The 30 Best George Michael Songs, from Careless Whisper to Freedom! '90

What is George Michael's most famous song?

"Careless Whisper" is George Michael's most famous song, with its unforgettable saxophone line, and "Last Christmas" with Wham! is one of the most played holiday songs ever. As a solo artist, "Faith" was the biggest hit of 1988 in America, and "Freedom! '90" has become an anthem of self-expression.

George Michael's Wham! hits

1. "Wham Rap! (Enjoy What You Do)", 1982: the duo's cheeky debut single.
2. "Young Guns (Go for It!)", 1982: their first big hit in Britain.
3. "Club Tropicana", 1983: a sunny poolside satire of the high life.
4. "Wake Me Up Before You Go-Go", 1984: a number one on both sides of the Atlantic.
5. "Freedom", 1984: an upbeat Motown-style hit.
6. "Last Christmas", 1984: the holiday classic about a heartbreak at Christmas.
7. "Everything She Wants", 1984: a synth-driven number one in America.
8. "I'm Your Man", 1985: a playful, funky number one in Britain.
9. "The Edge of Heaven", 1986: Wham!'s farewell single.

Early solo hits and Faith

10. "Careless Whisper", 1984: released as his first solo single in Britain.
11. "A Different Corner", 1986: a hushed ballad he wrote, sang and played alone.
12. "I Knew You Were Waiting (For Me)", 1987: a number one duet with Aretha Franklin.
13. "Faith", 1987: the guitar-and-organ title track of his solo debut.
14. "Father Figure", 1988: a slow, sensual number one.
15. "One More Try", 1988: a gospel-tinged ballad and another number one.
16. "Monkey", 1988: a funky dance hit and the album's fourth number one.
17. "Kissing a Fool", 1988: a jazzy, crooning ballad.
18. "I Want Your Sex", 1987: a bold single that stirred controversy.

George Michael songs of the 90s

19. "Praying for Time", 1990: a somber reflection on the state of the world.
20. "Freedom! '90", 1990: a joyful declaration of independence from his old image.
21. "Heal the Pain", 1990: a gentle acoustic love song.
22. "Cowboys and Angels", 1991: a jazzy, seven-minute ballad.
23. "Don't Let the Sun Go Down on Me", 1991: a live number one duet with Elton John.
24. "Too Funky", 1992: a playful dance track for an AIDS charity album.
25. "Somebody to Love", 1993: his celebrated live performance with Queen.
26. "Jesus to a Child", 1996: a moving tribute to a partner he lost.
27. "Fastlove", 1996: a smooth, funky number one in Britain.
28. "Spinning the Wheel", 1996: a jazzy, uptempo hit from Older.
29. "Older", 1997: the reflective title track.
30. "Outside", 1998: a cheeky, defiant dance hit.

Who was George Michael?

George Michael was born Georgios Kyriacos Panayiotou in London in 1963. He formed Wham! with his school friend Andrew Ridgeley, and by the mid-80s the duo was one of the biggest pop acts in the world. As a solo artist he wrote, produced and arranged much of his own music, sold well over 100 million records and won Grammy Awards, including Album of the Year for Faith. He died on Christmas Day 2016, a date that gave "Last Christmas" an extra poignancy for fans.

The story behind Careless Whisper

George Michael wrote "Careless Whisper" with Andrew Ridgeley when he was still a teenager, and has said the melody came to him on a bus. The famous saxophone line became one of the most recognizable riffs in pop. The song went to number one in many countries in 1984 and 1985, credited in America to Wham! featuring George Michael.

The story behind Last Christmas

"Last Christmas" was released in 1984 but kept off the top of the British chart that year by Band Aid's "Do They Know It's Christmas?", on which George Michael also sang. Wham! donated their royalties to famine relief. The song returned every holiday season for decades and finally reached number one in Britain on New Year's Day 2021.

The story behind Freedom! '90

For "Freedom! '90", George Michael refused to appear in the video. Instead, director David Fincher filmed supermodels Naomi Campbell, Linda Evangelista, Christy Turlington, Cindy Crawford and Tatjana Patitz lip-syncing the song, while the leather jacket, jukebox and guitar from the Faith era were destroyed on screen. The video became one of the most famous of the decade and a statement about leaving his old image behind.

Faith: a record-breaking album

His 1987 debut solo album, Faith, produced four number one singles in America, "Faith", "Father Figure", "One More Try" and "Monkey", and won the Grammy for Album of the Year. It remains one of the best-selling albums of the 1980s.

George Michael songs for a party

For an 80s or 90s party, start with "Wake Me Up Before You Go-Go" and "Club Tropicana", add "Faith", "Freedom! '90" and "Fastlove" when the dance floor fills and save "Careless Whisper" for a big sing-along. For more from the decade, see our 80s songs.

George Michael songs for a wedding

"Kissing a Fool" and "Heal the Pain" make lovely slow dances, "I Knew You Were Waiting (For Me)" is an uplifting choice for the couple's entrance and "Freedom! '90" is a joyful floor-filler. See our 80s wedding songs for more.

George Michael songs for the holidays

"Last Christmas" is a staple of every holiday playlist, and "December Song (I Dreamed of Christmas)", which he released in 2008, is a warm, lesser-known gem for a cozy night in.

A song with a pop superstar's soul

For a George Michael fan, a personalized song can capture that blend of pop, soul and heartfelt lyrics with their own name and story. It makes a great birthday or anniversary gift for anyone who grew up with these songs.

How to create a personalized song

1. Choose a style from 14 genres: pop, R&B, jazz and more.
2. Add their name.
3. Share three memories or details about them.
4. Review the lyrics and edit or regenerate them for free before any music is made.
5. Listen to 4 free 45-second previews and choose your favorite.

The full 3 to 4 minute song costs $35.99, or $40.99 for Premium with four full versions and editable lyrics. You get the MP3, a gift page and the lyrics as a PDF.

Give them a hit of their own: create a song and hear four previews for free.