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George Michael

George Michael (born Georgios Kyriacos Panayiotou; 25 June 1963 – 25 December 2016) was an English singer-songwriter and record producer. He is one of the best-selling musicians of all time, with his sales estimated at between 100 and 125 million records worldwide.[2][3] Michael was known as a creative force in songwriting,[4] vocal performance,[5] and visual presentation.[6][7] He achieved thirteen number-one songs on the UK Singles Chart (five with Wham!) and eight number-one songs on the US Billboard Hot 100. Michael won numerous music awards, including two Grammy Awards, three Brit Awards, twelve Billboard Music Awards, and four MTV Video Music Awards. He was listed among Billboard's the "Greatest Hot 100 Artists of All Time" and Rolling Stone's the “200 Greatest Singers of All Time”. The Radio Academy named him the most played artist on British radio during the period 1984–2004.[8] Michael has been inducted into the Rock and Roll[9] and the UK Music halls of fame.

George Michael
Michael onstage during The Faith Tour in 1988
Born
Georgios Kyriacos Panayiotou

(1963-06-25)25 June 1963
Died25 December 2016(2016-12-25) (aged 53)
Resting placeHighgate Cemetery, London
Occupations
  • Singer
  • songwriter
  • record producer
Years active1981–2016
Partner(s)Anselmo Feleppa (1991–1993)
Kenny Goss (1996–2009)
Fadi Fawaz (2012–2016)
Musical career
Genres
Labels
Formerly of
Websitewww.georgemichael.com

Born in East Finchley, Middlesex, Michael rose to fame as a member of the music duo Wham! and later embarked on a solo career. After he formed Wham! with Andrew Ridgeley in 1981, the band's first two albums, Fantastic (1983) and Make It Big (1984), reached number one on the UK Albums Chart and the US Billboard 200. Their hit singles included "Wake Me Up Before You Go-Go" and "Last Christmas". Establishing themselves as a global act, Wham! toured China in April 1985; the tour was the first visit to China by a Western popular music act, and it generated worldwide media coverage.[10][11] Written primarily by George Michael, the biggest chart topper by Wham!, "Careless Whisper", reached number one in over 20 countries, including the UK and US.[12][13]

Before embarking on the production of his first solo album, Michael went on to release two number-one solo singles, "A Different Corner" and the Aretha Franklin duet "I Knew You Were Waiting (For Me)". Michael's debut solo album, Faith, was released in 1987, topping the UK Albums Chart and staying at number one on the Billboard 200 for 12 weeks. Globally it sold 25 million copies, and four singles from the album—"Faith", "Father Figure", "One More Try", and "Monkey"—reached number one on the Billboard Hot 100. Michael became the best-selling music artist of 1988, and Faith was awarded Album of the Year at the 1989 Grammy Awards. His second solo album, Listen Without Prejudice Vol. 1 (1990), sold approximately eight million copies and was a UK number-one. It included the Billboard Hot 100 number-one "Praying for Time" and the worldwide hit "Freedom! '90".[14] A 1991 live duet with Elton John, "Don't Let the Sun Go Down on Me", was also a transatlantic number one. Michael went on to release two more multimillion-selling albums, Older (1996) and Patience (2004).

Outside music, Michael was an active LGBT rights campaigner and HIV/AIDS charity fundraiser. His personal life, drug use, and legal troubles made headlines during the late 1990s and 2000s, as he was arrested for public lewdness in 1998 and was arrested for multiple drug-related offences after that time. Michael came out as gay in 1998. The 2005 documentary A Different Story covered his career and personal life. Michael's 25 Live tour spanned three tours from 2006 to 2008. Michael fell into a coma in 2011 during a bout with pneumonia, but later recovered. He performed his final concert at London's Earls Court in 2012. Michael died of heart disease on Christmas Day in 2016, at his home in Goring-on-Thames, Oxfordshire.

Early life

George Michael was born Georgios Kyriacos Panayiotou (Greek: Γεώργιος Κυριάκος Παναγιώτου) on 25 June 1963, in East Finchley.[15][16] His father, Kyriacos "Jack" Panayiotou,[17] was a Greek-Cypriot restaurateur who emigrated from Patriki, Cyprus, to England in the 1950s.[18] His mother, Lesley Angold (born Harrison, died 1997),[19] was an English dancer.[20] In June 2008, Michael told the Los Angeles Times that his maternal grandmother was Jewish, but she married a non-Jewish man and raised her children with no knowledge of their Jewish background due to her fear during World War II.[21] Michael spent most of his childhood in Kingsbury, London, in the home his parents bought soon after his birth; he attended Roe Green Junior School and Kingsbury High School.[22][23] Michael had two sisters: Yioda (born 1958) and Melanie (1960–2019).[19][24] On the BBC's Desert Island Discs, he disclosed that his interest in music followed an injury to his head around the age of eight.[25]

While Michael was in his early teens, the family moved to Radlett. There, Michael attended Bushey Meads School in Bushey, where he befriended his future Wham! partner Andrew Ridgeley. The two had the same career ambition of being musicians.[17] Michael busked on the London Underground, performing songs such as "'39" by Queen.[26] His involvement in the music business began with his working as a DJ, playing at clubs and local schools around Bushey, Stanmore, and Watford. This was followed by the formation of a short-lived ska band called The Executive, with Ridgeley, Ridgeley's brother Paul, Andrew Leaver, Jamie Gould, and David Mortimer (later known as David Austin).[27]

Wham!

 
Michael (left) and Andrew Ridgeley as Wham!, c. 1984–1985

Michael formed the duo Wham! with Andrew Ridgeley in 1981. On the cusp of fame, he decided to legally change his name to the more accessible George Michael.[4] The band's first album Fantastic reached No. 1 in the UK in 1983 and produced a series of top 10 singles including "Young Guns", "Wham Rap!", and "Club Tropicana". Their second album, Make It Big, reached No. 1 on the charts in the US. Singles from that album included "Wake Me Up Before You Go-Go" (No. 1 in the UK and US), "Freedom", "Everything She Wants", and "Careless Whisper" which reached No. 1 in nearly 25 countries, including the UK and US, and was Michael's first solo effort as a single.[12][13] In December 1984, the single "Last Christmas" was released.[28] In 1985 Michael received the first of his three Ivor Novello Awards for Songwriter of the Year from the British Academy of Songwriters, Composers and Authors.[29]

Michael performed on the original 1984 Band Aid recording of "Do They Know It's Christmas?"—he appears third on the song after Paul Young and Boy George sing their lines.[30] The song became the UK Christmas number one and Michael also donated the profits from "Last Christmas" and "Everything She Wants" to charity.[31] Michael sang "Don't Let the Sun Go Down on Me" with Elton John at Live Aid at Wembley Stadium in London on 13 July 1985.[32] He also contributed background vocals to David Cassidy's 1985 hit "The Last Kiss", as well as Elton John's 1985 successes "Nikita" and "Wrap Her Up". Michael cited Cassidy as a major career influence and interviewed Cassidy for David Litchfield's Ritz Newspaper.[33]

 
Michael performed at Live Aid at the old Wembley Stadium (exterior pictured) on 13 July 1985, and Wham! played their last concert, The Final, at the same venue on 28 June 1986.

Wham!'s tour of China in April 1985, the first visit to China by a Western popular music act, generated worldwide media coverage, much of it centred on Michael.[10][11] The headline in the Chicago Tribune read: "East meets Wham!, and another great wall comes down".[11] Before Wham!'s appearance in China, many kinds of music in the country were forbidden.[10] The band's manager, Simon Napier-Bell, had spent 18 months trying to convince Chinese officials to let the duo play.[10] The audience included members of the Chinese government. Chinese television presenter Kan Lijun, who was the on-stage host, spoke of Wham!'s historic performance:

"No-one had ever seen anything like that before. All the young people were amazed and everybody was tapping their feet. Of course the police weren't happy and they were scared there would be riots."[10]

Wham! performed their hits with scantily clad dancers and strobing disco lights. According to Napier-Bell, Michael tried to get the crowd to clap along to "Club Tropicana", but "they hadn't a clue – they thought he wanted applause and politely gave it", before adding that some Chinese did eventually "get the hang of clapping on the beat."[34] A UK embassy official in China stated "there was some lively dancing but this was almost entirely confined to younger western members of the audience."[34] The tour was documented by film director Lindsay Anderson and producer Martin Lewis in their film Wham! in China: Foreign Skies.[35]

With the success of Michael's solo singles, "Careless Whisper" (1984) and "A Different Corner" (1986), rumours of an impending break up of Wham! intensified. The duo officially separated in 1986, after releasing a farewell single, "The Edge of Heaven" and a farewell compilation, The Final (their third album Music from the Edge of Heaven was released in North America and Japan), plus a sell-out concert at Wembley Stadium that included the world premiere of the China film.[36] The Wham! partnership ended officially with the commercially successful single "The Edge of Heaven", which reached No. 1 on the UK chart in June 1986.[37]

Solo career

1987–1989

During early 1987, at the beginning of his solo career, Michael released "I Knew You Were Waiting (For Me)", a duet with Aretha Franklin. "I Knew You Were Waiting (For Me)" was a one-off project that helped Michael achieve an ambition by singing with one of his favourite artists. It scored number one on both the UK Singles Chart and the US Billboard Hot 100 upon its release.[38][39] For Michael, it became his third consecutive solo number one in the UK from three releases, after 1984's "Careless Whisper" (though the single was actually from the Wham! album Make It Big) and 1986's "A Different Corner". The single was also the first Michael had recorded as a solo artist which he had not written himself. The co-writer, Simon Climie, was unknown at the time; he later had success as a performer with the band Climie Fisher in 1988. Michael and Aretha Franklin won a Grammy Award in 1988 for Best R&B Performance – Duo or Group with Vocal for the song.[40]

In late 1987, Michael released his debut solo album, Faith. The first single released from the album was "I Want Your Sex", in mid-1987. The song was banned by many radio stations in the UK and US, due to its sexually suggestive lyrics.[41] MTV broadcast the video, featuring celebrity make-up artist Kathy Jeung in a basque and suspenders, only during the late night hours.[41] Michael argued that the act was beautiful if the sex was monogamous, and he recorded a brief prologue for the video in which he said: "This song is not about casual sex."[42] One of the racier scenes involved Michael writing the words "explore monogamy" on his partner's back in lipstick.[43] Some radio stations played a toned-down version of the song, "I Want Your Love", with the word "love" replacing "sex".[44]

When "I Want Your Sex" reached the US charts, American Top 40 host Casey Kasem refused to say the song's title, referring to it only as "the new single by George Michael."[44] In the US, the song was also sometimes listed as "I Want Your Sex (from Beverly Hills Cop II)", since the song was featured on the soundtrack of the movie.[45] Despite censorship and radio play problems, "I Want Your Sex" reached No. 2 on the US Billboard Hot 100 and No. 3 in the UK.[12][46] The second single, "Faith", was released in October 1987, a few weeks before the album. "Faith" became one of his most popular songs. The song was No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 for four consecutive weeks, becoming the best-selling single of 1988 in the US.[13] It also reached No. 1 in Australia, and No. 2 on the UK Singles Chart.[12] The video provided some definitive images of the 1980s music industry in the process—Michael in shades, leather jacket, cowboy boots, and Levi's jeans, playing a guitar near a classic-design jukebox.[47]

On 30 October, Faith was released in the UK and in several markets worldwide.[45] Faith topped the UK Albums Chart, and in the US, the album had 51 non-consecutive weeks in the top 10 of Billboard 200, including 12 weeks at No. 1. Faith had many successes, with four singles ("Faith", "Father Figure", "One More Try", and "Monkey") reaching No. 1 in the US.[48] Faith was certified Diamond by the RIAA for sales of 10 million copies in the US.[49] To date, global sales of Faith are more than 25 million units.[50] The album was highly acclaimed by music critics, with AllMusic journalist Steve Huey describing it as a "superbly crafted mainstream pop/rock masterpiece" and "one of the finest pop albums of the '80s".[51] In a review by Rolling Stone magazine, journalist Mark Coleman commended most of the songs on the album, which he said "displays Michael's intuitive understanding of pop music and his increasingly intelligent use of his power to communicate to an ever-growing audience."[52]

In 1988, Michael embarked on a world tour.[53] In Los Angeles, Michael was joined on stage by Aretha Franklin for "I Knew You Were Waiting (For Me)". It was the second highest grossing event of 1988, earning $17.7 million.[54] At the 1988 Brit Awards held at the Royal Albert Hall on 8 February, Michael received the first of his two awards for Best British Male Solo Artist. Later that month, Faith won the Grammy Award for Album of the Year at the 31st Grammy Awards.[55] At the 1989 MTV Video Music Awards on 6 September in Los Angeles, Michael received the Video Vanguard Award.[56] According to Michael in his film, A Different Story, success did not make him happy and he started to think there was something wrong in being an idol for millions of teenage girls. The whole Faith process (promotion, videos, tour, awards) left him exhausted, lonely and frustrated, and far from his friends and family.[57] In 1990, he told his record company Sony that, for his second album, he did not want to do promotions like the one for Faith.[58]

1990s

Listen Without Prejudice Vol. 1 was released in September 1990. The title is an indication of his desire to be taken more seriously as a songwriter.[59] It reached No. 23 in the UK[12] and No. 27 in the US[13] in October 1990. The album was released in Europe on 3 September 1990, and one week later in the US. It reached No. 1 in the UK Albums Chart[12] and peaked at No. 2 on the US Billboard 200.[13] It spent a total of 88 weeks on the UK Albums Chart and was certified four-times Platinum by the BPI.[60] The album produced five UK singles, all of which were released within an eight-month period: "Praying for Time", "Waiting for That Day", "Freedom! '90", "Heal the Pain", and "Cowboys and Angels" (the latter being his only single not to chart in the UK top 40).[12] Michael refused to do any promotion for the album.[58] At the 1991 Brit Awards, Listen Without Prejudice Vol. 1 won the award for Best British Album.[61]

The album's first single, "Praying for Time", with lyrics concerning social ills and injustice, was released in August 1990. James Hunter of Rolling Stone magazine described the song as "a distraught look at the world's astounding woundedness. Michael offers the healing passage of time as the only balm for physical and emotional hunger, poverty, hypocrisy, and hatred."[62] The song was an instant success, reaching No. 1 on the US Billboard Hot 100 and No. 6 in the UK.[13] A video was released shortly thereafter, consisting of the lyrics on a dark background. Michael did not appear in this video or any subsequent videos for the album.[59] The second single from Listen Without Prejudice Vol. 1, "Waiting for That Day", was an acoustic-heavy single, released as an immediate follow-up to "Praying for Time".

"Freedom '90" was the second of only two singles from Listen Without Prejudice to be supported by a music video (the other being the Michael-less "Praying for Time").[63] The song alludes to his struggles with his artistic identity, and prophesied his efforts shortly thereafter to end his recording contract with Sony Music. As if to prove the song's sentiment, Michael refused to appear in the video (directed by David Fincher), and instead recruited supermodels Naomi Campbell, Linda Evangelista, Christy Turlington, Tatjana Patitz, and Cindy Crawford to appear in and lip sync in his stead.[63] It also featured lyrics critical of his sex symbol status.[64] It reached No. 8 success on the Billboard Hot 100 in the US,[13] and No. 28 on the UK Singles Chart.[12] "Mother's Pride" gained significant radio play in the US during the first Persian Gulf War during 1991, often with radio stations mixing in callers' tributes to soldiers with the music.[65]

Later in 1991, Michael embarked on the Cover to Cover tour in Japan, England, the US, and Brazil, where he performed at Rock in Rio.[66] The tour was not a proper promotion for Listen Without Prejudice Vol. 1. Rather, it featured Michael singing his favourite cover songs.[66] Among his favourites was "Don't Let the Sun Go Down on Me", a 1974 song by Elton John; Michael and John had performed the song together at the Live Aid concert in 1985, and again for Michael's concert at London's Wembley Arena on 25 March 1991, where the duet was recorded. "Don't Let the Sun Go Down on Me" was released as a single at the end of 1991 and reached No. 1 in both the UK and US.[67] In 1991, Michael released an autobiography through Penguin Books titled Bare, co-written with Tony Parsons.[68]

An expected follow-up album, Listen Without Prejudice Vol. 2, was scrapped due to Michael's lawsuit with Sony.[69] Instead, Michael donated three songs to the charity project Red Hot + Dance, for the Red Hot Organization which raised money for AIDS awareness; a fourth track, "Crazyman Dance", was the B-side of 1992's "Too Funky". Michael donated the royalties from "Too Funky" to the same cause.[70] "Too Funky" reached No. 4 on the UK Singles Chart[12] and No. 10 on the US Billboard Hot 100.[13]

"George Michael was the best. There's a certain note in his voice when he did 'Somebody to Love' that was pure Freddie."

—Queen guitarist Brian May on Michael's performance at the Freddie Mercury Tribute Concert.[71]

Michael performed with Queen at The Freddie Mercury Tribute Concert on 20 April 1992 at Wembley Stadium.[72] The concert was a tribute to the life of the late Queen frontman, Freddie Mercury, with the proceeds going to AIDS research.[73] Michael performed "'39", "These Are the Days of Our Lives" with Lisa Stansfield and "Somebody to Love". Michael's performance of "Somebody to Love" was hailed as "one of the best performances of the tribute concert".[74][75] Michael later reflected, "It was probably the proudest moment for me of my career, because it was me living out a childhood fantasy, I suppose, to sing one of Freddie's songs in front of 80,000 people."[76]

The Five Live EP[77] featured five live recordings (six in several countries) performed by Michael, Queen, and Lisa Stansfield. "Somebody to Love" and "These Are the Days of Our Lives" were recorded at the Freddie Mercury Tribute Concert. "Killer", "Papa Was a Rollin' Stone", and "Calling You" were recorded during his Cover to Cover Tour from 1991.[74][75] All proceeds from the sale of the EP benefited the Mercury Phoenix Trust.[78] Sales of the EP were strong through Europe, where it debuted at No. 1 in the UK and several European countries.[12] Chart success in the US was less spectacular, where it reached No. 40 on the Billboard 200 ("Somebody to Love" reached No. 30 on the US Billboard Hot 100).[13] The performance would later feature on Queen's compilation album Greatest Hits III.[79]

During November 1994, after a long period of seclusion, Michael appeared at the first MTV Europe Music Awards show, where he gave a performance of a new song, "Jesus to a Child".[80] The song was a melancholy tribute to his lover, Anselmo Feleppa, who had died in March 1993. The song entered the UK Singles Chart at No. 1 and No. 7 on Billboard upon release in 1996.[12][13] It was Michael's longest UK Top 40 single, at almost seven minutes long. The exact identity of the song's subject—and the nature of Michael's relationship with Feleppa—was shrouded in innuendo and speculation, as Michael had not confirmed he was homosexual and did not do so until 1998. The video for "Jesus to a Child" was a picture of images recalling loss, pain and suffering. Michael consistently dedicated the song to Feleppa before performing it live.[81]

Michael released "Fastlove", an energetic tune about wanting gratification and fulfilment without commitment, in 1996. The single version was nearly five minutes long. "Fastlove" was supported by a futuristic virtual reality-related video. The single reached No. 1 on the UK Singles Chart, spending three weeks at the top spot.[12] In the US, "Fastlove" peaked at No. 8.[13] Following "Fastlove", Michael released Older, his third studio album.[82] In the UK, the album was particularly notable for producing a record six top three hit singles in a two-year span.[83]

In 1996, Michael was voted Best British Male at the MTV Europe Music Awards and the Brit Awards;[84][85] and at the British Academy's Ivor Novello Awards, he was awarded the title of Songwriter of the Year for the third time.[86] Michael performed a concert at Three Mills Studios, London, for MTV Unplugged.[87] It was his first long performance in years, and in the audience was Michael's mother, who died of cancer the following year.[88]

Ladies & Gentlemen: The Best of George Michael (1998) was Michael's first solo greatest hits collection. The collection of 28 songs (29 songs are included on the European and Australian release) are separated into two halves, with each containing a particular theme and mood. The first CD, titled "For the Heart", predominantly contains ballads; the second CD, "For the Feet", consists mainly of dance tunes. It was released through Sony Music Entertainment as a condition of severing contractual ties with the label.[89] Ladies & Gentlemen was a success, peaking at No. 1 on the UK Albums Chart for eight weeks.[12] It spent over 200 weeks in the UK chart, and is the 45th best-selling album of all time in the UK.[90] It is certified seven-times platinum in the UK and multi-platinum in the US, and is Michael's most commercially successful album in his homeland, having sold more than 2.8 million copies.[60] As of 2013, the album had reached worldwide sales of approximately 15 million copies.[91] The first single of the album, "Outside", was a humorous song making a reference to his arrest for soliciting a policeman in a public toilet. "As", his duet with Mary J. Blige, was released as the second single in many territories around the world. Both singles reached the top 5 in the UK Singles Chart.[12]

Released in 1999, Songs from the Last Century is a studio album of cover tracks. The album achieved the lowest peak of his solo efforts, peaking at No. 157 on the American Billboard 200 albums chart[13] and at No. 2 in the UK Albums Chart.[12]

2000s

 
Garth Brooks and Michael at the Robert F. Kennedy Memorial Stadium, Washington, 29 April 2000

In 2000, Michael worked on the hit single "If I Told You That" with Whitney Houston.[92] Michael co-produced on the single along with Rodney Jerkins.[93] Michael's first single from his fifth studio album, "Freeek!", reached the Top 10 in the UK.[94] His next single was "Shoot the Dog" which was released in July 2002 during the lead-up to the 2003 invasion of Iraq. The video for the song showed Tony Blair as George Bush's poodle.[95] The single's cover featured the Daily Mirror's "Howdy Poodle" front page from earlier in the year. Responding to criticism, Michael said, "I am British, I live here, I pay my taxes, and I'm very, very worried that we are now the second most dangerous country in the world thanks to our special relationship with America."[96] It reached No. 1 in Denmark and made the top 5 in most European charts.[97] It peaked at No. 12 on the UK Singles Chart.[12]

In February 2003, Michael recorded another song in protest against the looming Iraq war, Don McLean's "The Grave". The original was written by McLean in 1971 and was a protest against the Vietnam War. Michael performed the song on numerous TV shows including Top of the Pops and So Graham Norton. His performance of the song on Top of the Pops on 7 March 2003 was his first studio appearance on the programme since 1986. He ran into conflict with the show's producers for an anti-war, anti-Blair T-shirt worn by some members of his band. McLean stated that he was "'proud of George Michael for standing up for life and sanity'".[98]

 
Michael performing in Antwerp, Belgium, 2006

When Michael's fifth studio album, Patience, was released in 2004, it was critically acclaimed and went to No. 1 on the UK Albums Chart.[12] The album became one of the fastest-selling albums in the UK, selling over 200,000 copies in the first week alone.[99] It reached the Top 5 on most European charts and peaked at No. 12 in the US, selling over 500,000 copies to earn a Gold certification from the RIAA.[13] "Amazing", the third single from the album, became a No. 1 hit in Europe.[100] When Michael appeared on The Oprah Winfrey Show on 26 May 2004, to promote the album, he performed "Amazing", along with his classic songs "Father Figure" and "Faith".[101] On the show, Michael spoke of his arrest, the public revelation of his homosexuality, and his resumption of public performances. He allowed Oprah's crew inside his home outside London.[102] The fourth single taken off the album was "Flawless". It was a dance hit in Europe as well as North America, reaching No. 1 on the Billboard Hot Dance Club Play and becoming Michael's last No. 1 single on the US Dance chart.[12] Twenty Five is Michael's second greatest hits album, celebrating the 25th anniversary of his music career.[103] Released in November 2006 by Sony BMG, it debuted at no. 1 in the UK.[104]

 
Michael onstage in Munich, 2006

During the 2005 Live 8 concert at Hyde Park, London, Michael joined Paul McCartney on stage, harmonising on The Beatles classic "Drive My Car".[105] In 2006, Michael embarked on his first tour in 15 years, 25 Live. The tour began in Barcelona, Spain, on 23 September and finished in December at Wembley Arena in England.[106] On 9 June 2007, Michael became the first artist to perform live at the newly renovated Wembley Stadium in London.[107] On 25 March 2008, a third part of the 25 Live Tour was announced for North America, with 21 dates in the US and Canada.[106]

Michael made his American acting debut by playing a guardian angel to Jonny Lee Miller's character on Eli Stone, a US TV series. Each episode of the show's first season was named after a song of his. Michael also appeared on the 2008 finale show of American Idol on 21 May, singing "Praying for Time". When asked what he thought Simon Cowell would say of his performance, he replied "I think he'll probably tell me I shouldn't have done a George Michael song. He's told plenty of people that in the past, so I think that'd be quite funny."[108][109][110] On 25 December 2008, Michael released a new Christmas-themed track, "December Song", on his website for free.[111]


2010s

 
Michael at the Royal Opera House in 2011

In early 2010, Michael performed his first concerts in Australia since 1988.[112] On 20 February 2010, Michael performed his first show in Perth at the Burswood Dome to an audience of 15,000.[113] On 2 March 2011, Michael announced the release of his cover version of New Order's 1987 hit "True Faith" in aid of the UK charity telethon Comic Relief.[114] Michael appeared on Comic Relief itself, featuring in the first Carpool Karaoke sketch of James Corden, with the pair singing songs while Corden drove around London.[115] On 15 April 2011, Michael released a cover of Stevie Wonder's 1972 song, "You and I", as an MP3 gift to Prince William and Catherine Middleton on the occasion of their wedding on 29 April 2011. Although the MP3 was released for free download,[116] Michael appealed to those who downloaded the track to make a contribution to "The Prince William & Miss Catherine Middleton Charitable Gift Fund".[117]

 
Michael at the closing ceremony of the 2012 London Summer Olympics
 
LED lights during Michael's performance of his 1990 single "Freedom!" at the ceremony

The Symphonica Tour began at the Prague State Opera House on 22 August 2011.[118] In October 2011, Michael was announced as one of the final nominees for the Songwriter's Hall of Fame.[119] In November, he had to cancel the remainder of the tour as he became ill with pneumonia in Vienna, Austria, ultimately slipping into a coma.[120]

In February 2012, two months after leaving hospital, Michael made a surprise appearance at the 2012 Brit Awards at the O2 Arena in London, where he received a standing ovation, and presented Adele the award for Best British Album.[121] In March, Michael announced that he was healthy and that the Symphonica Tour would resume in autumn.[122] The final concert of the tour—which was also the final concert of Michael's life–was performed at London's Earls Court on 17 October 2012.[123]

Symphonica was released on 17 March 2014, and became Michael's seventh solo No. 1 album in the UK, and ninth overall including his Wham! chart-toppers. The album was produced by Phil Ramone and Michael; the album was Ramone's last production credit.[124] On 2 November 2016, Michael's management team announced that a second documentary on his life, entitled Freedom, was set to be released in March 2017.[125][126] A month after, English songwriter Naughty Boy confirmed plans to collaborate with Michael, for a new song and album.[127] Naughty Boy claimed that the song is "amazing but [...] bittersweet".[128] On 7 September 2017 (months after Michael's death), the single "Fantasy", featuring Nile Rodgers, was released.[129]

Having charted at number two upon its release in 1984 (behind Band Aid's "Do They Know It's Christmas?" which Michael also performed in), "Last Christmas" finally reached number-one in the UK Singles Chart on New Year's Day 2021 (chart week ending date 7 January 2021), more than 36 years after its initial release.[130] Andrew Ridgeley said the chart placing was "a testament to its timeless appeal and charm", adding: "It is a fitting tribute to George's song-writing genius... he would have been immensely proud and utterly thrilled."[130] The period of 36 years taken to reach number one was a UK chart record, which would be surpassed by Kate Bush with "Running Up That Hill" in June 2022 which took 37 years.[131]

Posthumous releases

On 7 September 2017, Michael's estate released the single "Fantasy". Written and produced by Michael, was recorded while he was working on Listen Without Prejudice Vol. 1. However, the track was not included on the album. Instead in October 1990, it was featured on the "Waiting for That Day" single in the United Kingdom and on the "Freedom! '90" single in the rest of the world.[132] On 7 September 2017, a new version reworked by Nile Rodgers was released as a single from Listen Without Prejudice / MTV Unplugged (2017).[133] The album includes the original version of "Fantasy" and the 1998 version;[134] the Nile Rodgers remix was not included on the disc but was made available to purchasers as a digital download. On 18 October 2017, a music video was released on Vevo.[135]

In 2019, the Emma Thompson-written film Last Christmas was released. The title of the film is taken from the Wham classic. An official soundtrack album was released by Legacy Recordings on CD, two-disc vinyl, and digital formats on 8 November 2019.[136] The album contains 14 Wham! and solo George Michael songs, as well as a previously unreleased song originally completed in 2015 titled "This Is How (We Want You to Get High)".[137] The soundtrack album debuted at number one on the UK Official Soundtrack Albums Chart and at number 11 on the UK Albums Chart on 15 November 2019.[138][139] It also entered the Australian Albums Chart at number seven,[140] the Irish Albums Chart, where it debuted at number 32, climbing to number 26 the following week, and at number 55 on the US Billboard 200.[141][142]

On 22 June 2022, the documentary film Freedom Uncut was released. Michael had been working on the film shortly before his death, alongside David Austin,[143] and provides the narration throughout.[144] NME, The Guardian and Empire all praised the film and rated it 4/5 stars.[145][146][147]

On September 30, 2022, a remastered and expanded version of Older was released comprising the original Older album, the Upper disc and three bonus CDs, containing remixes and live recordings of Older-era tracks.[148] The album charted at number 2 on the UK Official Albums Chart Top 100 on 7 October 2022.[149]

Personal life

Sexuality and relationships

Michael stated that his early fantasies were about women, which "led me to believe I was on the path to heterosexuality", but at puberty he started to fantasise about men, which he later said "had something to do with my environment". At the age of 19, Michael told Andrew Ridgeley that he was bisexual.[150] Michael also told one of his two sisters, but he was advised not to tell his parents about his sexuality.[151] In a 1999 interview with The Advocate, Michael told the Editor in Chief, Judy Wieder, that it was "falling in love with a man that ended his conflict over bisexuality". "I never had a moral problem with being gay", Michael told her. "I thought I had fallen in love with a woman a couple of times. Then I fell in love with a man, and realised that none of those things had been love."[152]

In 2004, Michael said, "I used to sleep with women quite a lot in the Wham! days but never felt it could develop into a relationship because I knew that, emotionally, I was a gay man. I didn't want to commit to them but I was attracted to them. Then I became ashamed that I might be using them. I decided I had to stop, which I did when I began to worry about AIDS, which was becoming prevalent in Britain. Although I had always had safe sex, I didn't want to sleep with a woman without telling her I was bisexual. I felt that would be irresponsible. Basically, I didn't want to have that uncomfortable conversation that might ruin the moment, so I stopped sleeping with them." In the same interview, he added: "If I wasn't with Kenny [his boyfriend at the time], I would have sex with women, no question". He said he believed that the formation of his sexuality was "a nurture thing, via the absence of my father who was always busy working. It meant I was exceptionally close to my mother", though he stated that "there are definitely those who have a predisposition to being gay in which the environment is irrelevant."[150] In 2007, Michael said he had hidden his sexuality because of worries over what effect it might have on his mother.[151] Two years later, he added: "My depression at the end of Wham! was because I was beginning to realise I was gay, not bisexual."[153]

During the late 1980s, Michael had a relationship with make-up artist Kathy Jeung, who was regarded for a time as his artistic "muse" and who appeared in the "I Want Your Sex" video.[154] Michael later said that she had been his "only bona fide" girlfriend, and that she knew of his bisexuality.[150] In 2016, Jeung reacted to Michael's death by calling him a "true friend" with whom she had spent "some of the best time of [her] life".[155]

In 1992, Michael established a relationship with Anselmo Feleppa, a Brazilian dress designer who he had met at the Rock in Rio concert in 1991. Six months into their relationship, Feleppa discovered that he was HIV-positive. Michael later said: "It was terrifying news. I thought I could have the disease too. I couldn't go through it with my family because I didn't know how to share it with them – they didn't even know I was gay."[153] In 1993, Feleppa died of an AIDS-related brain haemorrhage.[156] Michael's single, "Jesus to a Child", is a tribute to Feleppa (Michael consistently dedicated it to him before performing it live), as is his album Older (1996).[157] In 2008, speaking about the loss of Feleppa, Michael said: "It was a terribly depressing time. It took about three years to grieve, then after that I lost my mother. I felt almost like I was cursed."[158]

In 1996, Michael entered into a long-term relationship with Kenny Goss, a former flight attendant, cheerleading coach,[159] and sportswear executive from Dallas, Texas.[160] They had a home in Dallas,[161] a 16th-century house in Goring-on-Thames, Oxfordshire,[162][163] and an £8 million mansion in Highgate, North London.[156] In late November 2005, it was reported that Michael and Goss planned to register their relationship as a civil partnership in the UK,[164] but because of negative publicity and his upcoming tour, they postponed their plans.[165] On 22 August 2011, the opening night of his Symphonica world tour, Michael announced that he and Goss had split two years earlier.[166]

Michael's homosexuality became publicly known following his April 1998 arrest for public lewdness.[167] In 2007, Michael said "that hiding his sexuality made him feel 'fraudulent', and his eventual outing, when he was arrested [...] in 1998, was a subconsciously deliberate act."[168]

In 2012, Michael entered a relationship with Fadi Fawaz, a Lebanese-Australian celebrity hairstylist and freelance photographer based in London.[169][170] It was Fawaz who found Michael's body on Christmas morning 2016.[171][172]

Legal troubles

On 7 April 1998, Michael was arrested for "engaging in a lewd act" in a public restroom of the Will Rogers Memorial Park in Beverly Hills, California.[173][174] Michael was arrested by undercover policeman Marcelo Rodríguez in a sting operation.[175] In an MTV interview, Michael stated: "I got followed into the restroom and then this cop—I didn't know it was a cop, obviously—he started playing this game, which I think is called, 'I'll show you mine, you show me yours, and then when you show me yours, I'm going to nick you!'"[176]

 
Michael performing "Outside" at the Olympic Stadium, Athens in 2007

After pleading "no contest" to the charge, Michael was fined US$810 and sentenced to 80 hours of community service. Soon afterwards, Michael made a video for his single "Outside", which satirised the public toilet incident and featured men dressed as policemen kissing. Rodríguez claimed that this video "mocked" him, and that Michael had slandered him in interviews. In 1999, he brought a US$10 million court case in California against the singer. The court dismissed the case, but an appellate court reinstated it on 3 December 2002.[177] The court then ruled that Rodríguez, as a public official, could not legally recover damages for emotional distress.[178]

On 23 July 2006, Michael was again accused of engaging in anonymous public sex, this time at London's Hampstead Heath.[179] Michael stated that his cruising for anonymous sex was not an issue in his relationship with partner Kenny Goss.[180]

In February 2006, Michael was arrested for possession of Class C drugs, an incident that he described as "my own stupid fault, as usual". He was cautioned by the police and released.[181] In 2007, he pleaded guilty to drug-impaired driving after obstructing the road at traffic lights in Cricklewood in northwest London, and was subsequently banned from driving for two years and sentenced to community service.[182] On 19 September 2008, Michael was arrested in a public restroom in the Hampstead Heath area for possession of Class A and C drugs. He was taken to the police station and cautioned for controlled substance possession.[183]

In the early hours of 4 July 2010, Michael was returning from the Gay Pride parade, when he was spotted on CCTV crashing his car into the front of a Snappy Snaps store in Hampstead, north London, and was arrested on suspicion of being unfit to drive.[184][185] On 12 August, London's Metropolitan Police said he was "charged with possession of cannabis and with driving while unfit through drink or drugs".[186] It was reported that Michael had also been taking the prescription tricyclic antidepressant medication amitriptyline.[187] On 24 August 2010, the singer pleaded guilty at Highbury Corner Magistrates' Court in London after admitting driving under the influence of drugs.[188] On 14 September 2010, at the same court, Michael was sentenced to eight weeks in prison, a fine, and a five-year ban from driving.[189][190] Michael was released from Highpoint Prison in Suffolk on 11 October 2010, after serving four weeks.[191] In the dent in the shop wall Michael had crashed into, someone graffitied the word "Wham".[192]

Health

Michael struggled with substance abuse for many years.[193][194] He was arrested for drug-related offences in 2006,[181] 2008[183] and 2010.[184][185] In September 2007, on BBC Radio 4's Desert Island Discs, Michael said that his cannabis use was a problem; he wished he could smoke less of it and was constantly trying to do so.[195] On 5 December 2009, in an interview with The Guardian, Michael explained he had cut back on cannabis and was smoking only "seven or eight" spliffs per day instead of the 25 per day he had formerly smoked.[196] Michael also abused sleeping pills.[194]

On 26 October 2011, Michael cancelled a performance at the Royal Albert Hall in London due to a viral infection. On 21 November, Vienna General Hospital admitted Michael after he complained of chest pains while at a hotel two hours before his performance at a venue there for his Symphonica Tour. Michael appeared to be "in good spirits" and responded well to treatment following his admission, but on 25 November hospital officials said that his condition had "worsened overnight". This development led to cancellations and postponements of Michael's remaining 2011 performances, which had been scheduled mainly for the United Kingdom.[197] The singer was later confirmed to have suffered from pneumonia and, until 1 December, was in an intensive care unit; at one point, he was comatose. On 21 December, the hospital discharged him. Michael told the press that he had undergone a tracheotomy,[198] that the staff at the hospital had saved his life, and that he would perform a free concert for them.[199] After waking from the coma, Michael had a temporary West Country accent, and there was concern he had developed foreign accent syndrome.[200]

On 16 May 2013, Michael sustained a head injury when he fell from his moving car on the M1 motorway, near St Albans in Hertfordshire, and was airlifted to hospital.[201][202][203] On 29 May, Michael's publicist confirmed that he had left the hospital and that his injuries were superficial.[204]

In 2014, Michael stated that he had refrained from using cannabis for one-and-one-half years. In June 2015, he checked into a drug rehabilitation facility in Switzerland.[205]

Politics

"To call us Thatcherite was so simplistic, basically saying that if you've got a deep enough tan and made a bit of money then you've got to be a Thatcherite."

— Michael, a Labour voter throughout the 1980s, distancing himself from Thatcher's Conservative Party.[206]

Michael's father was a communist. At the age of fifteen, Michael joined the Young Communist League, under his Greek name.[207] During the time of Margaret Thatcher as the Conservative Prime Minister of the United Kingdom throughout the 1980s, Michael voted Labour.[206] In September 1984, Wham! performed at a benefit concert at London's Royal Festival Hall for the striking UK miners.[208]

In 2000, Michael joined Melissa Etheridge, Garth Brooks, Queen Latifah, the Pet Shop Boys, and k.d. lang, to perform in Washington, D.C. as part of Equality Rocks, a concert to benefit the Human Rights Campaign,[209] an American LGBT rights group. His 2002 single "Shoot the Dog" was critical of the friendly relationship between the UK and US governments, in particular the relationship between Tony Blair and George W. Bush, with their involvement in the War on Terror.[210] Michael voiced his concern about the lack of public consultation in the UK regarding the War on Terror: "On an issue as enormous as the possible bombing of Iraq, how can you represent us when you haven't asked us what we think?"[210]

In 2006, Michael performed a free concert for NHS nurses in London to thank the nurses who had cared for his late mother. He told the audience: "Thank you for everything you do — some people appreciate it. Now if we can only get the government to do the same thing."[211]

In 2007, Michael sent the £1,450,000 piano that John Lennon used to write "Imagine" around the United States on a "peace tour", displaying at places where notable acts of violence had taken place, such as Dallas' Dealey Plaza, where US President John F. Kennedy had been shot.[212] He devoted his 2007 concert in Sofia, from his "Twenty Five Tour" to the Bulgarian nurses prosecuted in the HIV trial in Libya.[213] On 17 June 2008, Michael said he was thrilled by California's legalisation of same-sex marriage, calling the move "way overdue".[214]

Philanthropy

In November 1984, Michael joined other British and Irish pop stars of the era to form Band Aid, singing on the charity song "Do They Know It's Christmas?" for famine relief in Ethiopia. This single became the UK Christmas number one in December 1984, holding Michael's own song, "Last Christmas" by Wham!, at No. 2.[215] "Do They Know It's Christmas?" sold 3.75 million copies in the UK and became the biggest selling single in UK chart history, a title it held until 1997 when it was overtaken by Elton John's "Candle in the Wind 1997", released in tribute to Princess Diana following her death (Michael attended Diana's funeral with Elton John).[215] Michael donated the royalties from "Last Christmas" to Band Aid and subsequently sang with Elton John at Live Aid (the Band Aid charity concert) in 1985.[216]

In 1986, Michael took part in the Prince's Trust charity concert held at Wembley Arena, performing "Everytime You Go Away" alongside Paul Young.[217] In 1988, Michael participated in the Nelson Mandela 70th Birthday Tribute at Wembley Stadium in London together with many other singers (such as Annie Lennox and Sting), performing "Sexual Healing".[218]

An LGBT rights campaigner and HIV/AIDS charity fundraiser,[219][220][221] the proceeds from the 1991 single "Don't Let the Sun Go Down on Me" were divided among 10 different charities for children, AIDS and education. He was also a patron of the Elton John AIDS Foundation.[222] Michael wore a red ribbon at the Freddie Mercury Tribute Concert at Wembley Stadium in April 1992.[223][224] He was instrumental in bringing the compilation CD Red Hot + Dance to fruition, contributing three original songs, with the album featuring Seal and Madonna among others.[225]

In 2003, he paired up with Ronan Keating on the UK edition of the game show Who Wants to Be a Millionaire? and won £32,000, after having their original £64,000 winnings halved by answering the £125,000 question incorrectly.[226][227] The same year, Michael joined other celebrities to support a campaign to help raise £20 million for terminally ill children run by the Rainbow Trust Children's Charity of which he was a patron. He said: "Loss is such an incredibly difficult thing. I bow down to people who actually have to deal with the loss of a child."[228]

 
5, The Grove, Michael's home in Highgate, north London, is a grade II listed building.[229][230]

Following Michael's death, various charities revealed that Michael had privately supported them for many years. Those charities included Childline (to whom he had donated "millions" ),[231][207] the Terrence Higgins Trust, and Macmillan Cancer Support.[232] Michael also donated to individuals: he reportedly called the production team of the quiz show Deal or No Deal after a contestant had revealed that she needed £15,000 to fund IVF treatment and anonymously paid for the treatment.[232] Michael once tipped a student nurse working as a barmaid £5,000 because she was in debt.[233] On 3 January 2017, another woman came forward and (with the permission of Michael's family) revealed he had anonymously paid for her IVF treatment after seeing her talk about her problems conceiving on an episode of This Morning in 2010. The woman gave birth to a girl in 2012.[234]

After his death, it was also revealed that Michael had been anonymously paying for an annual Christmas tree erected where he lived in Highgate, as well as funding the Christmas lights, for the previous decade. He was also the largest funder of Highgate's annual Fair in the Square for those ten years, donating anonymously as "a local resident".[235][236]

Assets

Between 2006 and 2008, according to reports, Michael earned £48.5 million from the 25 Live tour alone.[237] In July 2014, he was reported to have been a celebrity investor in a tax avoidance scheme called Liberty.[238] According to the Sunday Times Rich List 2015 of the wealthiest British musicians, Michael was worth £105 million.[239]

Death

 
Grave of Michael alongside his mother and sister in Highgate Cemetery

In the early hours of Christmas Day, 2016, Michael died in bed at his home in Goring-on-Thames, at the age of 53. He was found by his partner, Fadi Fawaz.[171][172][240] In March 2017, a senior coroner in Oxfordshire attributed Michael's death to dilated cardiomyopathy with myocarditis and a fatty liver.[241][242][243][244]

Owing to the delay in determining the cause of death, Michael's funeral was held on 29 March 2017. In a private ceremony, he was buried at Highgate Cemetery in north London, on one side of his mother's grave.[245] His sister Melanie, who died exactly three years after him, is buried on the other side.[246]

Aftermath

 
Unofficial memorial garden outside Michael's home in Highgate, 29 July 2017

In the summer of 2017, a temporary informal memorial garden was created outside Michael's former home in The Grove, Highgate. The site, in a private square that Michael had owned, was tended by fans for approximately eighteen months until it was cleared.[247]

In March 2019, Michael's art collection was auctioned in England for £11.3 million. The proceeds were donated to various philanthropic organisations Michael gave to while he was alive.[248]

Michael's will left most of his £97 million estate to his sisters, his father and friends. It did not include bequests to either Fawaz or to his former partner, Kenny Goss. In 2021, following legal proceedings, the trustees of Michael's estate entered into a financial settlement with Goss.[249]

Tributes

 
Elton John performing a tribute to Michael at Twickenham, London, in June 2017

Elton John was among those who paid tribute to Michael, emotionally addressing the audience in Las Vegas on 28 December, "What a singer, what a songwriter. But more than anything as a human being he was one of the kindest, sweetest, most generous people I've ever met."[250]

At the 59th Annual Grammy Awards on 12 February 2017, Adele performed a slow version of "Fastlove" in tribute to Michael.[251] On 22 February, Coldplay lead singer Chris Martin performed "A Different Corner" at the 2017 Brit Awards.[252] In June, Michael's close friend, former Spice Girls member Geri Halliwell, released a charity single, "Angels in Chains", a tribute to him, to raise money for Childline.[253]

In 2020, Michael was commemorated with a mural in his native borough of Brent.[254] The artwork, which formed part of the Brent Biennial, was commissioned to pay tribute to his contribution to the fields of music and entertainment.[255] Artist Dawn Mellor said it celebrates the singer as a pioneering cultural and LGBTQ+ figure.[256]

Awards and achievements

Michael won numerous music awards throughout his 30-year career, including three Brit Awards—winning Best British Male Artist twice, four MTV Video Music Awards, six Ivor Novello Awards, three American Music Awards (including two in the traditionally-black Soul/R&B category[257][258]), and two Grammy Awards from eight nominations.[259][260] In 2015, he was ranked 45th in Billboard's list of the "Greatest Hot 100 Artists of All Time".[261] The Radio Academy stated that Michael was the most frequently played artist on British radio during the period 1984–2004.[8] In 2019, Michael was named as the greatest artist of all time by Smooth Radio.[262] In 2023, Michael was nominated for induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.[263] On 3 May 2023, Michael was picked as an inductee to the 2023 class alongside Kate Bush, Willie Nelson, The Spinners, Missy Elliott and Rage Against the Machine.[264][265]

Discography and record sales

At the time of his death, Michael was estimated to have sold between 100 and 125 million records worldwide.[2][266][3] As a solo artist, he sold an estimated 100 million records, making him one of the best-selling music artists.[2] He is estimated to have sold up to 30 million records with Wham!.[267] His debut solo album Faith sold more than 25 million copies.[268]

Solo discography

Wham! discography

Tours

See also

References

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External links

  • Official website
  • George Michael at IMDb
  • George Michael at AllMusic  
  • George Michael lyrics at Music Lyrics
  • George Michael discography at Discogs

george, michael, other, people, named, disambiguation, born, georgios, kyriacos, panayiotou, june, 1963, december, 2016, english, singer, songwriter, record, producer, best, selling, musicians, time, with, sales, estimated, between, million, records, worldwide. For other people named George Michael see George Michael disambiguation George Michael born Georgios Kyriacos Panayiotou 25 June 1963 25 December 2016 was an English singer songwriter and record producer He is one of the best selling musicians of all time with his sales estimated at between 100 and 125 million records worldwide 2 3 Michael was known as a creative force in songwriting 4 vocal performance 5 and visual presentation 6 7 He achieved thirteen number one songs on the UK Singles Chart five with Wham and eight number one songs on the US Billboard Hot 100 Michael won numerous music awards including two Grammy Awards three Brit Awards twelve Billboard Music Awards and four MTV Video Music Awards He was listed among Billboard s the Greatest Hot 100 Artists of All Time and Rolling Stone s the 200 Greatest Singers of All Time The Radio Academy named him the most played artist on British radio during the period 1984 2004 8 Michael has been inducted into the Rock and Roll 9 and the UK Music halls of fame George MichaelMichael onstage during The Faith Tour in 1988BornGeorgios Kyriacos Panayiotou 1963 06 25 25 June 1963East Finchley Middlesex EnglandDied25 December 2016 2016 12 25 aged 53 Goring on Thames Oxfordshire EnglandResting placeHighgate Cemetery LondonOccupationsSingersongwriterrecord producerYears active1981 2016Partner s Anselmo Feleppa 1991 1993 Kenny Goss 1996 2009 Fadi Fawaz 2012 2016 Musical careerGenresPop dance pop post disco R amp BLabelsInnervision Columbia Epic Virgin DreamWorks Polydor Sony AegeanFormerly ofWham Boogie Box HighGeorge Michael s voice source source source from the BBC programme Desert Island Discs 5 October 2007 1 Websitewww wbr georgemichael wbr comBorn in East Finchley Middlesex Michael rose to fame as a member of the music duo Wham and later embarked on a solo career After he formed Wham with Andrew Ridgeley in 1981 the band s first two albums Fantastic 1983 and Make It Big 1984 reached number one on the UK Albums Chart and the US Billboard 200 Their hit singles included Wake Me Up Before You Go Go and Last Christmas Establishing themselves as a global act Wham toured China in April 1985 the tour was the first visit to China by a Western popular music act and it generated worldwide media coverage 10 11 Written primarily by George Michael the biggest chart topper by Wham Careless Whisper reached number one in over 20 countries including the UK and US 12 13 Before embarking on the production of his first solo album Michael went on to release two number one solo singles A Different Corner and the Aretha Franklin duet I Knew You Were Waiting For Me Michael s debut solo album Faith was released in 1987 topping the UK Albums Chart and staying at number one on the Billboard 200 for 12 weeks Globally it sold 25 million copies and four singles from the album Faith Father Figure One More Try and Monkey reached number one on the Billboard Hot 100 Michael became the best selling music artist of 1988 and Faith was awarded Album of the Year at the 1989 Grammy Awards His second solo album Listen Without Prejudice Vol 1 1990 sold approximately eight million copies and was a UK number one It included the Billboard Hot 100 number one Praying for Time and the worldwide hit Freedom 90 14 A 1991 live duet with Elton John Don t Let the Sun Go Down on Me was also a transatlantic number one Michael went on to release two more multimillion selling albums Older 1996 and Patience 2004 Outside music Michael was an active LGBT rights campaigner and HIV AIDS charity fundraiser His personal life drug use and legal troubles made headlines during the late 1990s and 2000s as he was arrested for public lewdness in 1998 and was arrested for multiple drug related offences after that time Michael came out as gay in 1998 The 2005 documentary A Different Story covered his career and personal life Michael s 25 Live tour spanned three tours from 2006 to 2008 Michael fell into a coma in 2011 during a bout with pneumonia but later recovered He performed his final concert at London s Earls Court in 2012 Michael died of heart disease on Christmas Day in 2016 at his home in Goring on Thames Oxfordshire Contents 1 Early life 2 Wham 3 Solo career 3 1 1987 1989 3 2 1990s 3 3 2000s 3 4 2010s 4 Posthumous releases 5 Personal life 5 1 Sexuality and relationships 5 2 Legal troubles 5 3 Health 5 4 Politics 5 5 Philanthropy 5 6 Assets 6 Death 6 1 Aftermath 7 Tributes 8 Awards and achievements 9 Discography and record sales 10 Tours 11 See also 12 References 13 External linksEarly lifeGeorge Michael was born Georgios Kyriacos Panayiotou Greek Gewrgios Kyriakos Panagiwtoy on 25 June 1963 in East Finchley 15 16 His father Kyriacos Jack Panayiotou 17 was a Greek Cypriot restaurateur who emigrated from Patriki Cyprus to England in the 1950s 18 His mother Lesley Angold born Harrison died 1997 19 was an English dancer 20 In June 2008 Michael told the Los Angeles Times that his maternal grandmother was Jewish but she married a non Jewish man and raised her children with no knowledge of their Jewish background due to her fear during World War II 21 Michael spent most of his childhood in Kingsbury London in the home his parents bought soon after his birth he attended Roe Green Junior School and Kingsbury High School 22 23 Michael had two sisters Yioda born 1958 and Melanie 1960 2019 19 24 On the BBC s Desert Island Discs he disclosed that his interest in music followed an injury to his head around the age of eight 25 While Michael was in his early teens the family moved to Radlett There Michael attended Bushey Meads School in Bushey where he befriended his future Wham partner Andrew Ridgeley The two had the same career ambition of being musicians 17 Michael busked on the London Underground performing songs such as 39 by Queen 26 His involvement in the music business began with his working as a DJ playing at clubs and local schools around Bushey Stanmore and Watford This was followed by the formation of a short lived ska band called The Executive with Ridgeley Ridgeley s brother Paul Andrew Leaver Jamie Gould and David Mortimer later known as David Austin 27 Wham Main article Wham Michael left and Andrew Ridgeley as Wham c 1984 1985 Michael formed the duo Wham with Andrew Ridgeley in 1981 On the cusp of fame he decided to legally change his name to the more accessible George Michael 4 The band s first album Fantastic reached No 1 in the UK in 1983 and produced a series of top 10 singles including Young Guns Wham Rap and Club Tropicana Their second album Make It Big reached No 1 on the charts in the US Singles from that album included Wake Me Up Before You Go Go No 1 in the UK and US Freedom Everything She Wants and Careless Whisper which reached No 1 in nearly 25 countries including the UK and US and was Michael s first solo effort as a single 12 13 In December 1984 the single Last Christmas was released 28 In 1985 Michael received the first of his three Ivor Novello Awards for Songwriter of the Year from the British Academy of Songwriters Composers and Authors 29 Michael performed on the original 1984 Band Aid recording of Do They Know It s Christmas he appears third on the song after Paul Young and Boy George sing their lines 30 The song became the UK Christmas number one and Michael also donated the profits from Last Christmas and Everything She Wants to charity 31 Michael sang Don t Let the Sun Go Down on Me with Elton John at Live Aid at Wembley Stadium in London on 13 July 1985 32 He also contributed background vocals to David Cassidy s 1985 hit The Last Kiss as well as Elton John s 1985 successes Nikita and Wrap Her Up Michael cited Cassidy as a major career influence and interviewed Cassidy for David Litchfield s Ritz Newspaper 33 Michael performed at Live Aid at the old Wembley Stadium exterior pictured on 13 July 1985 and Wham played their last concert The Final at the same venue on 28 June 1986 Wham s tour of China in April 1985 the first visit to China by a Western popular music act generated worldwide media coverage much of it centred on Michael 10 11 The headline in the Chicago Tribune read East meets Wham and another great wall comes down 11 Before Wham s appearance in China many kinds of music in the country were forbidden 10 The band s manager Simon Napier Bell had spent 18 months trying to convince Chinese officials to let the duo play 10 The audience included members of the Chinese government Chinese television presenter Kan Lijun who was the on stage host spoke of Wham s historic performance No one had ever seen anything like that before All the young people were amazed and everybody was tapping their feet Of course the police weren t happy and they were scared there would be riots 10 Wham performed their hits with scantily clad dancers and strobing disco lights According to Napier Bell Michael tried to get the crowd to clap along to Club Tropicana but they hadn t a clue they thought he wanted applause and politely gave it before adding that some Chinese did eventually get the hang of clapping on the beat 34 A UK embassy official in China stated there was some lively dancing but this was almost entirely confined to younger western members of the audience 34 The tour was documented by film director Lindsay Anderson and producer Martin Lewis in their film Wham in China Foreign Skies 35 With the success of Michael s solo singles Careless Whisper 1984 and A Different Corner 1986 rumours of an impending break up of Wham intensified The duo officially separated in 1986 after releasing a farewell single The Edge of Heaven and a farewell compilation The Final their third album Music from the Edge of Heaven was released in North America and Japan plus a sell out concert at Wembley Stadium that included the world premiere of the China film 36 The Wham partnership ended officially with the commercially successful single The Edge of Heaven which reached No 1 on the UK chart in June 1986 37 Solo career1987 1989 During early 1987 at the beginning of his solo career Michael released I Knew You Were Waiting For Me a duet with Aretha Franklin I Knew You Were Waiting For Me was a one off project that helped Michael achieve an ambition by singing with one of his favourite artists It scored number one on both the UK Singles Chart and the US Billboard Hot 100 upon its release 38 39 For Michael it became his third consecutive solo number one in the UK from three releases after 1984 s Careless Whisper though the single was actually from the Wham album Make It Big and 1986 s A Different Corner The single was also the first Michael had recorded as a solo artist which he had not written himself The co writer Simon Climie was unknown at the time he later had success as a performer with the band Climie Fisher in 1988 Michael and Aretha Franklin won a Grammy Award in 1988 for Best R amp B Performance Duo or Group with Vocal for the song 40 In late 1987 Michael released his debut solo album Faith The first single released from the album was I Want Your Sex in mid 1987 The song was banned by many radio stations in the UK and US due to its sexually suggestive lyrics 41 MTV broadcast the video featuring celebrity make up artist Kathy Jeung in a basque and suspenders only during the late night hours 41 Michael argued that the act was beautiful if the sex was monogamous and he recorded a brief prologue for the video in which he said This song is not about casual sex 42 One of the racier scenes involved Michael writing the words explore monogamy on his partner s back in lipstick 43 Some radio stations played a toned down version of the song I Want Your Love with the word love replacing sex 44 When I Want Your Sex reached the US charts American Top 40 host Casey Kasem refused to say the song s title referring to it only as the new single by George Michael 44 In the US the song was also sometimes listed as I Want Your Sex from Beverly Hills Cop II since the song was featured on the soundtrack of the movie 45 Despite censorship and radio play problems I Want Your Sex reached No 2 on the US Billboard Hot 100 and No 3 in the UK 12 46 The second single Faith was released in October 1987 a few weeks before the album Faith became one of his most popular songs The song was No 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 for four consecutive weeks becoming the best selling single of 1988 in the US 13 It also reached No 1 in Australia and No 2 on the UK Singles Chart 12 The video provided some definitive images of the 1980s music industry in the process Michael in shades leather jacket cowboy boots and Levi s jeans playing a guitar near a classic design jukebox 47 On 30 October Faith was released in the UK and in several markets worldwide 45 Faith topped the UK Albums Chart and in the US the album had 51 non consecutive weeks in the top 10 of Billboard 200 including 12 weeks at No 1 Faith had many successes with four singles Faith Father Figure One More Try and Monkey reaching No 1 in the US 48 Faith was certified Diamond by the RIAA for sales of 10 million copies in the US 49 To date global sales of Faith are more than 25 million units 50 The album was highly acclaimed by music critics with AllMusic journalist Steve Huey describing it as a superbly crafted mainstream pop rock masterpiece and one of the finest pop albums of the 80s 51 In a review by Rolling Stone magazine journalist Mark Coleman commended most of the songs on the album which he said displays Michael s intuitive understanding of pop music and his increasingly intelligent use of his power to communicate to an ever growing audience 52 In 1988 Michael embarked on a world tour 53 In Los Angeles Michael was joined on stage by Aretha Franklin for I Knew You Were Waiting For Me It was the second highest grossing event of 1988 earning 17 7 million 54 At the 1988 Brit Awards held at the Royal Albert Hall on 8 February Michael received the first of his two awards for Best British Male Solo Artist Later that month Faith won the Grammy Award for Album of the Year at the 31st Grammy Awards 55 At the 1989 MTV Video Music Awards on 6 September in Los Angeles Michael received the Video Vanguard Award 56 According to Michael in his film A Different Story success did not make him happy and he started to think there was something wrong in being an idol for millions of teenage girls The whole Faith process promotion videos tour awards left him exhausted lonely and frustrated and far from his friends and family 57 In 1990 he told his record company Sony that for his second album he did not want to do promotions like the one for Faith 58 1990s Listen Without Prejudice Vol 1 was released in September 1990 The title is an indication of his desire to be taken more seriously as a songwriter 59 It reached No 23 in the UK 12 and No 27 in the US 13 in October 1990 The album was released in Europe on 3 September 1990 and one week later in the US It reached No 1 in the UK Albums Chart 12 and peaked at No 2 on the US Billboard 200 13 It spent a total of 88 weeks on the UK Albums Chart and was certified four times Platinum by the BPI 60 The album produced five UK singles all of which were released within an eight month period Praying for Time Waiting for That Day Freedom 90 Heal the Pain and Cowboys and Angels the latter being his only single not to chart in the UK top 40 12 Michael refused to do any promotion for the album 58 At the 1991 Brit Awards Listen Without Prejudice Vol 1 won the award for Best British Album 61 The album s first single Praying for Time with lyrics concerning social ills and injustice was released in August 1990 James Hunter of Rolling Stone magazine described the song as a distraught look at the world s astounding woundedness Michael offers the healing passage of time as the only balm for physical and emotional hunger poverty hypocrisy and hatred 62 The song was an instant success reaching No 1 on the US Billboard Hot 100 and No 6 in the UK 13 A video was released shortly thereafter consisting of the lyrics on a dark background Michael did not appear in this video or any subsequent videos for the album 59 The second single from Listen Without Prejudice Vol 1 Waiting for That Day was an acoustic heavy single released as an immediate follow up to Praying for Time Freedom 90 was the second of only two singles from Listen Without Prejudice to be supported by a music video the other being the Michael less Praying for Time 63 The song alludes to his struggles with his artistic identity and prophesied his efforts shortly thereafter to end his recording contract with Sony Music As if to prove the song s sentiment Michael refused to appear in the video directed by David Fincher and instead recruited supermodels Naomi Campbell Linda Evangelista Christy Turlington Tatjana Patitz and Cindy Crawford to appear in and lip sync in his stead 63 It also featured lyrics critical of his sex symbol status 64 It reached No 8 success on the Billboard Hot 100 in the US 13 and No 28 on the UK Singles Chart 12 Mother s Pride gained significant radio play in the US during the first Persian Gulf War during 1991 often with radio stations mixing in callers tributes to soldiers with the music 65 Later in 1991 Michael embarked on the Cover to Cover tour in Japan England the US and Brazil where he performed at Rock in Rio 66 The tour was not a proper promotion for Listen Without Prejudice Vol 1 Rather it featured Michael singing his favourite cover songs 66 Among his favourites was Don t Let the Sun Go Down on Me a 1974 song by Elton John Michael and John had performed the song together at the Live Aid concert in 1985 and again for Michael s concert at London s Wembley Arena on 25 March 1991 where the duet was recorded Don t Let the Sun Go Down on Me was released as a single at the end of 1991 and reached No 1 in both the UK and US 67 In 1991 Michael released an autobiography through Penguin Books titled Bare co written with Tony Parsons 68 An expected follow up album Listen Without Prejudice Vol 2 was scrapped due to Michael s lawsuit with Sony 69 Instead Michael donated three songs to the charity project Red Hot Dance for the Red Hot Organization which raised money for AIDS awareness a fourth track Crazyman Dance was the B side of 1992 s Too Funky Michael donated the royalties from Too Funky to the same cause 70 Too Funky reached No 4 on the UK Singles Chart 12 and No 10 on the US Billboard Hot 100 13 George Michael was the best There s a certain note in his voice when he did Somebody to Love that was pure Freddie Queen guitarist Brian May on Michael s performance at the Freddie Mercury Tribute Concert 71 Michael performed with Queen at The Freddie Mercury Tribute Concert on 20 April 1992 at Wembley Stadium 72 The concert was a tribute to the life of the late Queen frontman Freddie Mercury with the proceeds going to AIDS research 73 Michael performed 39 These Are the Days of Our Lives with Lisa Stansfield and Somebody to Love Michael s performance of Somebody to Love was hailed as one of the best performances of the tribute concert 74 75 Michael later reflected It was probably the proudest moment for me of my career because it was me living out a childhood fantasy I suppose to sing one of Freddie s songs in front of 80 000 people 76 The Five Live EP 77 featured five live recordings six in several countries performed by Michael Queen and Lisa Stansfield Somebody to Love and These Are the Days of Our Lives were recorded at the Freddie Mercury Tribute Concert Killer Papa Was a Rollin Stone and Calling You were recorded during his Cover to Cover Tour from 1991 74 75 All proceeds from the sale of the EP benefited the Mercury Phoenix Trust 78 Sales of the EP were strong through Europe where it debuted at No 1 in the UK and several European countries 12 Chart success in the US was less spectacular where it reached No 40 on the Billboard 200 Somebody to Love reached No 30 on the US Billboard Hot 100 13 The performance would later feature on Queen s compilation album Greatest Hits III 79 During November 1994 after a long period of seclusion Michael appeared at the first MTV Europe Music Awards show where he gave a performance of a new song Jesus to a Child 80 The song was a melancholy tribute to his lover Anselmo Feleppa who had died in March 1993 The song entered the UK Singles Chart at No 1 and No 7 on Billboard upon release in 1996 12 13 It was Michael s longest UK Top 40 single at almost seven minutes long The exact identity of the song s subject and the nature of Michael s relationship with Feleppa was shrouded in innuendo and speculation as Michael had not confirmed he was homosexual and did not do so until 1998 The video for Jesus to a Child was a picture of images recalling loss pain and suffering Michael consistently dedicated the song to Feleppa before performing it live 81 Michael released Fastlove an energetic tune about wanting gratification and fulfilment without commitment in 1996 The single version was nearly five minutes long Fastlove was supported by a futuristic virtual reality related video The single reached No 1 on the UK Singles Chart spending three weeks at the top spot 12 In the US Fastlove peaked at No 8 13 Following Fastlove Michael released Older his third studio album 82 In the UK the album was particularly notable for producing a record six top three hit singles in a two year span 83 In 1996 Michael was voted Best British Male at the MTV Europe Music Awards and the Brit Awards 84 85 and at the British Academy s Ivor Novello Awards he was awarded the title of Songwriter of the Year for the third time 86 Michael performed a concert at Three Mills Studios London for MTV Unplugged 87 It was his first long performance in years and in the audience was Michael s mother who died of cancer the following year 88 Ladies amp Gentlemen The Best of George Michael 1998 was Michael s first solo greatest hits collection The collection of 28 songs 29 songs are included on the European and Australian release are separated into two halves with each containing a particular theme and mood The first CD titled For the Heart predominantly contains ballads the second CD For the Feet consists mainly of dance tunes It was released through Sony Music Entertainment as a condition of severing contractual ties with the label 89 Ladies amp Gentlemen was a success peaking at No 1 on the UK Albums Chart for eight weeks 12 It spent over 200 weeks in the UK chart and is the 45th best selling album of all time in the UK 90 It is certified seven times platinum in the UK and multi platinum in the US and is Michael s most commercially successful album in his homeland having sold more than 2 8 million copies 60 As of 2013 the album had reached worldwide sales of approximately 15 million copies 91 The first single of the album Outside was a humorous song making a reference to his arrest for soliciting a policeman in a public toilet As his duet with Mary J Blige was released as the second single in many territories around the world Both singles reached the top 5 in the UK Singles Chart 12 Released in 1999 Songs from the Last Century is a studio album of cover tracks The album achieved the lowest peak of his solo efforts peaking at No 157 on the American Billboard 200 albums chart 13 and at No 2 in the UK Albums Chart 12 2000s Garth Brooks and Michael at the Robert F Kennedy Memorial Stadium Washington 29 April 2000 In 2000 Michael worked on the hit single If I Told You That with Whitney Houston 92 Michael co produced on the single along with Rodney Jerkins 93 Michael s first single from his fifth studio album Freeek reached the Top 10 in the UK 94 His next single was Shoot the Dog which was released in July 2002 during the lead up to the 2003 invasion of Iraq The video for the song showed Tony Blair as George Bush s poodle 95 The single s cover featured the Daily Mirror s Howdy Poodle front page from earlier in the year Responding to criticism Michael said I am British I live here I pay my taxes and I m very very worried that we are now the second most dangerous country in the world thanks to our special relationship with America 96 It reached No 1 in Denmark and made the top 5 in most European charts 97 It peaked at No 12 on the UK Singles Chart 12 In February 2003 Michael recorded another song in protest against the looming Iraq war Don McLean s The Grave The original was written by McLean in 1971 and was a protest against the Vietnam War Michael performed the song on numerous TV shows including Top of the Pops and So Graham Norton His performance of the song on Top of the Pops on 7 March 2003 was his first studio appearance on the programme since 1986 He ran into conflict with the show s producers for an anti war anti Blair T shirt worn by some members of his band McLean stated that he was proud of George Michael for standing up for life and sanity 98 Michael performing in Antwerp Belgium 2006 When Michael s fifth studio album Patience was released in 2004 it was critically acclaimed and went to No 1 on the UK Albums Chart 12 The album became one of the fastest selling albums in the UK selling over 200 000 copies in the first week alone 99 It reached the Top 5 on most European charts and peaked at No 12 in the US selling over 500 000 copies to earn a Gold certification from the RIAA 13 Amazing the third single from the album became a No 1 hit in Europe 100 When Michael appeared on The Oprah Winfrey Show on 26 May 2004 to promote the album he performed Amazing along with his classic songs Father Figure and Faith 101 On the show Michael spoke of his arrest the public revelation of his homosexuality and his resumption of public performances He allowed Oprah s crew inside his home outside London 102 The fourth single taken off the album was Flawless It was a dance hit in Europe as well as North America reaching No 1 on the Billboard Hot Dance Club Play and becoming Michael s last No 1 single on the US Dance chart 12 Twenty Five is Michael s second greatest hits album celebrating the 25th anniversary of his music career 103 Released in November 2006 by Sony BMG it debuted at no 1 in the UK 104 Michael onstage in Munich 2006 During the 2005 Live 8 concert at Hyde Park London Michael joined Paul McCartney on stage harmonising on The Beatles classic Drive My Car 105 In 2006 Michael embarked on his first tour in 15 years 25 Live The tour began in Barcelona Spain on 23 September and finished in December at Wembley Arena in England 106 On 9 June 2007 Michael became the first artist to perform live at the newly renovated Wembley Stadium in London 107 On 25 March 2008 a third part of the 25 Live Tour was announced for North America with 21 dates in the US and Canada 106 Michael made his American acting debut by playing a guardian angel to Jonny Lee Miller s character on Eli Stone a US TV series Each episode of the show s first season was named after a song of his Michael also appeared on the 2008 finale show of American Idol on 21 May singing Praying for Time When asked what he thought Simon Cowell would say of his performance he replied I think he ll probably tell me I shouldn t have done a George Michael song He s told plenty of people that in the past so I think that d be quite funny 108 109 110 On 25 December 2008 Michael released a new Christmas themed track December Song on his website for free 111 2010s Michael at the Royal Opera House in 2011 In early 2010 Michael performed his first concerts in Australia since 1988 112 On 20 February 2010 Michael performed his first show in Perth at the Burswood Dome to an audience of 15 000 113 On 2 March 2011 Michael announced the release of his cover version of New Order s 1987 hit True Faith in aid of the UK charity telethon Comic Relief 114 Michael appeared on Comic Relief itself featuring in the first Carpool Karaoke sketch of James Corden with the pair singing songs while Corden drove around London 115 On 15 April 2011 Michael released a cover of Stevie Wonder s 1972 song You and I as an MP3 gift to Prince William and Catherine Middleton on the occasion of their wedding on 29 April 2011 Although the MP3 was released for free download 116 Michael appealed to those who downloaded the track to make a contribution to The Prince William amp Miss Catherine Middleton Charitable Gift Fund 117 Michael at the closing ceremony of the 2012 London Summer Olympics LED lights during Michael s performance of his 1990 single Freedom at the ceremony The Symphonica Tour began at the Prague State Opera House on 22 August 2011 118 In October 2011 Michael was announced as one of the final nominees for the Songwriter s Hall of Fame 119 In November he had to cancel the remainder of the tour as he became ill with pneumonia in Vienna Austria ultimately slipping into a coma 120 In February 2012 two months after leaving hospital Michael made a surprise appearance at the 2012 Brit Awards at the O2 Arena in London where he received a standing ovation and presented Adele the award for Best British Album 121 In March Michael announced that he was healthy and that the Symphonica Tour would resume in autumn 122 The final concert of the tour which was also the final concert of Michael s life was performed at London s Earls Court on 17 October 2012 123 Symphonica was released on 17 March 2014 and became Michael s seventh solo No 1 album in the UK and ninth overall including his Wham chart toppers The album was produced by Phil Ramone and Michael the album was Ramone s last production credit 124 On 2 November 2016 Michael s management team announced that a second documentary on his life entitled Freedom was set to be released in March 2017 125 126 A month after English songwriter Naughty Boy confirmed plans to collaborate with Michael for a new song and album 127 Naughty Boy claimed that the song is amazing but bittersweet 128 On 7 September 2017 months after Michael s death the single Fantasy featuring Nile Rodgers was released 129 Having charted at number two upon its release in 1984 behind Band Aid s Do They Know It s Christmas which Michael also performed in Last Christmas finally reached number one in the UK Singles Chart on New Year s Day 2021 chart week ending date 7 January 2021 more than 36 years after its initial release 130 Andrew Ridgeley said the chart placing was a testament to its timeless appeal and charm adding It is a fitting tribute to George s song writing genius he would have been immensely proud and utterly thrilled 130 The period of 36 years taken to reach number one was a UK chart record which would be surpassed by Kate Bush with Running Up That Hill in June 2022 which took 37 years 131 Posthumous releasesOn 7 September 2017 Michael s estate released the single Fantasy Written and produced by Michael was recorded while he was working on Listen Without Prejudice Vol 1 However the track was not included on the album Instead in October 1990 it was featured on the Waiting for That Day single in the United Kingdom and on the Freedom 90 single in the rest of the world 132 On 7 September 2017 a new version reworked by Nile Rodgers was released as a single from Listen Without Prejudice MTV Unplugged 2017 133 The album includes the original version of Fantasy and the 1998 version 134 the Nile Rodgers remix was not included on the disc but was made available to purchasers as a digital download On 18 October 2017 a music video was released on Vevo 135 In 2019 the Emma Thompson written film Last Christmas was released The title of the film is taken from the Wham classic An official soundtrack album was released by Legacy Recordings on CD two disc vinyl and digital formats on 8 November 2019 136 The album contains 14 Wham and solo George Michael songs as well as a previously unreleased song originally completed in 2015 titled This Is How We Want You to Get High 137 The soundtrack album debuted at number one on the UK Official Soundtrack Albums Chart and at number 11 on the UK Albums Chart on 15 November 2019 138 139 It also entered the Australian Albums Chart at number seven 140 the Irish Albums Chart where it debuted at number 32 climbing to number 26 the following week and at number 55 on the US Billboard 200 141 142 On 22 June 2022 the documentary film Freedom Uncut was released Michael had been working on the film shortly before his death alongside David Austin 143 and provides the narration throughout 144 NME The Guardian and Empire all praised the film and rated it 4 5 stars 145 146 147 On September 30 2022 a remastered and expanded version of Older was released comprising the original Older album the Upper disc and three bonus CDs containing remixes and live recordings of Older era tracks 148 The album charted at number 2 on the UK Official Albums Chart Top 100 on 7 October 2022 149 Personal lifeSexuality and relationships Michael stated that his early fantasies were about women which led me to believe I was on the path to heterosexuality but at puberty he started to fantasise about men which he later said had something to do with my environment At the age of 19 Michael told Andrew Ridgeley that he was bisexual 150 Michael also told one of his two sisters but he was advised not to tell his parents about his sexuality 151 In a 1999 interview with The Advocate Michael told the Editor in Chief Judy Wieder that it was falling in love with a man that ended his conflict over bisexuality I never had a moral problem with being gay Michael told her I thought I had fallen in love with a woman a couple of times Then I fell in love with a man and realised that none of those things had been love 152 In 2004 Michael said I used to sleep with women quite a lot in the Wham days but never felt it could develop into a relationship because I knew that emotionally I was a gay man I didn t want to commit to them but I was attracted to them Then I became ashamed that I might be using them I decided I had to stop which I did when I began to worry about AIDS which was becoming prevalent in Britain Although I had always had safe sex I didn t want to sleep with a woman without telling her I was bisexual I felt that would be irresponsible Basically I didn t want to have that uncomfortable conversation that might ruin the moment so I stopped sleeping with them In the same interview he added If I wasn t with Kenny his boyfriend at the time I would have sex with women no question He said he believed that the formation of his sexuality was a nurture thing via the absence of my father who was always busy working It meant I was exceptionally close to my mother though he stated that there are definitely those who have a predisposition to being gay in which the environment is irrelevant 150 In 2007 Michael said he had hidden his sexuality because of worries over what effect it might have on his mother 151 Two years later he added My depression at the end of Wham was because I was beginning to realise I was gay not bisexual 153 During the late 1980s Michael had a relationship with make up artist Kathy Jeung who was regarded for a time as his artistic muse and who appeared in the I Want Your Sex video 154 Michael later said that she had been his only bona fide girlfriend and that she knew of his bisexuality 150 In 2016 Jeung reacted to Michael s death by calling him a true friend with whom she had spent some of the best time of her life 155 In 1992 Michael established a relationship with Anselmo Feleppa a Brazilian dress designer who he had met at the Rock in Rio concert in 1991 Six months into their relationship Feleppa discovered that he was HIV positive Michael later said It was terrifying news I thought I could have the disease too I couldn t go through it with my family because I didn t know how to share it with them they didn t even know I was gay 153 In 1993 Feleppa died of an AIDS related brain haemorrhage 156 Michael s single Jesus to a Child is a tribute to Feleppa Michael consistently dedicated it to him before performing it live as is his album Older 1996 157 In 2008 speaking about the loss of Feleppa Michael said It was a terribly depressing time It took about three years to grieve then after that I lost my mother I felt almost like I was cursed 158 In 1996 Michael entered into a long term relationship with Kenny Goss a former flight attendant cheerleading coach 159 and sportswear executive from Dallas Texas 160 They had a home in Dallas 161 a 16th century house in Goring on Thames Oxfordshire 162 163 and an 8 million mansion in Highgate North London 156 In late November 2005 it was reported that Michael and Goss planned to register their relationship as a civil partnership in the UK 164 but because of negative publicity and his upcoming tour they postponed their plans 165 On 22 August 2011 the opening night of his Symphonica world tour Michael announced that he and Goss had split two years earlier 166 Michael s homosexuality became publicly known following his April 1998 arrest for public lewdness 167 In 2007 Michael said that hiding his sexuality made him feel fraudulent and his eventual outing when he was arrested in 1998 was a subconsciously deliberate act 168 In 2012 Michael entered a relationship with Fadi Fawaz a Lebanese Australian celebrity hairstylist and freelance photographer based in London 169 170 It was Fawaz who found Michael s body on Christmas morning 2016 171 172 Legal troubles On 7 April 1998 Michael was arrested for engaging in a lewd act in a public restroom of the Will Rogers Memorial Park in Beverly Hills California 173 174 Michael was arrested by undercover policeman Marcelo Rodriguez in a sting operation 175 In an MTV interview Michael stated I got followed into the restroom and then this cop I didn t know it was a cop obviously he started playing this game which I think is called I ll show you mine you show me yours and then when you show me yours I m going to nick you 176 Michael performing Outside at the Olympic Stadium Athens in 2007 After pleading no contest to the charge Michael was fined US 810 and sentenced to 80 hours of community service Soon afterwards Michael made a video for his single Outside which satirised the public toilet incident and featured men dressed as policemen kissing Rodriguez claimed that this video mocked him and that Michael had slandered him in interviews In 1999 he brought a US 10 million court case in California against the singer The court dismissed the case but an appellate court reinstated it on 3 December 2002 177 The court then ruled that Rodriguez as a public official could not legally recover damages for emotional distress 178 On 23 July 2006 Michael was again accused of engaging in anonymous public sex this time at London s Hampstead Heath 179 Michael stated that his cruising for anonymous sex was not an issue in his relationship with partner Kenny Goss 180 In February 2006 Michael was arrested for possession of Class C drugs an incident that he described as my own stupid fault as usual He was cautioned by the police and released 181 In 2007 he pleaded guilty to drug impaired driving after obstructing the road at traffic lights in Cricklewood in northwest London and was subsequently banned from driving for two years and sentenced to community service 182 On 19 September 2008 Michael was arrested in a public restroom in the Hampstead Heath area for possession of Class A and C drugs He was taken to the police station and cautioned for controlled substance possession 183 In the early hours of 4 July 2010 Michael was returning from the Gay Pride parade when he was spotted on CCTV crashing his car into the front of a Snappy Snaps store in Hampstead north London and was arrested on suspicion of being unfit to drive 184 185 On 12 August London s Metropolitan Police said he was charged with possession of cannabis and with driving while unfit through drink or drugs 186 It was reported that Michael had also been taking the prescription tricyclic antidepressant medication amitriptyline 187 On 24 August 2010 the singer pleaded guilty at Highbury Corner Magistrates Court in London after admitting driving under the influence of drugs 188 On 14 September 2010 at the same court Michael was sentenced to eight weeks in prison a fine and a five year ban from driving 189 190 Michael was released from Highpoint Prison in Suffolk on 11 October 2010 after serving four weeks 191 In the dent in the shop wall Michael had crashed into someone graffitied the word Wham 192 Health Michael struggled with substance abuse for many years 193 194 He was arrested for drug related offences in 2006 181 2008 183 and 2010 184 185 In September 2007 on BBC Radio 4 s Desert Island Discs Michael said that his cannabis use was a problem he wished he could smoke less of it and was constantly trying to do so 195 On 5 December 2009 in an interview with The Guardian Michael explained he had cut back on cannabis and was smoking only seven or eight spliffs per day instead of the 25 per day he had formerly smoked 196 Michael also abused sleeping pills 194 On 26 October 2011 Michael cancelled a performance at the Royal Albert Hall in London due to a viral infection On 21 November Vienna General Hospital admitted Michael after he complained of chest pains while at a hotel two hours before his performance at a venue there for his Symphonica Tour Michael appeared to be in good spirits and responded well to treatment following his admission but on 25 November hospital officials said that his condition had worsened overnight This development led to cancellations and postponements of Michael s remaining 2011 performances which had been scheduled mainly for the United Kingdom 197 The singer was later confirmed to have suffered from pneumonia and until 1 December was in an intensive care unit at one point he was comatose On 21 December the hospital discharged him Michael told the press that he had undergone a tracheotomy 198 that the staff at the hospital had saved his life and that he would perform a free concert for them 199 After waking from the coma Michael had a temporary West Country accent and there was concern he had developed foreign accent syndrome 200 On 16 May 2013 Michael sustained a head injury when he fell from his moving car on the M1 motorway near St Albans in Hertfordshire and was airlifted to hospital 201 202 203 On 29 May Michael s publicist confirmed that he had left the hospital and that his injuries were superficial 204 In 2014 Michael stated that he had refrained from using cannabis for one and one half years In June 2015 he checked into a drug rehabilitation facility in Switzerland 205 Politics To call us Thatcherite was so simplistic basically saying that if you ve got a deep enough tan and made a bit of money then you ve got to be a Thatcherite Michael a Labour voter throughout the 1980s distancing himself from Thatcher s Conservative Party 206 Michael s father was a communist At the age of fifteen Michael joined the Young Communist League under his Greek name 207 During the time of Margaret Thatcher as the Conservative Prime Minister of the United Kingdom throughout the 1980s Michael voted Labour 206 In September 1984 Wham performed at a benefit concert at London s Royal Festival Hall for the striking UK miners 208 In 2000 Michael joined Melissa Etheridge Garth Brooks Queen Latifah the Pet Shop Boys and k d lang to perform in Washington D C as part of Equality Rocks a concert to benefit the Human Rights Campaign 209 an American LGBT rights group His 2002 single Shoot the Dog was critical of the friendly relationship between the UK and US governments in particular the relationship between Tony Blair and George W Bush with their involvement in the War on Terror 210 Michael voiced his concern about the lack of public consultation in the UK regarding the War on Terror On an issue as enormous as the possible bombing of Iraq how can you represent us when you haven t asked us what we think 210 In 2006 Michael performed a free concert for NHS nurses in London to thank the nurses who had cared for his late mother He told the audience Thank you for everything you do some people appreciate it Now if we can only get the government to do the same thing 211 In 2007 Michael sent the 1 450 000 piano that John Lennon used to write Imagine around the United States on a peace tour displaying at places where notable acts of violence had taken place such as Dallas Dealey Plaza where US President John F Kennedy had been shot 212 He devoted his 2007 concert in Sofia from his Twenty Five Tour to the Bulgarian nurses prosecuted in the HIV trial in Libya 213 On 17 June 2008 Michael said he was thrilled by California s legalisation of same sex marriage calling the move way overdue 214 Philanthropy In November 1984 Michael joined other British and Irish pop stars of the era to form Band Aid singing on the charity song Do They Know It s Christmas for famine relief in Ethiopia This single became the UK Christmas number one in December 1984 holding Michael s own song Last Christmas by Wham at No 2 215 Do They Know It s Christmas sold 3 75 million copies in the UK and became the biggest selling single in UK chart history a title it held until 1997 when it was overtaken by Elton John s Candle in the Wind 1997 released in tribute to Princess Diana following her death Michael attended Diana s funeral with Elton John 215 Michael donated the royalties from Last Christmas to Band Aid and subsequently sang with Elton John at Live Aid the Band Aid charity concert in 1985 216 In 1986 Michael took part in the Prince s Trust charity concert held at Wembley Arena performing Everytime You Go Away alongside Paul Young 217 In 1988 Michael participated in the Nelson Mandela 70th Birthday Tribute at Wembley Stadium in London together with many other singers such as Annie Lennox and Sting performing Sexual Healing 218 An LGBT rights campaigner and HIV AIDS charity fundraiser 219 220 221 the proceeds from the 1991 single Don t Let the Sun Go Down on Me were divided among 10 different charities for children AIDS and education He was also a patron of the Elton John AIDS Foundation 222 Michael wore a red ribbon at the Freddie Mercury Tribute Concert at Wembley Stadium in April 1992 223 224 He was instrumental in bringing the compilation CD Red Hot Dance to fruition contributing three original songs with the album featuring Seal and Madonna among others 225 In 2003 he paired up with Ronan Keating on the UK edition of the game show Who Wants to Be a Millionaire and won 32 000 after having their original 64 000 winnings halved by answering the 125 000 question incorrectly 226 227 The same year Michael joined other celebrities to support a campaign to help raise 20 million for terminally ill children run by the Rainbow Trust Children s Charity of which he was a patron He said Loss is such an incredibly difficult thing I bow down to people who actually have to deal with the loss of a child 228 5 The Grove Michael s home in Highgate north London is a grade II listed building 229 230 Following Michael s death various charities revealed that Michael had privately supported them for many years Those charities included Childline to whom he had donated millions 231 207 the Terrence Higgins Trust and Macmillan Cancer Support 232 Michael also donated to individuals he reportedly called the production team of the quiz show Deal or No Deal after a contestant had revealed that she needed 15 000 to fund IVF treatment and anonymously paid for the treatment 232 Michael once tipped a student nurse working as a barmaid 5 000 because she was in debt 233 On 3 January 2017 another woman came forward and with the permission of Michael s family revealed he had anonymously paid for her IVF treatment after seeing her talk about her problems conceiving on an episode of This Morning in 2010 The woman gave birth to a girl in 2012 234 After his death it was also revealed that Michael had been anonymously paying for an annual Christmas tree erected where he lived in Highgate as well as funding the Christmas lights for the previous decade He was also the largest funder of Highgate s annual Fair in the Square for those ten years donating anonymously as a local resident 235 236 Assets Between 2006 and 2008 according to reports Michael earned 48 5 million from the 25 Live tour alone 237 In July 2014 he was reported to have been a celebrity investor in a tax avoidance scheme called Liberty 238 According to the Sunday Times Rich List 2015 of the wealthiest British musicians Michael was worth 105 million 239 Death Grave of Michael alongside his mother and sister in Highgate Cemetery In the early hours of Christmas Day 2016 Michael died in bed at his home in Goring on Thames at the age of 53 He was found by his partner Fadi Fawaz 171 172 240 In March 2017 a senior coroner in Oxfordshire attributed Michael s death to dilated cardiomyopathy with myocarditis and a fatty liver 241 242 243 244 Owing to the delay in determining the cause of death Michael s funeral was held on 29 March 2017 In a private ceremony he was buried at Highgate Cemetery in north London on one side of his mother s grave 245 His sister Melanie who died exactly three years after him is buried on the other side 246 Aftermath Unofficial memorial garden outside Michael s home in Highgate 29 July 2017 In the summer of 2017 a temporary informal memorial garden was created outside Michael s former home in The Grove Highgate The site in a private square that Michael had owned was tended by fans for approximately eighteen months until it was cleared 247 In March 2019 Michael s art collection was auctioned in England for 11 3 million The proceeds were donated to various philanthropic organisations Michael gave to while he was alive 248 Michael s will left most of his 97 million estate to his sisters his father and friends It did not include bequests to either Fawaz or to his former partner Kenny Goss In 2021 following legal proceedings the trustees of Michael s estate entered into a financial settlement with Goss 249 Tributes Elton John performing a tribute to Michael at Twickenham London in June 2017 Elton John was among those who paid tribute to Michael emotionally addressing the audience in Las Vegas on 28 December What a singer what a songwriter But more than anything as a human being he was one of the kindest sweetest most generous people I ve ever met 250 At the 59th Annual Grammy Awards on 12 February 2017 Adele performed a slow version of Fastlove in tribute to Michael 251 On 22 February Coldplay lead singer Chris Martin performed A Different Corner at the 2017 Brit Awards 252 In June Michael s close friend former Spice Girls member Geri Halliwell released a charity single Angels in Chains a tribute to him to raise money for Childline 253 In 2020 Michael was commemorated with a mural in his native borough of Brent 254 The artwork which formed part of the Brent Biennial was commissioned to pay tribute to his contribution to the fields of music and entertainment 255 Artist Dawn Mellor said it celebrates the singer as a pioneering cultural and LGBTQ figure 256 Awards and achievementsMain article List of awards and nominations received by George Michael Michael won numerous music awards throughout his 30 year career including three Brit Awards winning Best British Male Artist twice four MTV Video Music Awards six Ivor Novello Awards three American Music Awards including two in the traditionally black Soul R amp B category 257 258 and two Grammy Awards from eight nominations 259 260 In 2015 he was ranked 45th in Billboard s list of the Greatest Hot 100 Artists of All Time 261 The Radio Academy stated that Michael was the most frequently played artist on British radio during the period 1984 2004 8 In 2019 Michael was named as the greatest artist of all time by Smooth Radio 262 In 2023 Michael was nominated for induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame 263 On 3 May 2023 Michael was picked as an inductee to the 2023 class alongside Kate Bush Willie Nelson The Spinners Missy Elliott and Rage Against the Machine 264 265 Discography and record salesAt the time of his death Michael was estimated to have sold between 100 and 125 million records worldwide 2 266 3 As a solo artist he sold an estimated 100 million records making him one of the best selling music artists 2 He is estimated to have sold up to 30 million records with Wham 267 His debut solo album Faith sold more than 25 million copies 268 Main article George Michael discography See also Wham discography Solo discography Faith 1987 Listen Without Prejudice Vol 1 1990 Older 1996 Songs from the Last Century 1999 Patience 2004 Wham discography Fantastic 1983 Make It Big 1984 ToursSee also List of George Michael live performances The Faith Tour 1988 89 Cover to Cover 1991 25 Live 2006 08 George Michael Live in Australia 2010 Symphonica Tour 2011 12 See alsoImagine Piano Peace Project List of artists by number of UK Singles Chart number ones List of artists who reached number one in the United States List of best selling music artists Panayiotou v Sony Music Entertainment UK LtdPortals United Kingdom LGBT London Pop music R amp B and Soul MusicReferences George Michael Desert Island Discs 5 October 2007 BBC Radio 4 Archived from the original on 27 February 2015 Retrieved 18 January 2014 a b c Troubled personal life of pop superstar George Michael Sky News 27 December 2016 Retrieved 27 December 2016 a b KEEPING FAITH WARNER CHAPPELL MUSIC RENEWS PUBLISHING DEAL WITH GEORGE MICHAEL S ESTATE PRN Press release Archived from the original on 3 February 2023 Retrieved 3 February 2023 a b Rubiner Julia 1993 Contemporary Musicians Profiles of the People in Music Volume 9 Gale Research Incorporated p 169 As a solo artist George Michael has been hailed as a leading creative force in popular songwriting With fame approaching Michael decided to change his name from the intimidating Georgios 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from the original on 9 February 2023 Retrieved 21 April 2011 Part one Chez Nobby Fortunecity Retrieved 21 April 2011 George Michael s Older Turns 25 Anniversary Retrospective Albumism Archived from the original on 3 October 2021 Retrieved 14 October 2021 Making George Michael Older 19 July 2021 Archived from the original on 28 October 2021 Retrieved 14 October 2021 1996 MTV Europe Awards MetroLyrics com 14 November 1996 Archived from the original on 22 October 2012 Retrieved 21 April 2011 a href Template Cite web html title Template Cite web cite web a CS1 maint unfit URL link The Brit Awards Archived 19 April 2012 at the Wayback Machine everyHit com Retrieved 21 April 2011 George Michael Star Snapshot Femail com au 27 April 2009 Archived from the original on 10 May 2010 Retrieved 27 April 2009 George Michael on Archived 22 December 2009 at the Wayback Machine TV com 20 December 2008 Retrieved 21 April 2011 George Michael s Suicidal Thoughts After Mother s Death Archived 17 June 2011 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Charts Number 1 Single Singer becomes 3 x Official Charts Record Breaker with Stranger Things success Official Charts Company Archived from the original on 17 June 2022 Retrieved 17 June 2022 Ben Beaumont Thomas 7 September 2017 George Michael s new single Fantasy a rework full of sex funk and fabulousness The Guardian Archived from the original on 10 October 2017 Retrieved 17 October 2017 Jon Blistein 7 September 2017 Encore Hear George Michael s Posthumous Fantasy Remake With Nile Rodgers Rolling Stone Archived from the original on 17 October 2017 Retrieved 17 October 2017 Listen Without Prejudice MTV Unplugged Region Free Box set Amazon co uk Archived from the original on 18 October 2017 Retrieved 17 October 2017 George Michael Fantasy Official Video ft Nile Rodgers Archived from the original on 11 November 2022 Retrieved 11 November 2022 via YouTube Kaufman Gil 4 October 2019 Last Christmas Soundtrack Track List See It Here Billboard Archived from the original on 9 May 2021 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the original on 16 December 2008 Retrieved 27 April 2009 a b George Michael arrest over drugs BBC News 20 September 2008 Archived from the original on 14 August 2010 Retrieved 20 September 2008 a b George Michael Arrested Sky Living HD Archived from the original on 26 June 2011 Retrieved 6 July 2010 a b Paine Andre 6 July 2010 George Michael Arrested After London Car Crash Billboard Archived from the original on 4 July 2013 Retrieved 12 August 2010 George Michael Charged With Drug Driving Offenses Archived 20 August 2020 at the Wayback Machine Billboard 12 August 2010 Cheston Paul 14 September 2010 George Michael gets eight weeks in jail for drug driving crash London Evening Standard Archived from the original on 16 September 2010 Retrieved 10 October 2010 George Michael pleads guilty to driving under the influence of drugs BBC News 24 August 2010 Archived from the original on 24 November 2010 Retrieved 12 September 2011 George Michael jailed for eight weeks for drug driving BBC News 14 September 2010 Archived from the original on 15 September 2010 Retrieved 14 September 2010 George Michael jailed for eight weeks The Daily Telegraph London 14 September 2010 Archived from the original on 17 September 2010 Retrieved 14 September 2010 George Michael released from prison The Daily Telegraph London 11 October 2010 Archived from the original on 13 October 2010 Retrieved 11 October 2010 George Michael pleads guilty to drug offenses The Washington Times Washington 24 August 2010 Archived from the original on 9 May 2021 Retrieved 9 May 2021 George Michael s boyfriend reveals he died alone at home amid claims he had battled heroin habit Telegraph 28 December 2016 Archived from the original on 10 January 2022 Retrieved 23 September 2018 a b Guthrie Susannah 27 December 2016 Drugs depression weight gain George Michael s challenging final years The New Daily Archived from the original on 23 September 2018 Retrieved 23 September 2018 Drug is a problem Michael admits BBC News 30 September 2007 Archived from the original on 3 January 2008 Retrieved 27 April 2009 Hattenstone Simon 5 December 2009 George Michael I m surprised I ve survived my own dysfunction The Guardian London Archived from the original on 21 December 2013 Retrieved 15 January 2010 George Michael shelves all 2011 tour dates due to illness NME UK 15 September 2011 Archived from the original on 28 November 2011 Retrieved 25 November 2011 George Michael It was the worst month of my life BBC Mobile 23 December 2011 Archived from the original on 23 December 2011 Retrieved 23 December 2011 Good Tidings George Michael Out of Hospital and Homeward Bound E 22 December 2011 Archived from the original on 9 January 2012 Retrieved 31 December 2011 George Michael I woke up from coma with a West Country accent The Daily Telegraph London 18 July 2012 Archived from the original on 10 January 2022 Retrieved 17 December 2012 George Michael injured in M1 crash BBC 17 May 2013 Archived from the original on 19 May 2013 Retrieved 22 May 2013 He was lucky he didn t die George Michael fell out of speeding car onto M1 motorway according to eye witness The Independent London 21 May 2013 Archived from the original on 29 May 2013 Retrieved 22 May 2013 Casciato Paul 21 May 2013 Singer George Michael under observation for head injuries Reuters Archived from the original on 15 March 2016 Retrieved 22 May 2013 George Michael leaves hospital after falling from car on motorway The Guardian 29 May 2013 Archived from the original on 28 September 2021 Retrieved 27 September 2021 George Michael checks into rehab for substance abuse Washington Post 14 June 2015 Archived from the original on 20 February 2020 Retrieved 27 September 2021 a b Lynskey Dorian 2011 33 Revolutions Per Minute Faber amp Faber p 1836 a b Leonard Charles 13 December 2019 Shoot the Dog George Michael New Frame Archived from the original on 20 April 2021 Retrieved 20 March 2021 Stanley Bob 26 December 2016 Why Wham were positively the most misunderstood group of the 1980s the Guardian Archived from the original on 2 January 2022 Retrieved 4 January 2022 Basham David 28 February 2000 George Michael Queen Latifah To Rock For Equality Archived from the original on 7 November 2012 Retrieved 12 June 2011 a b Michael s video lampoons the Blairs No 1 July 2002 Retrieved 11 April 2015 Michael stages concert for nurses BBC News 21 December 2006 Archived from the original on 27 December 2016 Retrieved 27 December 2016 Most Expensive Musical Instruments Forbes 10 April 2006 Archived from the original on 18 May 2006 Retrieved 15 February 2008 Bulgaria George Michael Free Bulgaria s Nurses in Libya Novinite com 29 May 2007 Archived from the original on 28 June 2011 Retrieved 27 April 2009 Rodman Natalie 18 June 2008 George Michael sounds off on gay marriage USA Today Associated Press Archived from the original on 28 October 2008 Retrieved 12 September 2011 a b Sedghi Ami 4 November 2012 UK s million selling singles the full list The Guardian London England Archived from the original on 18 February 2019 Retrieved 4 November 2012 Butcher Asa 20 November 2014 30 years later the original Band Aid performers gbtimes com Archived from the original on 26 December 2016 Retrieved 25 December 2016 Wham star and solo artist George Michael dies peacefully at home aged 53 The Guardian 26 December 2016 Archived from the original on 26 December 2016 Retrieved 26 December 2016 Elman Peter Tony Hollingsworth Nelson Mandela 70th Birthday Tribute Tribute Inspirations Limited Archived from the original on 28 March 2016 Retrieved 25 December 2016 Jones Owen 26 December 2016 George Michael was a defiant gay icon His memory must not be sanitised The Guardian Archived from the original on 26 December 2016 Retrieved 26 December 2016 Royes Luke 26 December 2016 George Michael remembered as gay trailblazer who pushed pop boundaries ABC Archived from the original on 26 December 2016 Retrieved 26 December 2016 Hooper Ryan 26 December 2016 How George Michael became one of the world s most important LGBT rights campaigners The Independent Archived from the original on 26 December 2016 Retrieved 26 December 2016 Our Patrons Elton John AIDS Foundation Archived from the original on 12 October 2013 Retrieved 25 July 2012 Sander L Gilman Diseases amp diagnoses the second age of biology p 50 Transaction Publishers 2010 Sarah E H Moore 2008 Ribbon culture charity compassion and public awareness p 74 Palgrave Macmillan Red Hot Dance Redhot org Archived from the original on 2 May 2022 Retrieved 19 April 2022 Vincent Alice 25 June 2013 George Michael 50 years in numbers The Daily Telegraph Archived from the original on 26 June 2013 Retrieved 25 December 2016 Steele Robert 2011 Careless Whispers The Life amp Career of George Michael Omnibus Press p 336 ISBN 978 0 85712 726 6 Archived from the original on 9 February 2023 Retrieved 28 August 2017 Michael backs children s charity BBC 18 September 2003 Archived from the original on 27 September 2020 Retrieved 25 December 2016 Historic England Number 5 and attached railings wall and lamp 1378980 National Heritage List for England Retrieved 28 December 2016 Fans gather at singer George Michael s Highgate home following his death on Christmas Day Archived 29 December 2016 at the Wayback Machine Emily Banks Ham amp High 26 December 2016 Retrieved 28 December 2016 Lockhart Keely 26 December 2016 George Michael s incredible acts of kindness revealed following his untimely death The Telegraph Archived from the original on 10 January 2022 a b George Michael s secret generosity through charity donations The Scotsman 26 December 2016 Archived from the original on 27 December 2016 Retrieved 26 December 2016 George Michael was a prolific philanthropist both publicly and privately NBC News Archived from the original on 28 December 2016 Retrieved 28 December 2016 I cannot ever thank him enough says mum whose IVF was paid for by George Michael ITV 4 January 2017 Archived from the original on 4 January 2017 Retrieved 4 January 2017 Pop star George Michael secretly funded Highgate s Fair in the Square celebrations and village Christmas Tree Ham amp High 30 December 2016 Archived from the original on 9 May 2021 Retrieved 9 May 2021 Family and friends gather in Highgate for George Michael s funeral Ham amp High 29 March 2017 Archived from the original on 9 May 2021 Retrieved 9 May 2021 George Michael earns 1 6million for one hour s work The Telegraph 26 December 2016 Archived from the original on 10 January 2022 George Michael and Michael Caine accused of tax avoidance through Liberty scheme The Independent London 9 July 2014 Archived from the original on 9 July 2014 Retrieved 11 July 2014 Nightingale Laura 27 April 2015 Sunday Times Rich List Who are the UK s richest musicians getsurrey co uk Archived from the original on 20 August 2016 Retrieved 26 December 2016 Ex Wham singer George Michael dies BBC News 25 December 2016 Archived from the original on 27 April 2019 Retrieved 25 December 2016 George Michael s cause of death revealed CBS News 7 March 2017 Archived from the original on 1 August 2020 Retrieved 21 April 2020 George Michael Post mortem into singer s death inconclusive BBC News 30 December 2016 Archived from the original on 30 December 2016 Retrieved 30 December 2016 Heller Corinne 30 December 2016 George Michael Autopsy Report Deems Cause of Death Inconclusive E Archived from the original on 31 December 2016 Retrieved 30 December 2016 Reed Ryan 30 December 2016 Autopsy George Michael s Cause of Death Inconclusive Rolling Stone Archived from the original on 31 December 2016 Retrieved 30 December 2016 George Michael laid to rest in Highgate cemetery in London The Guardian 29 March 2017 Archived from the original on 1 April 2017 Retrieved 1 April 2017 George Michael s sister found dead on Christmas Day The Guardian Archived from the original on 7 April 2022 Retrieved 19 April 2022 George Michael s memorial garden in pictures The Guardian 2 December 2017 Archived from the original on 3 December 2017 Retrieved 3 December 2017 George Michael s art collection sells for 11 3 million at auction Archived 8 April 2019 at the Wayback Machine BBC Retrieved 8 April 2019 Harrison Ellie 13 May 2021 George Michael s former partner Kenny Goss wins a share of star s 97m will after legal battle The Independent Archived from the original on 2 February 2022 Retrieved 27 September 2021 Elton John fights back tears during George Michael tribute Metro Archived from the original on 10 February 2019 Retrieved 9 February 2019 Holpuch Amanda 13 February 2017 I can t mess this up for him Adele stops George Michael Grammys tribute The Guardian Archived from the original on 13 February 2017 Retrieved 21 April 2019 The Chainsmokers amp Coldplay Deliver Live Debut of Something Just Like This at 2017 Brit Awards Billboard 20 April 2019 Archived from the original on 9 March 2020 Retrieved 21 April 2020 Geri Halliwell Premieres George Michael Tribute Talks Spice World amp LGBTQ Fanbase Billboard Archived from the original on 19 August 2020 Retrieved 6 June 2020 Paint me up before you go go London borough to get George Michael mural The Guardian Archived from the original on 2 December 2020 Retrieved 3 December 2020 George Michael mural unveiled as part of Brent Borough of Culture celebrations Evening Standard Archived from the original on 28 February 2021 Retrieved 3 December 2020 Huge George Michael mural unveiled in his memory in North London Metro Archived from the original on 18 January 2021 Retrieved 3 December 2020 Leight Elias 20 October 2017 George Michael Doc Freedom 9 Things We Learned Rolling Stone Archived from the original on 13 February 2018 Retrieved 13 February 2018 Johnson Jason 27 December 2016 5 Times George Michael Showed His Blue Eyed Soul to Black America TheRoot com Archived from the original on 13 February 2018 Retrieved 13 February 2018 George Michael Archived 24 January 2018 at the Wayback Machine Rock on the Net Retrieved 18 February 2011 Brown Mark 21 April 2006 He was the last transcendent world pop star and it s a shame his problems restrained his musical output The Guardian UK Archived from the original on 23 July 2018 Retrieved 18 February 2011 Inside Billboard s Greatest of All Time The Most Successful Songs Albums and Acts of the Past 50 Plus Years Billboard 12 November 2015 Archived from the original on 8 December 2021 Retrieved 8 December 2021 Smooth Icons 2019 George Michael is named the greatest artist of all time Smooth Radio 21 January 2019 Archived from the original on 4 September 2021 Retrieved 5 September 2021 Mary Milliken 2023 George Michael Willie Nelson among Rock amp Roll Hall of Fame nominees www reuters com Archived from the original on 3 February 2023 Retrieved 3 February 2023 2023 Rock Hall of Fame Class Willie Nelson George Michael More The Hollywood Reporter 3 May 2023 Retrieved 3 May 2023 Kate Bush and George Michael inducted to Rock amp Roll Hall of Fame BBC News 3 May 2023 Retrieved 3 May 2023 George Michael Dies at 53 Biilboard Archived from the original on 7 August 2018 Retrieved 12 August 2018 Qualen J 1985 The Music Industry The End of Vinyl Comedia s Media and Communications Industry Profile Series Vol 5 London Routledge ISBN 978 0 906890 58 5 George Michael Why He Turned His Back on Fame and the Faith like Songs He Recorded Before His Death Billboard Archived from the original on 18 May 2018 Retrieved 8 February 2018 External links Wikiquote has quotations related to George Michael Wikimedia Commons has media related to George Michael Official website George Michael at IMDb George Michael at AllMusic George Michael lyrics at Music Lyrics George Michael discography at Discogs Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title George Michael amp oldid 1154120241, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,

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