Michael Jackson, The #5 Artist of the Rock Era, Part Seven

 

(Continued from Part Six)

Jackson published the book Dancing the Dream, featuring his poetry, in 1991 and toured the world for the next year, grossing $100 million in 70 concerts before 3.5 million people.

In 1992, U.S. president George Bush honored Jackson as a "Point of Light Ambassador" for inviting disadvantaged children to his Neverland Ranch.

When Michael's friend Ryan White died of AIDS, Jackson lobbied U.S. President Bill Clinton to give more money to HIV/AIDS charities and research.  When Jackson visited Africa later that year, he was greeted by over 100,000 people.

In 1993, Michael performed during halftime of Super Bowl XXVII, a show that drew higher ratings than the game itself, and he received the Grammy Legend Award.

Later that year, a boy and his father accused Jackson of child sexual abuse.  Police thoroughly investigated the matter and never pressed criminal charges.  Citing a lack of evidence, the state closed its investigation on September 22, 1994.

But stress from the allegations, as well as health problems and an addiction to painkillers  that Jackson had developed since his reconstructive scalp surgeries caused him to cancel the remainder of a tour to promote the album.

Jackson married Lisa Presley, daughter of Elvis, in May of 1994.  However, they divorced a year and a half later.

In 1995, Michael released the double album HIStory:  Past, Present and Future, Book 1, consisting of a compilation on one disc and new material on the second.  The album debuted at #1 and has now sold over seven million copies in the U.S. alone and 22 million globally.   "Scream", with sister Janet, reached #5, won a Grammy Award for Best Music Video, Short Form and was nominated for Best Pop Collaboration with Vocals at the Grammy Awards.

HIStory was nominated for Album of the Year at the Grammys.  The second single, "You Are Not Alone" debuted at #1 in the U.S., was his fifth career #1 in the U.K. (while also going to #1 in New Zealand, Spain and Switzerland), and earned a Grammy nomination for Best Pop Vocal Performance.  The single, a #1 R&B smash for four weeks, went Platinum and Michael also captured the Blockbuster Entertainment Award for Favorite Pop Male.

Michael also came home with a Billboard Music Award for the First-Ever Hot 100 Debut at #1 for "You Are Not Alone".  Jackson merged his ATV Music catalog with Sony to create Sony/ATV Music Publishing.  By retaining half ownership in the company, Michael earned $95 million up front.  

 

MJ said of this song:  "I remember writing "Earth Song" when I was in Austria, in a hotel.  And I was feeling so much pain and so much suffering of the plight of planet Earth."  "And for me, this is Earth's Song, because I think nature is trying so hard to compensate for man's mismanagement of the Earth," he said.  "And with the ecological unbalance going on, and a lot of the problems in the environment," he added, "I think Earth feels the pain, and she has wounds, and it's about some of the joys of the planet as well."  "Earth Song" went to #1 in the U.K. for six weeks.

"Earth Song" received another Grammy nomination for Best Music Video, Short Form.  Michael did in fact write this anthem about paranoia while he was on the road in Moscow, Russia.  But the listener takes the location to be more symbolic than literal; for instance, when he uses the phrase "fall from grace", he could be referring to his own tumble from a very high pedestal that he had been placed on, a fall as a result of the sexual allegations levied against him.  "Stranger In Moscow" was a bigger hit in Europe (#1 in Switzerland, #4 in the U.K., #5 in Spain and #6 in both New Zealand and the Netherlands) than in the United States (where it barely snuck into the Top 100 at #91).

Jackson won an American Music Award for Favorite Pop/Rock Male Artist and was nominated for Favorite Adult Contemporary Artist and Favorite Soul/R&B Male  Artist.  He also captured World Music Awards for Best-Selling Male Artist, Best-Selling American Artist and Best-Selling R&B Artist and won two more special awards for Best-Selling Artist Ever and Best-Selling Record of All-Time (for Thriller). 

 

This song landed in the Top 10 in 16 countries and hit #1 in Germany, Italy, Hungary and the Czech Republic.  "They Don't Care About Us" reached #10 on the R&B chart as well.

Jackson performed 82 concerts on five continents, 35 countries, and 58 cities to over 4.5 million fans in a tour which grossed $165 million.  "Smile" was written by Charlie Chaplain.

Michael married Debbie Rowe during the tour in Sydney, Australia.  Debbie gave birth to Michael Jr., commonly known as Prince, in February of 1997 and daughter Paris in 1998.  The couple divorced however in 1999.

Jackson released remixes of the singles from HIStory as well as five new songs as the album Blood on the Dance Floor:  HIStory in 1997.  The album hit #1 in the U.K. and has sold over six million copies.    The title song, represented by "Susie", is about fame and fame's betrayal.  It hit the Top 10 in every civilized country except the United States, including #1 in the U.K., New Zealand and Spain.

"Morphine", recorded at The Hit Factory in New York, reached #4 in Spain and #5 in the United Kingdom.

"Is It Scary" was considered for inclusion on the album but didn't fit the other tracks.  Jackson wrote the song into his 1997 short film, Ghosts.

"Ghosts" is the title song from that movie, co-written by Steven King and reached #5 in the U.K.

In 1999, Jackson and Luciano Pavarotti gave a War Child benefit concert in Modena, Italy.  Michael also organized a series of benefit concerts in Germany and Korea that included Mariah Carey, Boyz II Men, the Scorpions, Luther Vandross, Andrea Bocelli and Pavarotti.  Proceeds for the latter events went to the Red Cross, UNESCO and the Nelson Mandela Children's Fund.  

He may have seemed immortal, but no one lasts forever on this earth.  The final chapter in Michael Jackson's story is next in Part Eight.