HIStory: Past, Present and Future, Book I

Released on 20 June 1995, it pairs HIStory Begins, a greatest hits collection, with HIStory Continues, new material recorded from January 1994 to March 1995. It was the first release on Jackson's own label, MJJ Productions, through Epic. Janet Jackson, Shaquille O'Neal, Slash and the Notorious B.I.G. appear, and two of the new songs are covers: the Beatles' Come Together and Charlie Chaplin's Smile. Several songs concern the allegations made against Jackson in 1993 and his treatment by the press.

It debuted at number one on the Billboard 200 and has sold more than 20 million copies worldwide. Scream, a duet with Janet Jackson, debuted at five on the Hot 100, You Are Not Alone, written by R. Kelly, became the first song to debut at number one, and Earth Song topped the UK chart for six weeks over Christmas 1995. Sony spent $30 million promoting it. Reviews were generally favorable, though it was seen as a step back from his earlier releases. It earned five Grammy nominations, including Album of the Year, and Scream won best short-form music video. The HIStory World Tour followed from 7 September 1996 to 15 October 1997, with 82 shows in 35 countries and a gross of $165 million.