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93-593: HIStory: Past, Present and Future, Book I is a double album by American singer Michael Jackson , released on June 20, 1995. It consists of the greatest hits album , HIStory Begins, in addition to his ninth studio album , HIStory Continues. HIStory Begins was his first hits compilation not to be released on the Motown label and his first to contain material originally released through Epic Records , spanning from 1979 through 1991. HIStory Continues comprises new material written and produced by Jackson and collaborators. It

186-550: A box set . The introduction of the long-play or LP record in 1948 allowed longer tracks or a greater number of tracks per record, with approximately 22 minutes of music per side, for a total of 44 minutes. Despite this, recordings of entire classical or operatic pieces were often too long for one LP disc, thus albums of two or more discs were made. As they were costly to make and sell, double albums and multi-record releases were largely limited to long works such as classical music and, later, to live recordings and compilations. One of

279-603: A mock trial with a jury of audience members, though Jackson had not been charged with a crime. HIStory was Jackson's first studio album since his 1991 album Dangerous and his first new material after being accused of child sexual abuse. The album comprises two discs. The first, HIStory Begins, is a compilation of songs from Jackson's albums Off the Wall (1979), Thriller (1982), Bad (1987) and Dangerous (1991). The second, HIStory Continues, comprises new material recorded from January 1994 to March 1995, although one of

372-854: A 45 RPM single . The Sunlandic Twins by Of Montreal features a third side officially called a "bonus EP ", essentially offering an alternate definition of an EP, a single 33 + 1 ⁄ 3  RPM side instead of a two-sided 45 RPM record. The 1992 Julian Cope album Jehovahkill contained three sides, or "phases", with a laser-etched fourth side which was unplayable, which also occurred with Norwegian band Motorpsycho 's vinyl releases of Motorpsycho presents The International Tussler Society and Heavy Metal Fruit , and Excepter 's 2014 album Familiar (the third side, with only one track, being shorter). Seattle band Alice in Chains released their first two EPs, Jar of Flies , and Sap on two vinyl discs in 1994, with three sides on vinyl, while

465-524: A B" for the entire album. Browne commented that the music "rarely seems to transport him (and thereby us) to a higher plane." HIStory was nominated for six Grammy Awards at the 1996 and 1997 ceremonies respectively, winning one award. "You Are Not Alone" was nominated for Best Pop Vocal Performance – Male and for Song of the Year . "Scream" was nominated for Best Pop Collaboration with Vocals and "Scream" won Best Music Video - Short Form and "Earth Song"

558-529: A Dream " speech. "HIStory" was not released as a single from HIStory , but its remix was from Blood on the Dance Floor: HIStory in the Mix in 1997. As an introduction for "Little Susie", Jackson used his own variation of "Pie Jesu" from Maurice Duruflé's Requiem . Some speculate, the inspiration behind the song likely came from an artist called Gottfried Helnwein . An urban legend states that "Little Susie"

651-489: A burst of anti-Semitism". On June 17, Jackson promised that future copies of the album would include an apology. On June 23, Jackson announced that he would alter the offending wording on future copies of the album. He reiterated his acceptance that the song was offensive to some. It was reported that "Jew me" and "Kike me" would be substituted with "do me" and "strike me", however, the offending words were instead covered up with loud, abstract noises drowning them out. Remixes of

744-561: A double LP, remained split across two units for both its cassette and CD reissues, with the tracks in a different order on the pair of cassettes to ensure equal tape length. Meanwhile, 1988's He's the DJ, I'm the Rapper by DJ Jazzy Jeff & The Fresh Prince was released on both vinyl and cassette. At 85 minutes, the vinyl record was released as a double album, making it the first double vinyl LP release by hip hop artists, while its single CD release

837-414: A double album globally with All Eyez on Me , becoming his best selling album by the time he died in 1996. With regard to records , most double album sets are organized by manual sequencing, where the order of sides played are laid much as they are on a single LP; Side one and two are organized back-to-back on the first disc, as are three and four on the second disc and so on. However, some releases up to

930-588: A duet with Jackson's sister Janet ; with "spitting" lyrics about injustice. The lyrics for the R&;B ballad "You Are Not Alone", written by R. Kelly, pertain to isolation. Two Belgian songwriters, brothers Eddy and Danny Van Passel, claimed to have written the melody in 1993. In September 2007, a Belgian judge ruled the song had been plagiarized from the Van Passel brothers, and it was banned from radio play in Belgium. "D.S.",

1023-567: A guest rap by the Notorious B.I.G. (a.k.a. Biggie Smalls). "Earth Song" was described as a "slow blues-operatic", and its lyrics pertain to environmental concerns. On HIStory , Jackson covered Charlie Chaplin 's " Smile " and the Beatles ' " Come Together ". "2 Bad" was influenced by hip-hop, with a sample of Run–D.M.C. 's " King of Rock " and another guest rap verse by Shaquille O'Neal . The similarity in lyrics and name have led to some seeing it as

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1116-536: A guest rap by the Notorious B.I.G. It was the album's first promotional single, and was released in the United States only. Tag lines for a December 1995 HBO special were heavily marketed on the copies of this single, but the special was canceled after Jackson had fallen ill. " They Don't Care About Us " was the fifth single. "They Don't Care About Us" peaked at number thirty on the Billboard 100, and it charted within

1209-471: A half albums) and one side of studio recordings. The vinyl reissues of two albums by The Tragically Hip , Trouble at the Henhouse and Music @ Work , are on two discs, but the fourth side is blank. In the 2010s and 2020s, as more digital era albums from the 1990s and 2000s were issued on vinyl, often for the first time, blank sides became more common and often included etchings into the fourth side, such as

1302-614: A hard rock song, has lyrics about a "cold man" named "Dom S. Sheldon". Critics interpreted it as an attack on Thomas Sneddon , who had led the prosecution in Jackson's trial . "Money" was interpreted as being directed at Evan Chandler, the father of the boy who accused Jackson of child sexual abuse. The lyrics of "Childhood" pertain to Jackson's childhood. Similar to "Scream", the lyrics to "They Don't Care About Us" pertain to injustice, as well as racism. In "This Time Around", Jackson asserts himself as having been "falsely accused". The song includes

1395-419: A new studio album being accompanied by a "greatest hits" collection, with Q magazine saying "from the new songs' point of view, it's like taking your dad with you into a fight." Similarly to Thriller and Bad , HIStory contains lyrics that deal with paranoia. Several of the album's 15 new songs pertain to the child sexual abuse allegations made against him in 1993 and Jackson's perceived mistreatment by

1488-558: A sesquialbum (i.e. one and a half records). Johnny Winter released what would be the first three-sided rock album, Second Winter , on two 12-inch discs, with the flip side of the second disc being blank. A 1976 live concert recording by Keith Jarrett and his quartet, released as Eyes of the Heart by ECM Records in 1979, Joe Jackson 's 1986 release Big World , and Pavement 's Wowee Zowee are other examples of this. In 1975, jazz artist Rahsaan Roland Kirk released The Case of

1581-463: A single standard-length compact disc (CD). Other times, track order could vary between two different media by rearranging the tracks in one medium, or a more efficient use of space could be made; for example, reducing a double album in LP format to a single cassette tape . The same principles apply to the triple album , which comprises three units. Packages with more units than three are often referred to as

1674-513: A single-disc edit exists omitting the 19 minute track, "Old Dreams Waiting To Be Realized"). Swallow the Sun 's 2015 album Songs from the North I, II & III is divided into Gloom , Beauty and Despair . In total, each disc contains no more than 8 tracks and no less than 40 minutes. In April 2021, Eric Church released a triple album set, Heart & Soul . Each album Heart , & , and Soul ,

1767-607: A solo artist. The tour, beginning in Prague, Czech Republic on September 7, 1996, attracted more than 4.5 million fans from 58 cities in 35 countries around the world. The average concert attendance was 54,878 and the tour lasted 82 tour dates. Jackson performed no concerts in the United States, besides two concerts in January 1997 in Hawaii at the Aloha Stadium , to a crowd of 35,000 each; he

1860-461: A song about the victimization he felt by the press. In 1993, the relationship between Jackson and the press collapsed when he was accused of child sexual abuse . Although he was not charged, Jackson was subject to intense media scrutiny while the criminal investigation took place. Complaints about the coverage and media included misleading and sensational headlines; paying for stories of Jackson's alleged criminal activity and confidential material from

1953-444: A song critical of discrimination had backfired. They felt the lyrics might be ambiguous and were unsuitable for young audiences because they might not understand the song's context. They acknowledged that Jackson meant well and suggested that he write an explanation in the album booklet. In his review of HIStory , Jon Pareles of The New York Times wrote that the song "gives the lie to his entire catalogue of brotherhood anthems with

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2046-549: A spiritual successor to Jackson's 1987 track, " Bad ". "Stranger in Moscow" is a pop ballad that is interspersed with sounds of rain, in which Jackson references a "swift and sudden fall from grace". "Tabloid Junkie" is a hard funk song with lyrics instructing listeners to not believe everything they read in the media and tabloids. The album's title track, "HIStory" contained multiple samples, including Martin Luther King Jr. 's " I Have

2139-486: A triple album, composed of discs titled "Everywhere", "Nowhere", and "Down Here". Joanna Newsom 's 2010 album Have One on Me is a triple album; due to the unusual length of the songs, there are only six tracks on each disc. Escalator over the Hill , Carla Bley 's jazz opera (lyrics by Paul Haines ), was originally released in 1971 as a triple album in a box which also contained a booklet with lyrics, photos and profiles of

2232-564: A week later by the Mothers of Invention 's debut album Freak Out! , which was released on June 27, 1966. In the years following, original double albums from pop and rock artists became more common, and were often released at the height of the artists' careers. Notable examples include Jimi Hendrix 's Electric Ladyland from October 1968, The Beatles ' eponymous 1968 album , Elton John 's Goodbye Yellow Brick Road from 1973, and Led Zeppelin 's Physical Graffiti from 1975. Additionally,

2325-474: Is one of Jackson's most critically acclaimed songs and music videos, receiving numerous awards. With a US$ 9 million music video production budget, "Scream" is the most expensive music video ever made as of 2015. " You Are Not Alone " was the second single released from HIStory . Having debuted at number one on the Billboard Hot 100 on September 2, 1995, it became the first song to debut at number one on

2418-521: Is that it does not entail a real intervention in that poverty." In 2009, Billboard described the area as "now a model for social development" and stated that Jackson's influence was partially responsible for this improvement. For the first time in Jackson's career, he made a second music video for a single. This second version was filmed in a prison with cellmates; the video shows Jackson handcuffed and contains real footage of police attacking African Americans,

2511-739: The Daily Mirror held a "Spot the Jacko" contest, offering readers a trip to Disney World if they could correctly predict where Jackson would appear next. The same year, a Daily Express headline read "Drug Treatment Star Faces Life on the Run", while a News of the World headline accused Jackson of being a fugitive ; these tabloids also falsely alleged that Jackson had traveled to Europe to have cosmetic surgery that would make him unrecognizable on his return. In early November 1993, talk show host Geraldo Rivera set up

2604-524: The Ku Klux Klan , genocide, execution, and other human rights abuses. Jackson's music video for "Earth Song" received praise for its environmental recognition. In 1995, the video received a Genesis Award for Doris Day Music Award , given each year for animal sensitivity. In 2008, a writer for the Nigeria Exchange said that "'Earth Song' drew the world's attention to the degradation and bastardization of

2697-479: The Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) on August 23, 2018, in the United States. Because HIStory is a double disc album, its CDs are therefore counted separately for certification purposes, meaning the album achieved platinum status in the United States after 500,000 copies were shipped, not one million. However, the album was a massive success in other countries. In Europe, before it

2790-465: The tabloid press had a difficult relationship. In 1986, tabloids claimed that Jackson slept in a hyperbaric oxygen chamber and had offered to buy the bones of Joseph Merrick (the "Elephant Man"), both of which Jackson vehemently denied. These stories inspired the derogatory nickname "Wacko Jacko", which Jackson despised. He stopped leaking untruths to the press, and the media began creating their own stories. In 1989, Jackson released " Leave Me Alone ",

2883-449: The 1968 Reprise Records release, Electric Ladyland , by The Jimi Hendrix Experience which was still sold in automatic sequence well into the late 1980s. Other common examples include Frampton Comes Alive! by Peter Frampton , Songs in the Key of Life by Stevie Wonder , Tommy and Quadrophenia by The Who , and Bad Girls by Donna Summer . There are only a few examples of

HIStory: Past, Present and Future, Book I - Misplaced Pages Continue

2976-400: The 1970s are optimized for automatic sequencing. On a double album, this would have had sides one and four on one disc and sides two and three on the other. This sequencing, used previously in multi-disc albums in the 78rpm era, let the listener play through the entire double album and only need to flip over the records once, compared to manual sequencing where the listener would have to change

3069-509: The 3 Sided Dream in Audio Color which apparently had only three sides, but on closer inspection, there were a small number of grooves pressed on side four with a few short "hidden" conversation snippets; the CD reissue includes all of them. In 1982, Todd Rundgren and his band released the self-titled album Utopia featuring one full LP of 10 songs, and a second 12-inch disc with five bonus tracks,

3162-534: The 80-minute CD limit, and a number of popular studio albums were released as double albums on these formats at this time, such as the Smashing Pumpkins ' Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness (1995) and Michael Jackson 's HIStory: Past, Present and Future, Book I (1995) which sold over 20 million copies (40 million units) worldwide. The following year, Tupac Shakur became the first rapper to sell

3255-613: The US Billboard 200 chart, and in nineteen other countries. Seven singles were released, including " Scream ", a duet between Jackson and his sister Janet , which reached number five on the Billboard Hot 100 . " You Are Not Alone " became the first song in history to debut at number one on the Hot 100; it was also Jackson's final US number-one single. Further singles included the protest songs " Earth Song " and " They Don't Care About Us ",

3348-655: The United Kingdom and the Netherlands. " Stranger in Moscow " was released as the sixth and final single in November 1996. The song was well received by critics. In the United States, the song peaked at number ninety one on the Billboard Hot 100. Outside of the United States, the song was a success, topping in Spain and Italy, while peaking within the top-ten in the United Kingdom, Switzerland, and New Zealand, among others. " Smile "

3441-473: The album include all the parts in one disc. When albums exceed the triple album format they are generally referred to as box sets. Normally, albums consisting of four or more discs are compilations or live recordings, such as In a Word: Yes (1969–) and Chicago at Carnegie Hall , respectively. Studio albums with more than three discs are very rare. Notable examples include: 1996 American Music Awards Too Many Requests If you report this error to

3534-423: The album stayed at the top with 263,000 copies sold, a decline of 33%. In its third week, it slipped to number 2 with 142,000 copies sold, a 46% decline. However, the album spent just six weeks at the top 10, selling over one million copies in total. Controversy with the album came with Jackson having to rerecord some lyrics in "They Don't Care About Us" after he was accused of antisemitism , and contributor R. Kelly

3627-509: The album. The Notorious B.I.G. says 'nigga' on " This Time Around ," another song on the HIStory album, but it did not attract media attention, as well as, many years before, use in lyrics of word 'nigger' by John Lennon ." HIStory ' s music videos displayed different themes and elements, while some of them encouraged awareness of poverty and had a positive effect on their shooting locations. The promo video for " They Don't Care About Us "

3720-477: The chart, succeeding the record previously held from Jackson's "Scream" single. "You Are Not Alone" was released in August 1995, and it topped the charts in various international markets, including the United Kingdom, France, and Spain. The song was seen as a major artistic and commercial success. " Earth Song " was the third single released in November 1995. "Earth Song" did not chart on Billboard 100. Internationally,

3813-412: The charts and broke all sales records in the country when it sold 25,000 units within 72 hours of its release on June 16. HIStory: Past, Present and Future, Book I has sold over 20 million copies worldwide, making it simultaneously one of the best-selling multiple-disc releases and one of the best-selling albums of all time. The greatest hits disc was reissued as a single disc on November 13, 2001, under

HIStory: Past, Present and Future, Book I - Misplaced Pages Continue

3906-436: The earth as a fall out of various human activities". Two other music videos from HIStory have been influential. Jackson's "Stranger In Moscow" music video influenced the advertising campaign for International Cricket Council Champions Trophy 2004 , which featured "a series of smart outdoor ads and a classy TV spot". The television commercial was inspired by "Stranger In Moscow"s video where "the maiden in black splash about in

3999-402: The first live double albums, and one of the earliest double albums featuring non-classical music, was The Famous 1938 Carnegie Hall Jazz Concert by Benny Goodman , a concert recording released in 1950 on Columbia Records . Studio recordings of operas have been released as double, triple, quadruple and quintuple albums since the 1950s. As record costs reduced over time and greater thought

4092-609: The first successful triple albums (or triple records ) were Woodstock: Music from the Original Soundtrack and More , released August 15, 1970, and George Harrison 's All Things Must Pass , released November 27, 1970. A triple album may be live, such as The Band 's The Last Waltz (1978) and Led Zeppelin 's How the West Was Won (2003); or a compilation of an artist's work, such as Stevie Wonder 's retrospective anthology Looking Back . Yes 's live album Yessongs

4185-640: The fourth side contained a laser etching of the Alice in Chains logo. The vinyl pressing of the My Chemical Romance album The Black Parade also has three sides worth of content, with side four being a laser etching of a portion of the limited edition album art. Genesis' Three Sides Live , Kiss' Alive II , Donna Summer's Live and More , and the Moody Blues' Caught Live Plus 5 are examples of double albums with three sides of live recordings (i.e. one and

4278-641: The interview TV special "Primetime Live" along with his then wife Lisa Marie Presley and the interviewer Diane Sawyer . The special was watched by an audience 60 million in the United States and 500 millions worldwide. However, it received mixed reviews by critics. On September 7, 1995, he opened the MTV Video Music Awards with a 15 minutes medley. "Smile", " This Time Around " and "D.S." were released as promotional singles in 1995 and December 1997. Due to lack of radio airplay, "Smile" and "D.S." did not chart on any music charts worldwide. "This Time Around",

4371-578: The last year or so." He described "This Time Around" as a "dynamite jam" that was "ripe for remixes", and "Scream" and "Tabloid Junkie" as "adventurous". According to Hunter, "Earth Song" had "noble sentiments" and sounded "primarily like a showpiece". However, Hunter felt HIStory Continues was an "odd, charmless second chapter" compared to Jackson's earlier hits. Fred Shuster of the Daily News of Los Angeles described "This Time Around", "Money" and " D.S. " as "superb slices of organic funk that will fuel many of

4464-553: The latter half of the 1970s, as technology advanced, the Philips corporation's compact cassette tape began to supersede LPs as the dominant pre-recorded music format. The tapes allowed for a much longer 30 to 45 minutes per side, for a total of 60 to 90 minutes total, doubling the length available for music storage. In 1982, Philips introduced the compact disc , with a continuous length of 74 minutes (later developed to have 80 minutes). Artists could put far more on one unit, rarely exceeding

4557-524: The latter of which drew accusations of antisemitism ; Jackson said the song's lyrics had been misinterpreted and included an edited version on later pressings of the album. HIStory has sold over 20 million copies worldwide, making it one of the best-selling albums of all time , and one of the best-selling multi-disc albums of all time. In August 2018, it was certified 8× Platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA). HIStory Begins received widespread acclaim, but critical response to

4650-410: The lines "Jew me, sue me, everybody do me / Kick me, kike me, don't you black or white me". In a statement, Jackson responded: "The idea that these lyrics could be deemed objectionable is extremely hurtful to me, and misleading. The song, in fact, is about the pain of prejudice and hate and is a way to draw attention to social and political problems. I am the voice of the accused and the attacked. I am

4743-465: The media, mainly the tabloids. Because of this, HIStory Continues has been described as Jackson's most "personal" album. Jackson embarked on the HIStory World Tour , which was his third and final concert tour as a solo artist. The tour grossed $ 165 million (equivalent to $ 313 million in 2023), making it the highest-grossing solo concert tour of the 1990s . HIStory debuted at number one on

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4836-399: The media, mainly the tabloids. Because of this, the album has been described as being Jackson's most "personal". Two of the album's new tracks are covers. The genres of the songs on the album span R&B , pop , and hip hop with elements of hard rock (" D.S. ") and funk rock (" Scream "), and ballads. The lyrics pertain to isolation, greed, environmental concerns, injustice. "Scream" is

4929-495: The media. Starting in the late 1980s, Jackson and the tabloid press had a difficult relationship. In 1993, the relationship between Jackson and the press collapsed when he was accused of child sexual abuse . Although he was not charged with any crime, Jackson was subject to intense media scrutiny while the criminal investigation took place. Several of the album's 15 new songs pertain to the child sexual abuse allegations made against him in 1993 and Jackson's perceived mistreatment by

5022-494: The millennium. Adapted from the album's liner notes and AllMusic. Sales figures based on certification alone. Shipments figures based on certification alone. Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone. Double album Depending on the media used, some releases were double albums in one format and single albums in another. For example, a gramophone record (vinyl LP) consisting of two discs of less than 80 minutes in total could be fit onto

5115-409: The molestation accusations create a "thick atmosphere of paranoia". He cited "You Are Not Alone" and "Scream" as being "well-crafted pop that ranks with his best material", but concludes that "nevertheless, HIStory Continues stands as his weakest album since the mid-'70s." David Browne of Entertainment Weekly , gave "HIStory Begins" an "A−" grade but the album's new material a "C−", which "winds up

5208-481: The music video: "When Michael Jackson decided to shoot his new music video in a favela of Rio de Janeiro ... he used the favela people as extras in a visual super-spectacle... All the while there is a vaguely political appeal in there... The interesting aspect of Michael Jackson's strategy is the efficiency with which it gives visibility to poverty and social problems in countries like Brazil without resorting to traditional political discourse. The problematic aspect

5301-514: The musicians. The Great Concert of Charles Mingus by Charles Mingus was recorded in 1964 and released in 1971. The Weeknd's compilation album Trilogy was released as a triple album in 2012, comprising his critically acclaimed 2011 mixtapes House of Balloons , Thursday , and Echoes of Silence . The Knife 's 2013 album Shaking the Habitual is spread across three LPs and two CDs, being an hour and forty minutes in length. (Although

5394-413: The new material, HIStory Continues , was mixed. Despite this, HIStory was nominated for five Grammy Awards at the 1996 Grammy Awards , including Jackson's third Album of the Year nomination. It won Best Music Video – Short Form for "Scream". Jackson also won an American Music Award for Favorite Pop/Rock Male Artist at the 1996 American Music Awards . Starting in the late 1980s, Jackson and

5487-420: The opinion that the press was out of touch with the public when it came to Jackson; the public liked him, while the press did not. He believed that "naysayers" in the media would be left surprised with the commercial reception. Also, during this period of time, Jackson did a series of personal appearances, becoming the first time that he faced the public eye following the allegations. On June 14, 1995, Jackson did

5580-621: The original statue was installed at the Mandalay Bay casino in Las Vegas. Six singles were released from HIStory . " Scream "/" Childhood " was the first single released in May 1995. "Scream" was sung and performed by Jackson and his sister Janet Jackson . The single had the best ever debut at number five—where it peaked, on the Billboard Hot 100 . The song received a Grammy nomination for "Best Pop Collaboration with Vocals". The music video for "Scream"

5673-459: The police investigation; using unflattering pictures of Jackson; and using headlines that strongly implied Jackson's guilt. In 1994, Jackson said of the media coverage: "I am particularly upset by the handling of the matter by the incredible, terrible mass media. At every opportunity, the media has dissected and manipulated these allegations to reach their own conclusions." Jackson began taking painkillers , Valium , Xanax and Ativan to deal with

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5766-467: The rain, with kids playing cricket for company". "Scream" was a creative influence on other music videos such as " No Scrubs " (1999) by TLC . This influence was also present on the 2008 release of " Shawty Get Loose " by rapper Lil Mama . Sony Music spent $ 30 million to promote the album, one of the most expensive promotional campaigns ever for an album. The music press were anticipating how well it would sell. One analyst for SoundScan expressed

5859-427: The reissues of Earthling by David Bowie (previously released on 1LP in 1997), Alice by Tom Waits and soundtrack albums such as The Crow and School of Rock . Some performers have released two or more distinct but related albums simultaneously (or near-simultaneously) which could be seen together as a double album. Moby Grape 's Wow/Grape Jam (released in 1968) is an example. Others include: Among

5952-470: The rise of progressive rock at the time, which often involves complex and long tracks akin to classical music, and concept albums often made a second disc necessary. Notable examples include Yes 's 4-track Tales From Topographic Oceans from 1973 and Genesis 's The Lamb Lies Down on Broadway from 1974. The best-selling double album of all time is Pink Floyd 's The Wall , from 1979 with over 30 million copies (60 million units) sold worldwide. In

6045-424: The runtime available on a cassette tape or CD, and double albums became uncommon. The extra space also allowed many earlier double albums to be reissued on a single disc: Blonde on Blonde , for instance, was reissued on a single cassette and a single CD. Despite the greater length, there were some issues with the length and track order of albums, both reissues and new releases. The Beatles , originally released as

6138-581: The same lineup on each side. The Monty Python album Matching Tie and Handkerchief was originally issued with two concentric grooves with different programs on the second side, but this was done for comedic rather than practical reasons. The 2019 vinyl issue of Monty Python Sings (again) comprises two discs, with the flip side of the second disc featuring exclusive Monty Python 50th Anniversary artwork. The Stranglers , Elvis Costello and The Clash (amongst other 1970s/80s acts) would sometimes release early pressings of their albums with extra material on

6231-465: The side or record three times. The use of automatic sequencing gradually declined during the 1970s as automatic record changers fell out of favor. High quality manual turntables became more affordable and are often preferred because they cause less record wear. After a company decided on manual or automatic sequence, production of that title generally stayed in the same configuration indefinitely. Notable examples of albums using automatic sequence include

6324-403: The song that were later released instead use repeated words ("Jew me, sue me" being replaced with "Sue me, sue me"). An apology was included in later issues of the album: "There has been a lot of controversy about my song, "They Don't Care About Us." My intention was for this song to say "No" to racism, anti-Semitism and stereotyping. Unfortunately, my choice of words may have unintentionally hurt

6417-463: The song topped four countries' charts, as well as charting within the top-ten in nine other nations. The song topped the UK Singles Chart for six weeks over Christmas in 1995 and sold one million copies there, making it his most successful United Kingdom single, surpassing the success of " Billie Jean ". " This Time Around " was released as the album's fourth single on December 26, 1995, with

6510-405: The songs (a cover of the Beatles ' " Come Together ") had been recorded as early as 1986. Jackson co-wrote and co-produced a majority of the new songs; other writers include Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis , Dallas Austin , the Notorious B.I.G. , Bruce Swedien , R. Kelly and René Moore , and other producers include David Foster and Bill Bottrell . Some reviewers commented on the unusual format of

6603-410: The stress of the allegations. A few months after the allegations became news, Jackson stopped eating. Soon after, Jackson's health deteriorated to the extent that he canceled the remainder of his Dangerous World Tour and went into rehabilitation. Jackson booked the whole fourth floor of a clinic and was put on Valium IV to wean him from painkillers. The media showed Jackson little sympathy. Also in 1993,

6696-647: The summer's busiest dance floors". Chris Willman of the Los Angeles Times also highlighted "This Time Around" as "a tough, rhythm-guitar-driven track" that is one of the album's standout songs. Jim Farber of the New York Daily News gave the album a mixed review, criticising the new material for having too many melodies and arrangements that sound like "shuffled versions" of songs off Jackson's previous three albums. Stephen Thomas Erlewine of AllMusic gave HIStory three-out-of-five stars, commenting that it

6789-518: The title Greatest Hits: HIStory, Volume I and had sold four million copies worldwide by 2010. The second disc was released separately in some European countries in 2011. HIStory received mixed reviews. In a glowing review, Jon Pareles of The New York Times praises HIStory Continues as "meticulous, sumptuous, [and] musically ingenious". James Hunter of Rolling Stone gave HIStory four-out-of-five stars and found that it "unfolds in Jackson's outraged response to everything he has encountered in

6882-582: The top-ten of Billboard ' s Hot Dance Music and Hot R&B Singles Charts. The song charted better in other countries compared to the United States, managing to chart within the top-ten in fourteen countries. "They Don't Care About Us" topped the German Singles chart for three weeks, while peaking at number two in Spain, number three in Austria, Sweden, and Switzerland, as well as charting at number four in France,

6975-427: The very people I wanted to stand in solidarity with. I just want you all to know how strongly I am committed to tolerance, peace and love, and I apologize to anyone who might have been hurt." Spike Lee defended Jackson's use of the word, by mentioning the double standard from the media. "While The New York Times asserted the use of racial slurs in 'They Don't Care About Us', they were silent on other racial slurs in

7068-612: The voice of everyone. I am the skinhead, I am the Jew, I am the black man, I am the white man. I am not the one who was attacking. It is about the injustices to young people and how the system can wrongfully accuse them. I am angry and outraged that I could be so misinterpreted." Jackson's manager and record label said the lyrics opposed prejudice and had been taken out of context. The following day, David A. Lehrer and Rabbi Marvin Hier, leaders of two Jewish organizations, stated that Jackson's attempt to make

7161-729: The world, including the River Thames in London, Alexanderplatz in Berlin, Eindhoven in the Netherlands, and the pedestal of the destroyed Stalin Monument in Prague. The statues were built over three months by a team of 30, made from steel and fiberglass, and weighed around 20,000 pounds each. Another statue, built from wood and plaster, was placed at the Los Angeles Tower Records store. In 2016,

7254-422: Was Jackson's fifth album released through Epic Records, and the first on his label MJJ Productions. The album includes appearances by Janet Jackson , Shaquille O'Neal , Slash , and the Notorious B.I.G. Its genres span R&B , pop , and hip hop with elements of hard rock and funk rock . The themes include environmental awareness , isolation , greed , suicide , injustice , and Jackson's conflicts with

7347-517: Was a "monumental achievement" of Jackson's ego. Erlewine remarked that on the HIStory Begins CD, it contains "some of the greatest music in pop history" but that it leaves some hits out, citing "Say Say Say" and "Dirty Diana" — commenting that "yet it's filled with enough prime material to be thoroughly intoxicating". Erlewine noted that HIStory Continues is "easily the most personal album Jackson has recorded" and that its songs' lyrics referencing

7440-421: Was accused of having plagiarized one of the album's songs, "You Are Not Alone", leading to its banning on Belgian radio. According to SoundScan by March 1998, the album had sold more than 2.2 million units. According to SoundScan, the set fell short of many observers' expectations. The album has further sold 730,000 copies through BMG music club as of February 2003. The album was certified eight times platinum by

7533-562: Was certified 4× platinum by the BPI. Eventually, it sold 1.6 million copies. In Australia, an advance order of 130,000 copies was the largest initial shipment in Sony Australia's history. In first two days HIStory sold 30,000 units in Spain and 75,000 units in Italy. In Spain, HIStory was the 20th best selling album of 1995 and the 12th best selling album by a foreign artist. In Chile, the album topped

7626-604: Was directed by Spike Lee; Jackson said that Lee chose to direct the video because the song "has an edge, and Spike Lee had approached me. It's a public awareness song and that's what he is all about. It's a protest kind of song... and I think he was perfect for it." Jackson also collaborated with 200 members of the cultural group Olodum , who played music in the video. The resulting media interest exposed Olodum to 140 countries, bringing them worldwide fame and increasing their status in Brazil. Lúcia Nagib, of The New Brazilian Cinema , said of

7719-476: Was given to the album as an artistic piece, double albums became more common. One of the first examples consisting of new studio recordings is 1956's Ella Fitzgerald Sings the Cole Porter Song Book . Bob Dylan 's Blonde on Blonde , released on June 20, 1966, is widely considered to be one of the first double albums in popular music with complete original recordings by the artist. It was followed just

7812-546: Was made a triple album owing to its inclusion of many of the band's longer compositions. With the longer time available on compact disc, many albums that spanned three vinyl discs are able to fit on two compact discs (an example being Nine Inch Nails ' The Fragile ). Triple albums are released across genres, including punk with The Clash 's Sandinista! ; alternative rock with Pearl Jam 's 11/6/00 – Seattle, Washington ; and mainstream pop with Prince 's Emancipation . Frank Sinatra 's Trilogy: Past Present Future

7905-499: Was nominated for the same award the following year. The album itself was nominated for Album of the Year . At the 1995 MTV Video Music Awards , "Scream" received ten nominations, winning in three categories. In 1998, the album was ranked at number 96 in BBC 's Music of the Millennium, a list of 100 albums chosen by Channel 4 viewers, The Guardian readers and HMV customers as the best of

7998-504: Was originally intended to be the album's seventh and final single, and was to be released in CD and 12" format on December 28, 1997. However, the release was canceled due to unknown reasons, and most of the copies were subsequently destroyed. Only a few copies were sent out for airplay. HIStory debuted at number one on the Billboard 200 and Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums charts selling over 391,000 copies in its first week. In its second week,

8091-445: Was originally released as a three LP set in 1980. Compact disc pressings of the album combine the triple vinyl set onto two CDs, with "Past" and "Present" taking up the first disc. The first triple hip-hop album was American Hunger by New York City rap artist MF Grimm which was released in 2006. It contains 20 songs on each disc. American hip hop artist Lupe Fiasco 's canceled third studio album release LupEND would have been

8184-619: Was released as a radio-only single in the United States in December 1995. The song peaked at number 23 on the Billboard Hot R&;B Singles chart and at number 18 on the Billboard Hot Dance Music/Club Play chart solely off radio airplay. To promote the album, Jackson embarked on the HIStory World Tour , which grossed $ 165 million (equivalent to $ 268 million in 2019). It was Jackson's third and final concert tour as

8277-400: Was released separately, with & being a vinyl -exclusive release. Christina Aguilera 's Spanish-language ninth studio album, Aguilera (2022), was separated into three parts: La Fuerza , La Tormenta , and La Luz . Each part received its own independent release as a separate project, before being included as separate discs in the album's digital version. Physical versions of

8370-546: Was released, three million copies were shipped, breaking records as the most shipped album ever. The International Federation of the Phonographic Industry certified HIStory six times platinum, denoting six million shipments within the continent, including 1.5 million in Germany and 1.2 million shipments in the United Kingdom. In the United Kingdom, the album debuted at number one and sold 100,000 copies in just two days. It

8463-473: Was the first artist to sell out the stadium. VIP seats cost, on average, $ 200 per person. Each concert lasted an estimated two hours and ten minutes. The tour concluded in Durban, South Africa on October 15, 1997. The album cover depicts a 10-foot sculpture of Jackson in a "warrior-like" pose, created in 1994 by Diana Walczak . To promote the tour, Epic placed ten 30-foot replicas of the statue in locations around

8556-649: Was truncated by 13 minutes. Other albums originally issued as double LPs, such as Fleetwood Mac 's Tusk (1979), Prince 's 1999 (1982), and The Minutemen 's Double Nickels on the Dime (1984) were likewise shortened for their 74-minute CD release, though both were later reissued in their entirety when 80-minute CDs were available. While not as common since the advent of these formats, particularly for studio albums, double albums continued to be released, particularly for live recordings, classical music, soundtracks, compilations, reissues of double-LP albums that still exceeded

8649-528: Was written about a girl called Susie Condry who was murdered in 1972. However, no evidence of this event can be found. Jackson admired Helnwein's work and had purchased some of his paintings. One of them, "Beautiful Victim", inspired the song. Helnwein later painted a portrait of Jackson. There appears to be a similarity between the "Beautiful Victim" painting and the artwork included for the song in HIStory . On June 15, 1995, The New York Times said that "They Don't Care About Us" contained antisemitic slurs in

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