It became a top ten hit in every major market. The song also reached number one in Wallonia, France, New Zealand, Spain and Switzerland. It peaked at number one in the UK after a debut at number three in the prior week. It broke the record set by his previous single “Scream/Childhood,” which was the first song in the 37-year history of Billboard to debut at number five-where it peaked. The song was certified platinum by the RIAA and sold one million copies domestically. It debuted at number one with first week sales of 120,000 copies. It was also Jackson’s last number one single on the chart. It holds the Guinness World Record for the first song ever to debut at number one on the Billboard Hot 100 chart.
The court transferred rights track to the Van Passels, though the judgment is only recognized in Belgium.Ĭommercially, “ You Are Not Alone” remains one of Jackson’s best selling singles and it is also his 13th and final number one song.
In 2007, a Belgian court ruled that Kelly had plagiarized the 1993 composition “If We Can Start All Over” by Eddy and Danny Van Passel. The song has a tempo of 60 beats per minute, making it one of Jackson’s slowest songs. The song is written in the key of B major. The tape sent to him had no harmony or modulations, so Jackson added a choir in the final portion and added a sense of climax and structure to the final piece. Although the song was written by Kelly, Jackson was adamant that the production should be a collaborative effort among the two musicians. Jackson explained that he instantly liked the song, but listened to it twice before making his final decision. They spent the last week of November 1994 together in the studio working on the track. I want him to feel that as well.” Jackson found the interpretation amusing. On the tape sent to Jackson, Kelly sung “ You Are Not Alone” mimicking Jackson’s vocal style, explaining, “I think I am him. Kelly forwarded a tape recording of the song and Jackson then agreed to work with Kelly on the piece. It was an experience out of this world … It’s amazing to know that five years ago I was writing songs in a basement in the ghetto and now I’m writing for Michael Jackson … I’d be a fool not to say it’s a dream come true.” Jackson contacted Kelly to see if he had any material available. Kelly was delighted to be able to work with his idol, explaining “I was psyched … I feel I could have done his whole album. Kelly wrote the song after losing close people in his life. “ You Are Not Alone” is a pop and R&B ballad about love and isolation. In 2011, a clip of the song was remixed with the song “I Just Can’t Stop Loving You” the final “Immortal Version” was released on the Immortal album. “You Are Not Alone” was Michael Jackson’s thirteenth and last number one single in the United States during his lifetime.Īfter Jackson’s death in June 2009, Kelly paid tribute to him by including a version of the song on his studio album Love Letter (2010). The track also topped the charts in Austria, Belgium, France, Ireland, New Zealand, Poland, Romania, Scotland, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, and the United Kingdom.
It holds a Guinness World Record as the first song in the then-37-year history of the Billboard Hot 100 to debut at number one, and was later certified platinum by the RIAA. “ You Are Not Alone” received a generally positive critical reception and was the recipient of Grammy and American Music Award nominations. The song’s corresponding music video, which featured Jackson and his then-wife Lisa Marie Presley, featured scenes of semi-nudity.