George Michael (GB)

About

Also known as: G.K. Panayiotou, Georg Michael, George Micheal, Georgios Kyriacos Panayiotou, Michael George, Michael, George

Few artists have managed to reinvent themselves as convincingly as George Michael did, moving from teen pop idol to one of the most respected singer songwriters of his generation. His debut solo album Faith, released in 1987, won the Grammy Award for Album of the Year and sold over 25 million copies worldwide, producing a string of number ones including the title track, Father Figure, One More Try, and Monkey. The Radio Academy named him the most played artist on British radio across a twenty year stretch from 1984 to 2004, and he racked up 10 number ones on the US Billboard Hot 100 alongside 13 on the UK singles chart. His catalogue stretched across pop, soul, R&B, and sophisti pop, with albums like Listen Without Prejudice Vol. 1 and Older showing a more thoughtful, stripped back side. Freedom! 90, Jesus to a Child, and Fastlove are just a few of the tracks that cemented his reputation as a genuine craftsman. He was an outspoken LGBTQ rights campaigner and HIV/AIDS charity fundraiser, and in 2023 was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. He passed away on Christmas Day 2016.