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HIStory: Past, Present and Future, Book 1 Year 1995
1. Scream (4:38)
2. They Don't Care About Us (4:45)
3. Stranger In Moscow (5:45)
4. This Time Around (4:20)
5. Earth Song (6:45)
6. D.S. (4:50)
7. Money (4:40)
8. Come Together (5:25)
9. You Are Not Alone (5:45)
10. Childhood (4:28)
11. Tabloid Junkie (4:30)
12. 2 Bad (4:50)
13. HIStory (6:35)
14. Little Susie (6:15)
15. Smile (4:55)
Released: June 16, 1995
Produced: by Michael Jackson
HIStory - Past, Present and Future, Book I , a double-disc album (one half greatest hits, one half studio album), was released in June of 1995 by the Epic Records division of Sony BMG.
The first disc, (HIStory Begins) contains fifteen hit singles from the past fifteen years of Jackson's career to this point. The tracklist includes fourteen U.S. Top 10 singles (nine of which were number-one hits) plus the worldwide top 5 hit "Heal the World". The second disc, (HIStory Continues) contains fifteen previously unreleased recordings, five of which were released as singles.
HIStory debuted at #1 in several countries including the UK and the U.S, while also being nominated for several 1996 Grammy Awards, including Album of the Year, which it did not win however "Scream", expensive science fiction-inspired music video won a Grammy Award for Best Short-Form Music Video.
HIStory was the first album where Michael Jackson showcased his instrumental abilities, playing keyboard and synthesizer, guitar, drums and percussion, as well as lead and backing vocals. He was also more involved in the production of this album, collaborating with producers Jimmy Jam & Terry Lewis, Dallas Austin, Bill Bottrell and R. Kelly. Michael also experimented with more genres on this album than on any other album, ranging from orchestral to adult contemporary rhythm and blues to "Gothic pop".
Over 390,000 copies of the album were sold in its first week. In October 1999, the RIAA certified HIStory at 7x Platinum, for shipments of 3.5 million in the United States. Thus far, HIStory has sold an estimated 18 million copies worldwide (36 million units) and is one of the greatest selling multiple-disc album of all times. The first disc of previously released hits was re-released in 2001 selling an estimated 3 million. The album debuted at #1 in most countries around the world.
The first single from the album was "Scream"/"Childhood", released in May 1995 as a double A-side single. "Scream" was a duet between Michael and his younger sister Janet, and "Childhood" was the theme song for the film "Free Willy 2".
"You Are Not Alone", the second HIStory's single, was written and produced by R. Kelly and released in August 1995. It became the first-ever single to debut at number one on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100.
The other successful singles and the HIStory World Tour helped HIStory to go onto sell over 1.5 million copies during its promotional period.
SINGLES
"Scream"/"Childhood" (May 1995)
"You Are Not Alone" (August 1995)
"Earth Song" (November 1995)
"They Don't Care About Us" (April 1996)
"Stranger In Moscow" (November 1996)
Outtake Tracks
Is It Scary (1993) (5:35)
Ghosts (1994) (5:13)
Morphine (1994) (6:28)
In The Back (Demo 1994) (4:31)
Joy (1990) (Tammy Lucas, Michael Jackson) (4:55)
Why (1994) (5:23)
Fear (1993) (Michael Jackson)
Bass(z)ouille (1994) (Michael Jackson, Bruce Swedien)
Face (1994) (Michael Jackson)
