Joe Jackson

Joe Jackson is an English singer, songwriter and multi-instrumentalist who emerged in the late 1970s as part of the punk and new wave scene, often grouped alongside Elvis Costello and Graham Parker as one of the era's sharp-tongued singer-songwriters. His early albums with the Joe Jackson Band leaned into brisk, wiry new wave rock filled with witty, sometimes biting lyrics, and produced hits such as «Is She Really Going Out With Him?» and «I'm the Man».

After the band split following Beat Crazy in 1980, Jackson began restlessly moving across genres rather than repeating his early formula. Night and Day brought a sleek, jazz- and Latin-tinged pop sound and gave him his biggest hit, «Steppin' Out», while Body and Soul continued that sophisticated, horn-driven direction. Jumpin' Jive, a collection of vintage swing covers, showed his deep affection for pre-rock American music.

Throughout his career Jackson has refused to be pinned to one style, moving between pop, rock, classical-leaning instrumental work, and jazz, with longtime bassist Graham Maby a frequent collaborator across decades. He remains respected as a craftsman songwriter whose catalog resists easy genre labeling.