Joe Jackson, born in 1954 in Burton-on-Trent and raised in Portsmouth, began his music career early, playing his first paid gig at 16. After earning a scholarship to the Royal Academy of Music, he formed the Joe Jackson Band in London and was signed by A&M Records in 1978, leading to his debut album Look Sharp! (1979). Success followed quickly with I’m the Man and Beat Crazy, before Jackson shifted gears with the swing-inspired Jumpin’ Jive (1981) and the critically acclaimed Night and Day (1982), which became his biggest commercial success. Throughout the 1980s and early ’90s, he explored diverse musical directions — from the horn-driven Body and Soul to the live-recorded Big World and the ambitious Blaze of Glory — while composing film scores and collaborating with other artists.

The 1990s and beyond showcased Jackson’s adventurous creativity, with projects like Night Music (1994), Heaven and Hell (1997), and Night and Day II (2000). He reunited his original band for Volume 4 (2003), later relocating to Berlin and recording Rain (2007). Subsequent works included his Duke Ellington tribute The Duke (2012), the globe-spanning Fast Forward (2015), and Fool (2019), which earned chart success across Europe. After touring again in 2022 and 2024, including performances from his What a Racket! project inspired by forgotten Music Hall artist Max Champion, Jackson announced a new album, Hope and Fury, set for release in April 2026. Today, he continues to perform and write, dividing his time between New York, Portsmouth, and Berlin.