ON THIS DAY: 20 June 1995 – Michael Jackson Made HIStory

Revisiting the King

Let’s moonwalk back to the mid-90s. It’s 1995, and Michael Jackson – arguably the biggest pop star on the planet – is reeling from years of media backlash, legal drama, and personal trials. But instead of hiding away, what does he do? He drops HIStory: Past, Present and Future, Book I – a two-disc juggernaut that’s equal parts greatest hits package and pointed manifesto. And we lapped it all up.

This was Michael planting a defiant flag in the sand. A mix of nostalgia and confrontation. Glitz and grit. Let’s open the time capsule…

The Packaging: Statues, Statements, and Spectacle

Before we even press play, the album’s presentation sets the tone. Remember that giant statue of MJ on the cover? It’s bold, heroic, almost Roman in its grandeur – and that’s exactly the point. Michael wasn’t being modest here. He was declaring his legacy in stone, quite literally.

The album rollout was unlike anything before. Massive promotional statues floated down rivers and appeared in European cities. It was bombastic, theatrical… and completely Michael. And, we begged for it.

Disc One: HIStory Begins – The King’s Greatest Hits

Disc one is essentially Michael’s musical résumé, and what a résumé it is. From Off the Wall to Dangerous, it’s a back-to-back playlist of tracks that shaped not just pop music but the cultural zeitgeist itself.

Standout Tracks:

• Billie Jean – That iconic bassline? Still unmatched. Still goosebump-inducing.
• Beat It – A genre-blending smash that brought Eddie Van Halen into the pop fold.
• Thriller – The crown jewel of music videos. A Halloween staple. A pop culture institution.
• Man in the Mirror – Perhaps one of his most introspective and universally moving songs.

These songs aren’t just hits – they’re milestones. Listening today, they still sparkle with the same magic. The sequencing is thoughtful too, flowing like a curated museum tour of Michael’s evolution.

But MJ wasn’t content to rest on past glories. That’s where disc two comes in – and things get real.

Disc Two: HIStory Continues – The Sound of a Man Fighting Back

This is where HIStory becomes something else entirely. If disc one is the legacy, disc two is the rebuttal.

A Raw, Unfiltered Michael

This isn’t the smooth criminal we remember from the ’80s. This is an angry, bruised, and fiercely honest Michael. Every song on disc two feels like a message – to the press, to the justice system, to society at large.

• Scream (with Janet Jackson) is a sonic punch in the face. It’s not just a duet – it’s a shared scream of frustration. Janet’s fiery presence adds weight to the track’s visceral rage.
• They Don’t Care About Us is rhythmic protest wrapped in explosive percussion. It’s still painfully relevant today, tackling institutional racism and systemic neglect.
• Stranger in Moscow is a slow-burning masterpiece. A journal entry in song form. It aches with isolation and heartbreak.

Each track offers a different facet of Michael’s mindset during one of the most turbulent times in his life.

Album Track Listing

Disc One – HIStory Begins (Greatest Hits)

1. Billie Jean
2. The Way You Make Me Feel
3. Black Or White
4. Rock With You
5. She’s Out Of My Life
6. Bad
7. I Just Can’t Stop Loving You
8. Man In The Mirror
9. Thriller
10. Beat It
11. The Girl Is Mine
12. Remember The Time
13. Don’t Stop ’till You Get Enough
14. Wanna Be Startin’ Something
15. Heal The World

Disc Two – HIStory Continues

1. Scream
2. They Don’t Care About Us
3. Stranger In Moscow
4. This Time Around
5. Earth Song
6. D.S.
7. Money (
8. Come Together
9. You Are Not Alone
10. Childhood
11. Tabloid Junkie
12. 2 Bad
13. HIStory
14. Little Susie
15. Smile

The Ballads: Moments of Tenderness Amid the Fire

Even in the heat of social commentary, MJ never loses his touch for emotional vulnerability.

• You Are Not Alone is lush and comforting. The melody lingers, like a soft whisper in the night.
• Childhood is probably his most autobiographical song – delicate, wounded, and pleading for understanding.

There’s a tender undercurrent to HIStory Continues that keeps it human. Michael might be angry, but he’s never distant.

Earth Song: A Gospel-Pop Revelation

We have to pause for Earth Song. This track deserves its own paragraph.

At first glance, it’s a plea for the planet. But dig deeper, and it becomes a lamentation for humanity. The arrangement swells from a gentle lullaby to a full-blown gospel epic, complete with a choir that sounds like it’s trying to shake the heavens. It’s one of MJ’s most ambitious tracks, and it works. Goosebumps, guaranteed.

Production and Collaborations

HIStory features top-tier production talent – Jimmy Jam, Terry Lewis, Dallas Austin, and MJ himself. The sound palette is diverse: industrial pop, classic R&B, orchestral ballads, funk. It’s dramatic, it’s rich, and sometimes, yes, it’s overproduced – but that’s part of the charm.

Also, how good is Janet on Scream? Pure sibling synergy.

Legacy: An Album That Aged into Relevance

Back in ’95, critics were split. Some thought MJ was being too defensive or self-indulgent. But fast forward to today, and HIStory reads like a prophetic document. The issues he raised – media intrusion, racial injustice, environmental collapse – feel more urgent than ever.

HIStory was ahead of its time. It’s not just an album. It’s a mirror. And now, with the benefit of hindsight, we can see how truly daring it was.

Final Thoughts: Why HIStory Still Matters

So, what’s the final word? HIStory is flawed, fiery, and fascinating. It’s not an easy listen, nor is it meant to be. It’s the sound of a superstar turning the camera on himself and saying, “This is who I am. This is what I’ve been through.”

If you’re new to MJ’s catalog, HIStory is a powerful entry point. And if you’re a longtime fan, revisiting it now reveals layers you may have missed the first time.

It’s part confessional, part call to arms. And it reminds us that even kings bleed.