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HIStory: Past, Present and Future, Book I, often referred to simply as HIStory, is a double album by the American singer-songwriter 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. It 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 pop, R&B, and hip hop with elements of hard rock and funk rock. Lyrical themes include environmental awareness, isolation, greed, and injustice. Several of the songs on HIStory Continues pertain to the child sexual abuse allegations made against Jackson in 1993 and Jackson's perceived mistreatment by the media.
HIStory debuted at number 1 on the Billboard 200 and in nineteen other countries. Five singles from HIStory were released. The first single from the album, a double A-side of "Scream" (a duet between Jackson and his sister Janet) and "Childhood", was a Top 5 hit on the Billboard Hot 100. "You Are Not Alone" became the first song in history to debut at number one on the Hot 100 and was also Jackson's final US number-one single. Later singles included the protest songs "Earth Song" and "They Don't Care About Us", the latter of which drew accusations of antisemitism. Jackson vehemently denied these accusations.
HIStory has sold over 20 million copies worldwide, making it one of the best-selling albums of all time, and was certified 8× platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA). It received generally favorable reviews by critics, though it was viewed as a regression from Jackson's previous releases. 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". To promote the album, Jackson embarked on the HIStory World Tour, his third and final concert tour as a solo artist. The tour grossed $165 million, making it the highest-grossing solo concert tour of the 1990s.
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