George Michael

Born in England, George Michael began his career as one half of the pop duo Wham! before going on to build a successful solo career as a singer, songwriter, and record producer. Beyond the music, he was known for his generosity, supporting many causes over the years. This biography follows his life and work.

His run of hits made him one of the most commercially successful musicians ever. His solo debut, Faith, arrived in 1987 and spent 12 weeks at the top of the Billboard 200 in the United States, earning Album of the Year at the 31st Grammy Awards. Its lead single, "Careless Whisper", had already become his first solo number one, topping charts in more than 20 countries, the US among them. Listen Without Prejudice Vol. 1 followed in 1990 and gave him the Billboard Hot 100 chart-topper "Praying for Time". A 1991 duet with Elton John, "Don't Let the Sun Go Down on Me", went to number one on both sides of the Atlantic.

Michael publicly came out as gay in 1998, and he became a committed advocate for LGBT rights and a fundraiser for HIV and AIDS charities. Over his career he worked with a remarkable roster of artists, including Elton John, Aretha Franklin, Queen, Mary J. Blige, Whitney Houston, Paul McCartney, and Beyoncé, placing him among the most celebrated collaborators in popular music.