George Michael passed away this Christmas at his home in England. Here, we celebrate his career with 10 of the best tracks to remember and honor this wonderful artist.
George Michael was born on June 25, 1963, in London. While still quite young, Michael developed a love for music and began pursuing it. He became friends with Andrew Ridgeley, with whom he began his career, during school. The pair dropped out of high school to start a band called Executive. Though the group quickly disbanded, it did not take long for these gentlemen to find success.
In 1982, Michael and Ridgeley formed Wham! Their debut album was released in 1982 and rose to the No. 4 spot on Britain’s charts. Wham!’s first No. 1 hit on U.S. charts came in 1984. Just two years later, George Michael left the group. As the primary singer and songwriter, it seemed natural that he would break out on his own.
Michael’s first Grammy award was then won for a duet with Aretha Franklin called “I Knew You Were Waiting.” In 1987 his debut solo album came out to a welcoming audience. As Michael’s career continued, he made work with varying levels of speed and success. However, he never fell out of the public consciousness altogether. In 2008, the artist began a heartfelt comeback, appearing in music and on TV.
Unfortunately, at the age of 53, George Michael passed away at his home in England. Though all the details surrounding his death have yet to be released, one thing is certain – this artist has a huge list of musical accomplishments through which he will be remembered. Here are some of those great hits in chronological order.