| "Black or White" | ||||
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| Single by Michael Jackson | ||||
| from the album Dangerous | ||||
| Released | November 11, 1991 | |||
| Recorded | 1989–1990[1] | |||
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| Label | Epic | |||
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| Michael Jackson singles chronology | ||||
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| "Black or White" (Short version) on YouTube | ||||
| "Black or White" (Long version) on YouTube | ||||
| Audio sample | ||||
"Black or White" is a song by the American singer Michael Jackson, released by Epic Records on November 11, 1991, as the first single from Jackson's eighth studio album, Dangerous (1991). Jackson wrote, composed, and produced it with Bill Bottrell. Epic Records described it as "a rock 'n' roll dance song about racial harmony".
"Black or White" reached number one on the US Billboard Hot 100 on December 7, 1991, the fastest to reach the position since the Beatles' 1969 single "Get Back". It stayed at the position for seven weeks, making Jackson the first artist to have multiple number ones on the Billboard Hot 100 in the 1970s, 1980s and 1990s. It is certified triple platinum in the US. "Black or White" reached number one in at least 20 countries and territories, including the UK, Australia, Belgium, Canada, Cuba, Denmark, Finland, France, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Mexico, New Zealand, Norway, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey, Zimbabwe and the Eurochart Hot 100. It was the best-selling single worldwide of 1992.[2]
The music video was directed by John Landis, who had previously directed Jackson's 1983 music video for Thriller, and featured Macaulay Culkin and George Wendt. It was co-choreographed by Jackson and Vincent Paterson. It premiered simultaneously in 27 countries on November 14, 1991, with an audience of 500 million viewers, the most ever for a music video. It premiered on MTV, BET, VH1, and Fox, which gave them their highest Nielsen ratings ever at the time, as well as the BBC's Top of the Pops in the UK.
"Black or White" received the first Billboard No. 1 World Single award.[2] In 2003, Q named "Black or White" the 84th best song of all time.[3]
- ^ Vogel, Joseph (2019). Man in the Music: The Creative Life and Work of Michael Jackson. Knopf Doubleday Publishing Group. p. 253. ISBN 9780525566571.
- ^ a b Michael Jackson 1992 Lifetime Achievement Award, April 20, 2016, archived from the original on November 18, 2021, retrieved October 14, 2019
- ^ "Q - 1001 best songs ever (2003)".