
AlbumE · 1995
HIStory: Past, Present and Future, Book I
HIStory: Past, Present and Future, Book I is a 1995 pop album by Michael Jackson. It runs 30 tracks across 149 minutes on Epic. Riffiter listeners rate it 4.2/5 from 22 ratings.
Your rating
- 4.2 /5
- 22 ratings
- 71 /100
- 6 critics
- 30
- Tracks
- 149 min
- Runtime
- 113 bpm
- Tempo
- D# minor
- Key
Ratings
22 ratings · avg 4.2
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Reviews
1 review
- 3.5
Half greatest-hits, half new album, all siege mentality: the HIStory disc proper finds Jackson swinging at tabloids, prosecutors and the industry itself. "Scream" with Janet and "They Don't Care About Us" channel real fury; "Stranger in Moscow" is his most underrated late song. Bloated, paranoid, and often brilliant — the wound is the work.
Critics
6 publications
- Smash Hits5/5
- Rolling Stone4/5
- Entertainment WeeklyB
- News & Record3.5/5
- The News-Journal3/5
- The Orlando Sentinel2/5
Scores collected from the English Wikipedia ratings box (CC BY-SA). Ratings belong to the publications; follow a link to read the review.
Cover art
3 credits

- Art direction
- David Coleman, Nancy Donald, Stephen Walker
Tracklist
30 tracks · 149 min
Ranked head-to-head
1 vs 1
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Videos
4 videos
Ranked by listeners
top 5 · 11 rated tracks
According to Riffiter listeners, the best track on HIStory: Past, Present and Future, Book I is Black or White — rated 4.7/5 by 6 listeners.
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About
HIStory: Past, Present and Future, Book I (usually shortened to HIStory) is the ninth studio album by American recording artist Michael Jackson. It was released on June 16, 1995 by Epic Records. This is Jackson's first album on his own label, MJJ Productions. The majority of the album's tracks were written and produced by Jackson. HIStory was the first album to be released by Jackson since he was accused of child sexual abuse in August 1993. Recorded during late 1994 and early 1995, several of the double album's fifteen songs pertain to the accusations and Jackson's mistreatment in the media, specifically the tabloids. The songs' themes included environmental awareness, isolation, greed, and injustice.
Read moreRead less
HIStory is Jackson's most controversial album. Jackson was accused of using anti-Semitic lyrics in "They Don't Care About Us". Jackson stated that he did not mean any offense and on multiple occasions denied anti-Semitism. The dispute regarding the lyrics ended with Jackson re-recording them. R. Kelly was accused of plagiarizing one of the album's songs, "You Are Not Alone". In 2007 a judge ruled that the song was plagiarized and the song was subsequently banned from radio stations in Belgium. Six singles and two promotional singles were released from HIStory: "Scream", "You Are Not Alone", "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 peaked within the top ten in multiple countries. The music videos released to promote the songs have become influential. The first disc (HIStory Begins) is a compilation album of previous hits by Jackson, whereas the second disc (HIStory Continues) comprises new material. The album was generally well received by music critics and was also commercially successful, debuting and peaking at number one in many counties, including the United States, Canada, Australia, France and the United Kingdom, as well as charting within the top ten in Spain and Mexico. The album was certified 6 times platinum by the end of 1996 in Europe, making it the best selling album of the year in the combined European market. The album was nominated for five Grammy Awards, winning one for Best Music Video – Short Form for "Scream". The greatest hits disc of the album was reissued as a single disc on November 13, 2001, under the name Greatest Hits: HIStory, Volume I and has reportedly sold four million copies worldwide as of early 2010.
In brief
- Is HIStory: Past, Present and Future, Book I good?
- Riffiter listeners rate HIStory: Past, Present and Future, Book I 4.2/5 from 22 ratings.
- What is the highest-rated track on HIStory: Past, Present and Future, Book I?
- Black or White, rated 4.7/5 by 6 listeners on Riffiter.
- When was HIStory: Past, Present and Future, Book I released?
- HIStory: Past, Present and Future, Book I was released in 1995 on Epic.
- How many tracks are on HIStory: Past, Present and Future, Book I?
- HIStory: Past, Present and Future, Book I has 30 tracks, with a runtime of 149 minutes.
- What genre is HIStory: Past, Present and Future, Book I?
- HIStory: Past, Present and Future, Book I is catalogued under Pop.
- What BPM is HIStory: Past, Present and Future, Book I?
- HIStory: Past, Present and Future, Book I runs at a median tempo of 113 BPM across its tracks, most often in D# minor, measured from audio analysis.
- What albums are similar to HIStory: Past, Present and Future, Book I?
- Listeners of HIStory: Past, Present and Future, Book I also rate Bohemian Rhapsody (the original soundtrack) by Queen, ABBA Gold by ABBA, Older by George Michael.
- Who produced HIStory: Past, Present and Future, Book I?
- HIStory: Past, Present and Future, Book I was produced by Michael Jackson, Quincy Jones, Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis, among 11 credited in total. Michael Jackson produced 15 of them.
- Who wrote the songs on HIStory: Past, Present and Future, Book I?
- HIStory: Past, Present and Future, Book I was written by Michael Jackson and Bill Bottrell. Michael Jackson wrote 2 of them.
Credits
- Produced by
- Written by
Michael JacksonBill Bottrell
- Mixed by
+2 moreShow fewer
Matt ForgerSteve Hodge- Engineered by
+3 moreShow fewer
- Played by
+59 moreShow fewer
Slash
Bobby Watson
Chris Shepard
Jam & Lewis
Jimmy Smith
R. Kelly
Sheila E.
Teddy RileyGreg PhillinganesDavid WilliamsGary GrantJerry HeyLarry WilliamsMichael BoddickerLouis JohnsonPaulinho da CostaBill Reichenbach, Jr.Gerald VinciJohn BarnesJohn “JR” RobinsonKim HutchcroftSteve PorcaroBill WolferBrad BuxerChristopher CurrellJeff PorcaroSteve LukatherBryan LorenLeon Ndugu ChanclerMarlo HendersonBrian BanksChuck WildDavid “Hawk” WolinskiDean ParksEdward Van HalenEric GaleGlen BallardGreg SmithGuy PrattHow Now Brown CowJason MilesJasun MartzJeff BovaLarry CarltonMichael ThompsonNathan EastNelson HayesOllie E. BrownPaul Jackson, Jr.Randy JacksonRandy KerberRichard HeathRod TempertonSteve FerroneSteven RayTerry JacksonTim PierceTom BahlerTrevor Rabin
- Vocals by
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The Notorious B.I.G.Siedah GarrettAndraé CrouchAndres McKenzieAshley FarellAugie JohnsonBecky LopezBunny HullChrista LarsonJim GilstrapJulia WatersL.T.B.Los Angeles Children's ChorusMaxine WatersMortonette JenkinsOren WatersPaulette McWilliamsSandra CrouchShaquille O’NealThe Andraé Crouch ChoirThe John Bahler SingersThe WinansVincent PriceZedric Williams
Lineage
6 connections
Built from
Beat ItMichael JacksonsamplesBlack or White
- What About UsMichael JacksoninterpolatesEarth Song
Lives on in
Michael Jackson (The Beat Goes On)Cash Cashinterpolated inBlack or White
Dumb DumbRed Velvet (레드벨벳)interpolated inBlack or White MJ MegaremixMichael Jacksonremixed byBlack or White
Earth SongDavid Garrettcovered byEarth Song
Credits and connections from Genius

















