Uneasy Lies the Crown on the Michael Who Would Be King : Pop music: Sales of Jackson’s ‘HIStory’ album have declined, and some radio stations are dropping the single ‘Scream’ from their playlists.

Is it time for Michael Jackson to lay off the “King of Pop” bravado?

Despite an unprecedented level of hype and record company promotion, Jackson’s “Scream” single--the first from his “HIStory--Past, Present and Future Book I” album--is dropping rapidly in radio airplay, and the album’s sales have fallen with it.

The album, which entered the charts at No. 1 three weeks ago after selling 391,000 copies in its first week in the stores, dropped to No. 2 last week, based on sales of 142,000, reports SoundScan, which monitors U.S. record sales. The “Pocahontas” soundtrack album, which sold 192,000 last week, is the new No. 1.

“I don’t think he can still be called the King of Pop,” says Tracy Austin, music director of Los Angeles Top 40 radio station KIIS-FM (102.7).

“Scream,” she says, is slipping off the station’s playlist after less than two months, having generated little listener interest.

Is it time for Epic Records--which reportedly has a $30-million promotional investment at stake with this album--to panic?

“There’s no concern at all,” says Epic senior vice president Polly Anthony. “This is a long-term plan, and the fact that we’ve sold 800,000 copies of a two-disc set--that’s 1.6 million albums in just three weeks--is phenomenal. ‘Scream’ wasn’t No. 1, but it was Top 5 and the sales are there. You look outside of radio and it’s fantastic.”

Still, there is some feeling in the industry that “HIStory” needs some immediate sales stimulation that isn’t being provided by “Scream.” While the duet with sister Janet Jackson remains No. 4 on the national singles sales list, the reaction at KIIS-FM is apparently not atypical.

After climbing to No. 12 on the national radio airplay chart, “Scream” has swiftly dropped out of the Top 20.

“They need to get another single out there right away,” says Violet Brown, urban music buyer for the Wherehouse retail chain. “A new single can kick [sales] back in, and that’s what I expect. There’s plenty of good material on the record stronger than ‘Scream’ for singles.”

Radio stations around the country have taken matters into their own hands, playing the ballad “You Are Not Alone” from the album. The song was written and co-produced by R. Kelly, who dominated the charts last year as a performer and producer and has a more current connection with young listeners.

Epic has reportedly responded and is readying the song for official release on July 25 as a single, with a video currently in production. A spokeswoman for the company says that this is not a panicked reaction to the slippage of “Scream,” but just one mapped-out option of the original long-term marketing plan for “HIStory.”

At this point, some in the industry suspect it’s the greatest-hits portion of the album that is chiefly responsible for the early sales interest in the two-disc set.

“It’s the old hits that are selling it,” Brown says. “Kids who in the past would have listened to new Michael Jackson songs nowadays are into other music, alternative and rap.”

Times staff writer Chris Riemenschneider contributed to this article.