Early Life:
George Michael (born Georgios Kyriacos Panayiotou; 25 June 1963 – 25 December 2016) was an English and a Foreign Music singer, songwriter and record producer. He is one of the best-selling musicians of all time, with his sales estimated at between 100 million to 125 million records worldwide. A prominent figure in popular music, Michael was known as a creative force in songwriting, vocal performance, and visual presentation. He achieved 10 number-one songs on the US Billboard Hot 100 and 13 number-one songs on the UK Singles Chart.
Awards and Accolades:
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. Michael was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2023.
Solo Career:
George Michael’s solo career took off after Wham! disbanded in 1986. He began his music career in the early 1980s, initially as a member of the duo Wham! with his friend Andrew Ridgeley. Wham! achieved considerable success with hits like “Wake Me Up Before You Go-Go” and “Last Christmas.” His debut solo album, “Faith” (1987), was a massive success, featuring hits such as “Faith,” “Father Figure,” and “Monkey.” He continued to release successful albums like “Listen Without Prejudice Vol. 1” (1990) and “Older” (1996).
Musical 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), and two Grammy Awards from eight nominations. In 2015, he was ranked 45th in Billboard’s list of the “Greatest Hot 100 Artists of All Time”. The Radio Academy stated that Michael was the most frequently played artist on British radio during the period 1984–2004. In 2019, Michael was named as the greatest artist of all time by Smooth Radio. In 2023, Michael was nominated for induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. On 3 May 2023, Michael was selected as an inductee to the 2023 class alongside Kate Bush, Willie Nelson, The Spinners, Missy Elliott and Rage Against the Machine. In November 2023, Michael was inducted into the Hall, with Andrew Ridgeley as his induction presenter.
Discography and record sales:
At the time of his death, Michael was estimated to have sold between 100 million and 125 million records worldwide. As a solo artist, he sold an estimated 100 million records, making him one of the best-selling music artists. He is estimated to have sold up to 30 million records with Wham!. His debut solo album Faith sold more than 25 million copies.
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
Make It Big (1984)
Fantastic (1983)
Personal Life:
George Michael faced various personal challenges, including legal issues and health concerns. He publicly came out as gay in the late 1990s and was an advocate for LGBTQ rights.
Death:
George Michael passed away on December 25, 2016, at the age of 53. His death was attributed to natural causes related to heart and liver disease.
Net Worth:
George Michael had a net worth of $200 million at the time of his death in 2016. He rose to fame as a member of the music duo Wham! and later achieved success as a solo artist. Michael sold over 100 million records worldwide, making him one of the best-selling music artists of all time.