English singer and songwriter George Michael had recorded songs for five studio albums, two compilation albums and one live album.
Following the break-up of the musical duo Wham! in June 1986, Michael began work on his debut solo studio album, Faith, having already recorded and released two solo singles during his tenure in the group – "Careless Whisper" (1984) and "A Different Corner" (1986) – both reaching number one on the UK Singles Chart upon release. Released in late 1987, Faith featured nine new songs written and produced by Michael (with the sole exception of "Look at Your Hands", co-written with and originally intended for singer David Austin, along with "I Want Your Sex"), and reached number one on the UK Albums Chart. The album spawned six singles, four of which ("Faith", "Father Figure", "One More Try" and "Monkey") have reached number one on the US Billboard Hot 100 chart.
In September 1990, Michael released his second solo studio album, Listen Without Prejudice Vol. 1, featuring nine original songs along with a cover version of "They Won't Go When I Go" – a song by Stevie Wonder from his seventeenth studio album, Fulfillingness' First Finale (1974). Following the hugely successful but gruelling Faith Tour, Michael decided to withdraw from extensive promotion and minimize his public appearance; as a result, he didn't appear on the album's artwork or in any of the singles' music videos ("Praying for Time", "Freedom! '90"). Despite that, Listen Without Prejudice managed to reach number one on the UK albums chart, and was certified 4× Platinum by the BPI.
In January 1991, Michael embarked on his second solo concert tour, the Cover to Cover tour, its set list mainly consisting of cover versions. "Don't Let the Sun Go Down on Me" – a duet with Elton John recorded live during the Wembley Arena concerts in March – was released internationally as a single in November, reaching number one on both sides of the Atlantic. A live recording of "Tonight" from the same concerts was featured on the tribute album Two Rooms: Celebrating the Songs of Elton John & Bernie Taupin, released in October that year. In 1992, Michael contributed three tracks ("Too Funky", "Happy" and "Do You Really Want to Know") to the charity album Red Hot + Dance. In April 1993, the Five Live EP was released, featuring live performances of "Calling You", "Killer" and "Papa Was a Rollin' Stone" from the 1991 concerts, as well as "Somebody to Love" and "These Are the Days of Our Lives", performed during the Freddie Mercury Tribute Concert on 20 April 1992.
In May 1996, Michael released his third studio album, Older. Featuring eleven new songs, Older reached number one on the UK albums chart, and spawned six consecutive top-three singles ("Jesus to a Child", "Fastlove", "Spinning the Wheel", "Older", "Star People '97" and "You Have Been Loved"). In November 1998, the greatest hits album Ladies & Gentlemen: The Best of George Michael was released, featuring three new tracks: "Outside", "A Moment with You" and "As" – a duet with American singer Mary J. Blige. In December 1999, Michael released his fourth studio album, Songs from the Last Century, consisting entirely of cover versions. "If I Told You That", a duet between Michael and Whitney Houston, was released in May 2000.
Michael's fifth studio album, Patience, was released in March 2004. Preceded by the singles "Freeek!" and "Shoot the Dog" in 2002, Patience featured fourteen new tracks, and was the final studio album released by Michael before his death on 25 December 2016. In November 2006, Michael's second compilation album, Twenty Five, was released, featuring the singles "An Easier Affair" and "This Is Not Real Love" – a duet with Mutya Buena. In 2009, Michael released the Christmas single "December Song (I Dreamed of Christmas)". In March 2011, the charity single "True Faith" was released, followed by "White Light" (2012), which was the last original song released by Michael before his death. In March 2014, the live album Symphonica was released, produced with Phil Ramone and recorded during Michael's Symphonica Tour between 2011–2012. In 2017 and 2019, the posthumous singles "Fantasy" and "This Is How (We Want You to Get High)" were released respectively.
Songs
+Key Indicates songs not written or co-written by George Michael
+Name of song, writer(s), original release and year of release Song Writer(s) Original release Year "Amazing" Patience 2004 "American Angel" Patience 2004 "As" Ladies & Gentlemen: The Best of George Michael 1998 "Blame It on the Sun" Genius & Friends 2005 "Brother, Can You Spare a Dime?" Songs from the Last Century 1999 "Calling You" Five Live 1993 "Careless Whisper" Make It Big 1984 "Cars and Trains" Patience 2004 "Cowboys and Angels" Listen Without Prejudice Vol. 1 1990 "Crazy Man Dance" 1992 "December Song (I Dreamed of Christmas)" 2009 "Desafinado" Red Hot + Rio 1996 "" Music from the Edge of HeavenThe Final 1986 "Do You Really Want to Know" Red Hot + Dance 1992 "Don't Let the Sun Go Down on Me" 1991 "" Twenty Five 2006 "Edith and the Kingpin" John and Elvis Are Dead EP 2005 "Faith" Faith 1987 "Fantasy" 1990 "Fastlove" Older 1996 "Father Figure" Faith 1987 "Feeling Good" Twenty Five (US edition) 2008 "" Songs from the Last Century 1999 "Flawless (Go to the City)" Patience 2004 "For the Love (Of You)" John and Elvis Are Dead EP 2005 "Free" Older 1996 "Freedom! '90" Listen Without Prejudice Vol. 1 1990 "Freeek! '04" Patience 2004 "Going to a Town" Symphonica (deluxe edition) 2014 "" Hope 2003 "Hand to Mouth" Faith 1987 "Happy" Red Hot + Dance 1992 "Hard Day" Faith 1987 "Heal the Pain" Listen Without Prejudice Vol. 1 1990 "How Do You Keep the Music Playing?" Duets: An American Classic 2006 "I Believe (When I Fall in Love It Will Be Forever)" 1991 "I Can't Make You Love Me" The Older E.P. 1997 "I Knew You Were Waiting (For Me)" Aretha 1986 "I Remember You" Songs from the Last Century 1999 "I Want Your Sex" Faith 1987 "Idol" Symphonica 2014 "If I Told You That" Whitney: The Greatest Hits 2000 "If You Were My Woman" 1990 "It Doesn't Really Matter" Older 1996 "It's Alright with Me" Songs from the Last Century 1999 "Jesus to a Child" Older 1996 "Jingle (A Musical Interlewd)" 2009 "John and Elvis Are Dead" Patience 2004 "Killer" AdamskiSeal Five Live 1993 "Kissing a Fool" Faith 1987 "Learn to Say No" Jody Watley 1987 "Let Her Down Easy" Symphonica 2014 "" 2002 "Look at Your Hands" Faith 1987 "Love's in Need of Love Today" 1987 "Miss Sarajevo" Songs from the Last Century 1999 "" Ladies & Gentlemen: The Best of George Michael 1998 "Monkey" Faith 1987 "Mother's Pride" Listen Without Prejudice Vol. 1 1990 "Move On" Older 1996 "My Baby Just Cares for Me" Songs from the Last Century 1999 "My Mother Had a Brother" Patience 2004 "Older" Older 1996 "One More Try" Faith 1987 "Outside" Ladies & Gentlemen: The Best of George Michael 1998 "Papa Was a Rollin' Stone" Five Live 1993 "Patience" Patience 2004 "Patience Pt. II" Patience 2004 "Please Send Me Someone (Anselmo's Song)" Patience 2004 "Praying for Time" Listen Without Prejudice Vol. 1 1990 "Precious Box" Patience 2004 "Round Here" Patience 2004 "Roxanne" Sting Songs from the Last Century 1999 "Safe" The Spinning the Wheel E.P. 1996 "Secret Love" Songs from the Last Century 1999 "Shoot the Dog" Patience 2004 "Somebody to Love" Five Live 1993 "Something to Save" Listen Without Prejudice Vol. 1 1990 "Song to the Siren" 2012 "Soul Free" Listen Without Prejudice Vol. 1 1990 "Spinning the Wheel" Older 1996 "Star People" Older 1996 "" Older 1996 "These Are the Days of Our Lives" Five Live 1993 "They Won't Go When I Go" Listen Without Prejudice Vol. 1 1990 "This Is How (We Want You to Get High)" Last Christmas: The Original Motion Picture Soundtrack 2019 "This Is Not Real Love" Twenty Five 2006 "Through" Patience 2004 "To Be Forgiven" Older 1996 "Tonight" Two Rooms: Celebrating the Songs of Elton John & Bernie Taupin 1991 "Too Funky" Red Hot + Dance 1992 "True Faith" 2011 "Understand" Twenty Five (deluxe edition) 2006 "Waiting" (Reprise) Listen Without Prejudice Vol. 1 1990 "Waiting for That Day" Listen Without Prejudice Vol. 1 1990 "Waltz Away Dreaming" 1997 "Where or When" Songs from the Last Century 1999 "White Light" 2012 "Wild Is the Wind" Songs from the Last Century 1999 "You and I" 2011 "You Have Been Loved" Older 1996 "You Know That I Want To" The Spinning the Wheel E.P. 1996 "You've Changed" Songs from the Last Century 1999
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