, ending with 13 solo #1's (including two duets) plus the work with his brothers.

He was also the first artist to debut* at #1 with "You are Not Alone" (* before chart rules changed to allow radio-only songs to chart)

At the time, it was quite unknown if Jackson or Donny Osmond would end up the bigger hitmaker, but let's just say it wasn't close...

1 2 AMERICAN PIE (Parts 1 and 2) –•– Don McLean (United Artists)-8 (1 week at #1) (1)
2 1 BRAND NEW KEY –•– Melanie (Neighborhood)-12 (1)
3 4 LET’S STAY TOGETHER –•– Al Green (Hi)-7 (3)
4 7 SUNSHINE –•– Jonathan Edwards (Capricorn)-10 (4)
5 3 FAMILY AFFAIR –•– Sly and the Family Stone (Epic)-11 (1)
6 6 SCORPIO –•– Dennis Coffey and the Detroit Guitar Band (Sussex)-12 (6)
7 8 I’D LIKE TO TEACH THE WORLD TO SING (In Perfect Harmony) –•– The New Seekers (Elektra)-7 (7)
8 5 GOT TO BE THERE –•– Michael Jackson (Motown)-12 (4)
9 10 HEY GIRL / I KNEW YOU WHEN –•– Donny Osmond (MGM)-8 (9)
10 13 CLEAN UP WOMAN –•– Betty Wright (Alston)-8 (10)
11 11 YOU ARE EVERYTHING –•– The Stylistics (Avco)-11 (11)
12 12 SUGAR DADDY –•– Jackson 5 (Motown)-6 (12)
13 14 I’D LIKE TO TEACH THE WORLD TO SING (In Perfect Harmony) –•– The Hillside Singers (Metromedia)-8 (13)
14 16 DAY AFTER DAY –•– Badfinger (Apple)-7 (14)
15 15 ONE MONKEY DON’T STOP NO SHOW (Part 1) –•– The Honey Cone (Hot Wax)-9 (15)
16 17 DROWNING IN THE SEA OF LOVE –•– Joe Simon (Spring)-8 (16)
17 9 CHERISH –•– David Cassidy (Bell)-11 (9)
18 24 NEVER BEEN TO SPAIN –•– Three Dog Night (Dunhill)-4 (18)
19 18 AN OLD FASHIONED LOVE SONG –•– Three Dog Night (Dunhill)-10 (4)
20 22 HEY BIG BROTHER –•– Rare Earth (Rare Earth)-8 (20)
21 25 IT’S ONE OF THOSE NIGHTS (Yes Love) –•– The Partridge Family (Starring Shirley Jones and Featuring David Cassidy) (Bell)-5 (21)
22 23 ANTICIPATION –•– Carly Simon (Elektra)-6 (22)
23 26 ONCE YOU UNDERSTAND –•– Think (Featuring Lou Stallman) (Laurie)-7 (23)
24 20 ALL I EVER NEED IS YOU –•– Sonny and Cher (Kapp)-14 (7)
25 27 KISS AN ANGEL GOOD MORNIN’ –•– Charley Pride (RCA)-9 (25)
26 19 HAVE YOU SEEN HER –•– The Chi-Lites (Brunswick)-13 (3)
27 29 THE WITCH QUEEN OF NEW ORLEANS –•– Redbone (Epic)-9 (27)
28 30 WHITE LIES, BLUE EYES –•– Bullet (Big Tree)-11 (28)
29 21 RESPECT YOURSELF –•– The Staple Singers (Stax)-14 (12)
30 35 LEVON –•– Elton John (Uni)-5 (30)
31 37 THAT’S THE WAY I FEEL ABOUT ‘CHA –•– Bobby Womack and Peace (United Artists)-6 (31)
32 38 MAKE ME THE WOMAN THAT YOU GO HOME TO –•– Gladys Knight and the Pips (Soul)-5 (32)
33 42 BLACK DOG –•– Led Zeppelin (Atlantic)-4 (33)
34 28 AN AMERICAN TRILOGY (Dixie / Battle Hymn Of the Republic / All My Trials) (Medley) –•– Mickey Newbury (Elektra)-11 (26)
35 46 STAY WITH ME –•– The Faces (Warner Brothers)-3 (35)
36 54 WITHOUT YOU –•– Nilsson (RCA)-5 (36)
37 51 FIRE AND WATER –•– Wilson Pickett (Atlantic)-4 (37)
38 33 GEORGE JACKSON –•– Bob Dylan (Columbia)-7 (33)
39 48 LOOKING FOR A LOVE –•– The J. Geils Band (Atlantic)-7 (39)
40 43 ME AND BOBBY McGEE –•– Jerry Lee Lewis (Mercury)-8 (40)