The English singer-songwriter George Michael released five studio albums, two compilation albums, one live album, one extended play, 44 singles, eight promotional singles, 36 music videos, and five video albums. In his career, Michael sold an estimated 100 million to 125 million records worldwide, making him one of the world's best-selling artists of all time.
Michael's debut solo album, Faith, was released by Columbia Records in the United States and sibling label Epic Records in the United Kingdom in late 1987. It included the singles "I Want Your Sex", "Faith" (the Billboard Hot 100 year-end number-one single of 1988 in the United States), "Father Figure", "One More Try", "Monkey" and "Kissing a Fool". The album peaked at number one in the UK Albums Chart, and was certified 4× Platinum by the British Phonographic Industry (BPI). It also peaked at number one on the US Billboard 200 and was certified Diamond for sales of over 10 million copies. Also in 1987, Michael collaborated with Aretha Franklin on the UK and US number one single "I Knew You Were Waiting (For Me)". In September 1990, Michael released his second album, Listen Without Prejudice Vol. 1, which peaked at number one in the UK, number two in the US, and was certified 4× Platinum by the BPI. The album spawned the singles "Praying for Time", "Waiting for That Day", "Freedom! '90", "Heal the Pain", "Cowboys and Angels" and "Soul Free".
In November 1991, Michael released "Don't Let the Sun Go Down on Me", a duet with Elton John; it reached number one in the UK and US. In 1992, Michael recorded "Too Funky", for the charity project Red Hot + Dance; the song reached number four in the UK and number ten in the US. In 1993, Michael released his version of "Somebody to Love", which was performed at the Freddie Mercury Tribute Concert with Queen. It debuted at number one in the UK and was certified Gold. In early 1996, Michael released "Jesus to a Child", a UK number-one single. The follow-up, "Fastlove", also peaked at number one in the UK. Following "Fastlove", the album Older was released, in May 1996. Other singles from the album included "Spinning the Wheel", "Star People '97" and the double A-sides "Older" / "I Can't Make You Love Me" and "You Have Been Loved" / "The Strangest Thing '97". All of these reached the UK top three. Michael released his first greatest hits collection, Ladies & Gentlemen: The Best of George Michael, in November 1998; it contained the new songs "Outside" and "As", a duet with Mary J. Blige. The album was Michael's most successful in the UK, reaching number one and it was certified 9× Platinum.
Michael's fourth solo album, Songs from the Last Century, was released in December 1999 and included cover versions of popular songs. His next album, Patience, was released in March 2004 and peaked at number one in the UK. Twenty Five, released in 2006, was Michael's second greatest hits album, celebrating the 25th anniversary of his music career. It debuted at number one in the UK. The album contains songs mainly from Michael's solo career and two new songs: "An Easier Affair" and "This Is Not Real Love" (a duet with Mutya Buena, a member of the Sugababes). In December 2008, Michael released a new track "December Song (I Dreamed of Christmas)" on his website for free. The following year, "December Song (I Dreamed of Christmas)" was officially released as a commercial single. This was followed by "True Faith" (which was a UK top 30 and Irish top 40 hit, and an extensive re-working of the New Order song); and "You and I", another charity single. His next single was "White Light", and it was a commercial success, reaching number 15 on the UK singles chart. The song has also charted in Belgium, Germany, the Netherlands, and Switzerland.
Albums Studio albums + List of albums, with selected chart positions and certifications Title Details Peak chart positions Sales Certifications UK AUSPeak chart positions for Australia: Top 100 (Australian Music Report) singles and albums peaks to 26 June 1988: Top 50 (ARIA Chart) singles and albums peaks from 26 June 1988: "Kissing a Fool" (ARIA Chart) peak: Top 100 (ARIA Chart) singles and albums peaks, including peaks between 51–100 from January 1990, to December 2010: "Cowboys and Angels" (ARIA Chart) peak: "White Light" (ARIA Chart) peak: AUT FRA GER IRE NLD SWE SWI US FaithReleased: 30 October 1987 Label: Epic Formats: CD, CS, LP, MD 1 3 3 52 3 52 1 4 4 1 WW: 20,000,000 UK: 1,300,000 BPI: 4× Platinum ARIA: 5× Platinum BVMI: Gold GLF: Gold IFPI SWI: 2× Platinum NVPI: Platinum RIAA: Diamond SNEP: 2× Platinum Select "George MICHAEL" and click OK. Listen Without PrejudiceVol. 1Released: 3 September 1990 Label: Epic Formats: CD, CS, LP, MD, DCC 1 2 5 2 7 3 2 3 3 2 WW: 8,000,000 UK: 1,412,663 BPI: 4× Platinum ARIA: 2× Platinum BVMI: Gold GLF: Platinum IFPI AUT: Gold IFPI SWI: Platinum NVPI: Platinum RIAA: 2× Platinum SNEP: Platinum OlderReleased: 13 May 1996 Label: Virgin Formats: CD, CS, LP, MD 1 1 1 1 3 2 1 1 2 6 UK: 1,800,000 US: 881,000 BPI: 6× Platinum ARIA: 2× Platinum BVMI: Platinum GLF: Gold IFPI AUT: Gold IFPI SWI: Platinum NVPI: Platinum RIAA: Platinum SNEP: 2× Gold Songs from the LastCenturyReleased: 6 December 1999 Label: Virgin Formats: CD, CS, MD 2 12 12 7 4 7 6 16 6 157 WW: 3,600,000 UK: 600,000 US: 152,000 BPI: 2× Platinum ARIA: Gold BVMI: Gold IFPI SWI: Gold SNEP: 2× Gold PatienceReleased: 15 March 2004 Label: Sony Music Formats: CD, digital download 1 2 3 4 1 2 1 1 2 12 WW: 4,000,000 UK: 700,000 US: 381,000 BPI: 2× Platinum ARIA: Platinum BVMI: Platinum GLF: Gold IFPI AUT: Gold IFPI SWI: Gold NVPI: Gold SNEP: Gold
Live albums Title Details Peak chart positions Sales Certifications UK AUS AUT GER IRE NLD SWE SWI US SymphonicaReleased: 14 March 2014 Label: Virgin EMI Formats: Blu-ray Audio, CD, digital download, LP 1 11 7 6 1 2 — 6 60 UK: 200,000 BPI: Gold The Faith TourScheduled release: 6 November 2026 Label: Sony Music Formats: CD, LP, Blu-ray audio, Digital colspan="11" "—" denotes a recording that did not chart or was not released in that territory.
Compilation albums Title Details Peak chart positions Sales Certifications UK AUS AUT GER IRE NLD SWE SWI US Ladies & Gentlemen: TheBest of George MichaelReleased: 9 November 1998 Label: Epic Formats: CD, MD, CS 1 2 2 3 1 2 2 5 24 WW: 9,000,000 US: 1,100,000 UK: 2,500,000 BPI: 9× Platinum ARIA: 7× Platinum BVMI: 3× Gold GLF: Platinum IFPI AUT: Platinum IFPI SWI: Platinum NVPI: 2× Platinum RIAA: 2× Platinum SNEP: 2× Platinum Twenty FiveReleased: 11 November 2006 Label: Sony BMG Formats: CD, digital download 1 9 19 13 3 2 3 2 12 UK: 900,000 BPI: 5× Platinum ARIA: 2× Platinum BVMI: Gold IFPI SWI: Platinum IRMA: 3× Platinum SNEP: Gold "—" denotes a recording that did not chart or was not released in that territory.
Video albums Title Details Certifications FaithReleased: 9 August 1988 Label: CMV Enterprises Format: VHS RIAA: 2× Platinum George MichaelReleased: 5 November 1990 Label: CMV Enterprises Format: VHS RIAA: Platinum Ladies & Gentlemen: The Best of George MichaelReleased: 29 November 1999 Label: SMV Enterprises Format: DVD, VHS ARIA: 3× Platinum ABPD: Gold Twenty FiveReleased: 13 November 2006 Label: Sony BMG Format: DVD ARIA: 2× Platinum Live in LondonReleased: 7 December 2009 Label: Sony Music Format: DVD, Blu-ray ARIA: 2× Platinum BPI: Platinum
Extended plays Title Details Peak chart positions Sales Certifications CAN AUS AUT FRA GER IRE NLD SWE SWI US Five LiveReleased: 19 April 1993 Label: Parlophone Formats: CD, CS, LP 32 17 2 12 8 1 2 45 6 46 US: 358,000 BPI: Gold BVMI: Gold IFPI SWI: Gold NVPI: Platinum SNEP: Gold
Singles + List of singles, with selected chart positions and certifications, showing year released and album name Title Year Peak chart positions Certifications Album UK AUS AUT FRA GER IRE NLD SWE SWI US "Careless Whisper" 1984 1 1 2 3 3 1 1 2 1 1 BPI: 3× Platinum ARIA: 2× Platinum RIAA: 7× Platinum SNEP: Silver Select "George MICHAEL" and click OK. Make It Big "A Different Corner" 1986 1 4 6 16 7 2 2 18 3 7 BPI: Gold Music from the Edge of Heaven "I Knew You Were Waiting (For Me)" 1987 1 1 9 — 5 1 1 4 5 1 BPI: Platinum ARIA: Gold Aretha "I Want Your Sex" 3 2 2 11 3 1 1 8 4 2 RIAA: Platinum Faith "Faith" 2 1 4 22 5 2 1 9 4 1 BPI: 2× Platinum ARIA: 2× Platinum RIAA: Gold "Hard Day" — — — — — — — — — — "Father Figure" 1988 11 5 17 37 18 2 2 — 13 1 BPI: Platinum ARIA: Gold "One More Try" 8 34 19 5 22 1 4 4 4 1 RIAA: Gold SNEP: Silver Select "George MICHAEL" and click OK. BPI: Silver "Monkey" 13 12 22 34 24 8 7 — 5 1 "Kissing a Fool" 18 55 — 45 44 9 13 — — 5 "Praying for Time" 1990 6 16 20 19 19 3 11 9 6 1 BPI: Silver Listen Without Prejudice Vol. 1 "Waiting for That Day" 23 50 — — — 11 79 — — 27 "Freedom! '90" 28 18 25 23 41 17 15 20 — 8 BPI: Platinum ARIA: Platinum RIAA: Gold "Heal the Pain" (original version) 1991 31 — — — — 16 16 — — — "Cowboys and Angels" 45 164 — 36 — 15 15 — — — BPI: Silver "Soul Free" — 95 — — — — — — — — "Don't Let the Sun Go Down on Me" 1 3 2 1 4 2 1 2 1 1 BPI: Platinum ARIA: Platinum RIAA: Gold SNEP: Silver Select "George MICHAEL / Elton JOHN" and click OK. Duets "Too Funky" 1992 4 3 9 5 12 5 3 7 6 10 ARIA: Platinum RIAA: Gold Red Hot + Dance "Somebody to Love" 1993 1 19 15 16 21 1 6 — — 30 BPI: Silver Five Live EP "Killer / Papa Was a Rollin' Stone" — — — 197 — — — — 69 "Jesus to a Child" 1996 1 1 11 7 12 1 2 2 4 7 BPI: Platinum ARIA: Platinum RIAA: Gold SNEP: Gold Older "Fastlove" 1 1 13 10 25 5 12 7 13 8 BPI: Platinum ARIA: Platinum RIAA: Gold SNEP: Gold "Spinning the Wheel" 2 14 29 — 67 14 24 18 24 — BPI: Silver "Older" / "I Can't Make You Love Me" 1997 3 61 — — — 6 46 60 — — BPI: Silver "Star People '97" 2 51 37 — 64 7 40 37 28 — BPI: Silver "Waltz Away Dreaming" 10 — — — — — — — — — Room 21 "You Have Been Loved" 2 75 — — — 11 44 53 — — BPI: Silver Older "Outside" 1998 2 13 17 26 30 7 14 15 19 — BPI: Gold ARIA: Gold Ladies & Gentlemen: The Best of George Michael "As" 1999 4 45 — 27 38 12 9 27 22 — BPI: Gold "If I Told You That" 2000 9 37 — — 58 25 31 44 33 — Whitney: The Greatest Hits "Freeek!" 2002 7 5 7 7 7 14 12 26 2 — ARIA: Gold Patience "Shoot the Dog" 12 36 41 59 44 23 26 39 14 — "Amazing" 2004 4 6 23 37 19 4 9 16 10 — BPI: Silver ARIA: Gold "Flawless (Go to the City)" 8 26 72 — 54 23 30 — 36 — "Round Here" 32 — — — — — — — 55 — "John and Elvis Are Dead"2005 — — — — — — — — — — "An Easier Affair" 2006 13 36 58 87 44 20 37 23 28 — Twenty Five "This Is Not Real Love" 15 — 62 — — 27 32 — 36 — "December Song (I Dreamed of Christmas)" 2008 14 — 63 — 37 40 18 43 — — rowspan="3" "True Faith" 2011 27 — — — — — 38 — — — "White Light" 2012 15 88 53 73 21 32 6 — 34 — "Let Her Down Easy" 2014 53 — — — — — — — — — Symphonica "Fantasy" 2017 85 — — — — — — — — — Listen Without Prejudice / MTV Unplugged "This Is How (We Want You to Get High)" 2019 — — — — — — — — — — Last Christmas "Always" 2020 — — — — — — — — — — "—" denotes a recording that did not chart or was not released in that territory.
Promotional or limited release + List of promotional singles, with selected chart positions, showing year released and album name Title Year Peak chart positions Album CANPeak chart positions for Canada: "I Believe (When I Fall in Love It Will Be Forever)": "I Believe (When I Fall in Love It Will Be Forever)" 1991 90 "These Are the Days of Our Lives" 1993 — Five Live "You Know That I Want To" / "Safe" 1996 — "Roxanne" 1999 — Songs from the Last Century "Miss Sarajevo" — "Heal the Pain" 2008 — Twenty Five "You and I" 2011 — "Going to a Town" 2014 — Symphonica "Feeling Good" —
Other charted songs + List of songs, with selected chart positions, showing year released and album name Title Year Peak chart positions Album US "Mother's Pride" 1990 46 Listen Without Prejudice Vol. 1
Other appearances