History

HIStory: Past, Present and Future, Book I (usually shortened to HIStory) is a two disc ninth studio album by American songwriter and recording artist Michael Jackson, released on June 16, 1995 by Epic Records. A majority of the albums tracks were written and produced by Jackson. The album was the first album to be released by Jackson since he was accused of child sexual abuse in August 1993. Recorded in September 1994, several out of fifteen songs pertain to the accusations and Jackson’s perceived mistreatment in the media, specifically the tabloids. The albums songs themes included environmental awareness, isolation, greed, and injustice.

HIStory is one of Jackson’s most controversial albums. Jackson was accused of using anti-Semitism lyrics in “They Don’t Care About Us”. Jackson stated that he did not mean any offense and, on mutiple occasions denied anti-semitism. The dispute regarding the lyrics ended with Jackson re-recording the lyrics. R. Kelly was accused of plagiarizing one of the albums songs, “You Are Not Alone”; in 2007 a judge ruled that the song was plagiarized. Six singles, and two promotional singles were released from HIStory: “Scream”, “You Are Not Alone”, both of which charted within the top five on Billboard 100 and “Earth Song”, “This Time Around”, “They Don’t Care About Us” and “Stranger in Moscow”. “This Time Around” was released as a radio only single, and “Earth Song”, “They Don’t Care About Us” and “Stranger in Moscow” were less successful within the United States, but were successful internationally; all three peaking within the top ten in multiple territories.