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HIStory: Past, Present and Future, Book I album cover

AlbumE · 1995

HIStory: Past, Present and Future, Book I

by Michael Jackson

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.

Pop

Best albums of 1995

#13 in Best albums of 1995

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

0.5★5★

Recent activity

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.

    Reply

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

HIStory: Past, Present and Future, Book I cover art
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.

  1. 1Black or White4.76 ratings
  2. 2Remember the Time5.01 rating
  3. 3Beat It4.4238 ratings
  4. 4You Are Not Alone4.52 ratings
  5. 5Bad4.48 ratings

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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 more

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

Written by
Michael JacksonBill Bottrell
Mixed by
+2 more
Matt ForgerSteve Hodge
Engineered by
+3 more
Played by
+59 more
SlashBobby WatsonChris ShepardJam & LewisJimmy SmithR. KellySheila 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
+24 more
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

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