Michael Jackson’s album HIStory: Past, Present, and Future, Book I 30 Years Later
This year marks the 30th anniversary of the late American music icon Michael Jackson’s album HIStory: Past, Present, and Future, Book I. Released on June 20th, this was the first double album of Jackson’s career. The first disc served as a greatest hits album, having hits from Jackson’s albums: Off The Wall (1979), Thriller (1982), Bad (1987), and Dangerous (1991). The second disc served as his ninth solo album, featuring the singles “Scream” with his sister, fellow pop superstar Janet Jackson, “They Don’t Care About Us”, “You Are Not Alone”, and “Earth Song”.
Tabloid Storm and Private Pain
As with the periods between Off The Wall and Thriller and Thriller and Bad, Jackson’s personal life underwent some interesting changes between the release of Dangerous and HIStory. From his changing appearance to his private life, he was a frequent target for the tabloids and it was reaching a fever pitch following him being accused of child sexual abuse in 1993. By the 1990’s, Jackson became known not only for his humanitarian efforts but his ongoing efforts to welcome children and their families to spend time in his famous Neverland ranch residence, complete with a Zoo, movie theater, arcade, and amusement park. Jackson, in his mid 30s at the time, was first accused of molesting a 13 year old boy named Jordan Chandler in the summer of 1993.
The 1993 Accusations
Writer Ben Sisario, in his 2019 article for The New York Times, “What We Know About Michael Jackson’s History of Sexual Abuse Allegations”, writes, “In August 1993, when Jackson was still a major star on the pop charts and touring to support his album “Dangerous,” the Los Angeles Police Department began investigating claims that Jackson had molested a 13-year-old boy… On Sept. 14, while Jackson was on tour in Moscow, the boy’s parents sued the star, saying that Jackson had “repeatedly committed sexual battery” on their son. Among the accusations were that Jackson had performed oral sex on the boy and masturbated him.”
Turning Pain Into Protest
The stress from the media scrutiny began taking its toll on Jackson and he began channeling his emotions on his forthcoming project. Tracks like “Scream”, “They Don’t Care About Us”, and “Tabloid Junkie” were reportedly to be inspired by Jackson’s feelings about the ordeal. Despite the tabloid entanglements, Jackson’s star power continued to be intact. HIStory: Past, Present, and Future Book I debuted at number one on the Billboard 200 chart, selling over 391,000 copies in its first week. He embarked on his HIStory World Tour in the fall of 1996 and it went on to become one of the highest grossing tours of the year.
Legacy in the Shadow of Allegations
Moreover, the child abuse allegations forever changed Jackson’s public image. He would go on and release one more album in 2001 — Invincible — followed by a lengthy trial in 2005 and his untimely passing at the age of 50 in 2009. During the latter half of his career, he continued to be a reference to the class of musicians who came after him but the HIStory era proved to be a dark chapter of the greatest entertainer of all time. 30 years later, the album stands as a bold statement of respect by Jackson to the tabloid naysayers who threatened to destroy his legacy.
