The Isley Brothers are an influential American soul group known for their extensive career spanning decades, marked by musical evolution and significant commercial success. Their discography demonstrates a consistent ability to adapt across various genres. After their initial success with the 1959 single ‘Shout,’ which sold over one million copies and charted on the Billboard Hot 100, The Isley Brothers established an extensive career marked by significant musical evolution. Despite early recognition, they faced challenges with subsequent releases on RCA Victor and Scepter Records.
This expanded lineup led to critically and commercially successful albums such as ‘3 + 3’ (1973), ‘The Heat Is On’ (1975), their first album to reach number 1 on the Pop LP chart, and ‘Between the Sheets’ (1983), selling over two million copies. Further cementing their dominance, albums like ‘Harvest for the World’ (1976), ‘Go for Your Guns’ (1977), and ‘Showdown’ (1978) each achieved platinum status. After the original trio signed with Warner Bros. Records for the 1985 album ‘Masterpiece,’ and following O’Kelly Isleys passing in 1986 and Rudys retirement in 1989, Ernie and Marvin Isley returned, releasing ‘Tracks of Life’ in 1991.
In 2014, The Isley Brothers received the prestigious Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award. Their innovative spirit continued with a collaboration with Santana on the 2017 album ‘Power of Peace.’ In 2019, they were honored with the National R&B Music Society’s Lifetime Achievement Award. Demonstrating their cross-generational appeal, The Isley Brothers participated in the widely acclaimed Verzuz battle with Earth, Wind & Fire in 2021. Most recently, the group released their album ‘Make Me Say It Again, Girl’ in 2022, featuring a high-profile collaboration with Beyoncé, further solidifying their place as an evolving and continuously relevant force in music.