{"title":"George Michael","description":"\u003ch2\u003eAbout George Michael\u003c\/h2\u003e\u003cp\u003eGeorgios Kyriacos Panayiotou was born in East Finchley, London on June 25, 1963 to a Greek Cypriot father and English mother. He launched his career as half of the pop duo Wham! (with Andrew Ridgeley) in 1981, with global hits Wake Me Up Before You Go-Go, Last Christmas, and Careless Whisper. He went solo in 1986 with the global landmark Faith (1987), which sold more than 25 million copies and won the Grammy Award for Album of the Year. His career across the subsequent three decades involved creative and personal struggles, with the 1996 Older album marking a artistic statement following his coming out as gay (publicly confirmed after a 1998 arrest). He died of heart and liver disease on December 25, 2016 at his home in Goring-on-Thames at age 53.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003ch2\u003eSound and style\u003c\/h2\u003e\u003cp\u003eGeorge Michael's sound combines pop, dance-pop, R\u0026amp;B, soul, jazz, and adult contemporary with his distinctive vocal range and increasingly sophisticated production approaches across his catalog. His work has been widely cited as a defining commercial pop template of the late 1980s and 1990s.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003ch2\u003eDiscography highlights\u003c\/h2\u003e\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eFaith (1987, Columbia\/Epic) - Album of the Year Grammy 1989\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eListen Without Prejudice Vol. 1 (1990, Columbia\/Epic)\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eOlder (1996, Virgin\/DreamWorks)\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eSongs from the Last Century (1999, Virgin)\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003ePatience (2004, Aegean\/Sony BMG\/Epic)\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\u003ch2\u003eFor collectors\u003c\/h2\u003e\u003cp\u003eOriginal Columbia and Epic pressings of the George Michael catalog are widely collected. Multiple anniversary editions, including the deluxe edition of Faith and Older, have been released. The Last Christmas single and Wham!'s related catalog have had numerous holiday-season repressings.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003ch2\u003eWhere to start\u003c\/h2\u003e\u003cp\u003eListeners new to George Michael typically start with Faith (1987) or Listen Without Prejudice Vol. 1 (1990). \u003cspan class=\"related-collections\"\u003eExplore more: \u003ca href=\"\/collections\/pop-vinyl-records\"\u003ePop\/Indie-Pop\u003c\/a\u003e, \u003ca href=\"\/collections\/1980s-vinyl-records\"\u003e1980s\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","products":[{"product_id":"george-michael-faith-vinyl","title":"Faith LP","description":"\u003cp\u003eGeorge Michael immediately shines brighter once unbound by Wham!. There’s a fun, uplifting sensuality to this entire record that makes even some of the silly moments worth listening through\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Wax Trax Records","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":48540904292535,"sku":"210000102787","price":29.98,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0745\/5755\/4871\/files\/4479600-3505819.jpg?v=1781154668"},{"product_id":"george-michael-faith-vinyl-180g","title":"Faith 2LP","description":"\u003cp\u003eGeorge Michael immediately shines brighter once unbound by Wham!. There’s a fun, uplifting sensuality to this entire record that makes even some of the silly moments worth listening through\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Wax Trax Records","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":48541037756599,"sku":"210000102783","price":41.98,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0745\/5755\/4871\/files\/4479598-3505809.jpg?v=1781155177"},{"product_id":"george-michael-ladies-and-gentlemen-best-of-cd","title":"Ladies and Gentlemen: Best Of 2CD","description":"\u003cp\u003eThis 2CD collection compiles 29 tracks, embodying George Michael's undeniable impact on pop music. With gems like \"Careless Whisper\" and collaborations with legends like Elton John and Aretha Franklin, each disc is a tactile capsule of his multifaceted artistry. The package feels substantial in hand, reflecting the depth of the music inside, making every encounter with these discs feel like a moment of nostalgia well earned.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Wax Trax Records","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":48785698848951,"sku":"210000033476","price":20.98,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0745\/5755\/4871\/files\/243459.jpg?v=1783045690"},{"product_id":"george-michael-faith-red-black-vinyl","title":"Faith 2LP","description":"\u003cp\u003eGeorge Michael immediately shines brighter once unbound by Wham!. There’s a fun, uplifting sensuality to this entire record that makes even some of the silly moments worth listening through\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Wax Trax Records","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":48860493742263,"sku":"210000102785","price":47.98,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0745\/5755\/4871\/files\/4479599-3505815.jpg?v=1783653921"}],"url":"https:\/\/www.waxtraxrecords.com\/collections\/george-michael.oembed","provider":"Wax Trax Records","version":"1.0","type":"link"}