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Why did the HIStory singles die off in the USA?

Their priority with the 'HIStory' album was the international territories.

They focused on selling well in the high-priced markets where their profit margins were even better, as revealed by Mel Ilberman from Sony Music.

Also, the inadequate promotional campaign of the 'HIStory' album in USA was also because of the media controversies about Michael Jackson in that country.

For example, Dan Beck stated that the HIStory Tour followed that international route also because of these media controversies about the singer in USA.
 
There are many variables, one that I don't see brought up often is that music taste was changing in the U.S. in the mid 90's. The grunge and anti-establishment movement had major cultural impact in the U.S... Coming out of the idealistic views of the 80's, by the mid 90's there was a strong counterculture impact into mainstream in all media (music, movies, clothing, books etc.).

Many successful artists from the 80's and early 90's struggled through the mid 90's.. Female artistry was a bit more forgiving.
 
KOPV said:
There are many variables, one that I don't see brought up often is that music taste was changing in the U.S. in the mid 90's. The grunge and anti-establishment movement had major cultural impact in the U.S... Coming out of the idealistic views of the 80's, by the mid 90's there was a strong counterculture impact into mainstream in all media (music, movies, clothing, books etc.).

Many successful artists from the 80's and early 90's struggled through the mid 90's.. Female artistry was a bit more forgiving.
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The popularity of grunge only lasted 2 or 3 years and was replaced by nu-metal like Limp Bizkit. Nu-metal didn't last that long either. Hip hop & country which was also popular at the same time grunge was in, are still popular today in the USA. I think it was alternative rock that lasted longer than grunge. But rock music in general has fallen out of favor on Top 40 radio other than maybe Maroon 5.
 
I think HIStory was a success given the absolute media hit job done on him after the allegations. I think it could have performed better but all considered, you cant deny the chart performance of Scream and YRNA in the US, the number 1 album, 8X platinum in US, first week sales, all of this. The fact he managed number 1 hits after what he went through is a testament to his star power. It would be unfair to compare anything after the allegations to anything before. It also pays to stop seeing the US as the center of the universe. Americans have a very US-centric view of the world, as though everything else is lesser. Most of them cant point to Canada on a map, let alone Lithuania. The thought is if it aint relevant in the US, it aint relevant. Well more than 6 billion people who live elsewhere have other ideas.

In this article it says Sony projected HIStory to sell 20 million records, and being that it was double disc, it would near enough equal the revenue taken in by Thriller at that time in 1996. As of now the projection is that it has sold 20 million records, making it among the best selling albums of all time. When you consider the album wasn't promoted in the US, the scandal, and everything else, it's hard for me to say the album failed.

www.nytimes.com

Michael Jackson's 'HIStory' shows the growing stature of global marketing. (Published 1996)

Michael Jackson's HIStory album, a disappointment in the US in 1995, remains a top seller in dozens of European and Asian countries and may even realize Sony Music's goal of 20 million worldwide sales; other pop musicians are following Jackson in going after the global market; Asian and Eastern...
www.nytimes.com www.nytimes.com
 
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