Est. 1998
‘TDCAU’ Video Hits 1 Billion
In a testament to Michael’s enduring popularity, his music video for “They Don’t Care About Us” has now joined the exclusive club of videos on YouTube that have reached over 1 billion views. The track, which was released in 1996 as part of the album “HIStory: Past, Present and Future, Book I”, has become the second video of the King of Pop’s to achieve this milestone, after “Billie Jean” hit the mark in 2021.
The “They Don’t Care About Us” music video was directed by Spike Lee and features Michael singing and dancing through the streets of Rio de Janeiro in Brazil, while also incorporating footage of police brutality and poverty. The song was controversial upon its release, which caused Michael to change the lyrics and re-release the album. However the song has become an anthem since its release and has continued to resonate with fans around the world. It was also used during many of the Black Lives Matter protests in 2020.
Michael’s music has been a hit on YouTube for many years, with several of his videos racking up millions of views. In addition to “Billie Jean” and “They Don’t Care About Us”, other popular videos on the platform include “Thriller”, “Smooth Criminal”, and “Beat It”. Each of these are also on the precipice of hitting the coveted 1 billion views.
Michael recorded two videos for “They Don’t Care About Us,” both directed by Lee. The second video was set inside a prison, with Michael as a prisoner, pushing on the police brutality subject matter, and injustice of the disproportion of black people in jail. Due to how controversial the video was, the more famous second video, set in Brazil was filmed.
Source: MJWN
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