Career Timeline of George Michael: Major Achievements and Milestones
From career breakthroughs to professional milestones, explore how George Michael made an impact.
George Michael was a highly successful English singer, songwriter, and record producer, considered a pop culture icon and one of the best-selling music artists ever. Known for his creative songwriting, vocal talent, and distinctive visual style, he achieved fame as part of Wham! and later as a solo artist with hits like "Careless Whisper" and the album *Faith*. His career spanned several decades, marked by both critical acclaim and commercial success. He was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2023.
1981: Formation of Wham!
In 1981, George Michael formed the duo Wham! with Andrew Ridgeley.
1983: Wham!'s First Album Reaches No. 1
In 1983, Wham!'s first album Fantastic reached No. 1 in the UK and produced a series of top 10 singles.
September 1984: Wham! Benefit Concert for Striking Miners
In September 1984, Wham! performed at a benefit concert at London's Royal Festival Hall for the striking UK miners, showing their support for the working class.
November 1984: Joined Band Aid for "Do They Know It's Christmas?"
In November 1984, George Michael joined Band Aid and sang on "Do They Know It's Christmas?" for famine relief in Ethiopia.
December 1984: "Do They Know It's Christmas?" Number One
In December 1984, "Do They Know It's Christmas?" became the UK Christmas number one, holding George Michael's own song, "Last Christmas" by Wham!, at No. 2.
1984: Release of "Careless Whisper" (Wham! Album)
George Michael had his third consecutive solo number one in the UK with the song, after 1984's "Careless Whisper", which was actually from the Wham! album Make It Big.
1984: Success of "Careless Whisper"
In 1984, George Michael experienced success with his solo single "Careless Whisper", contributing to rumors of an impending breakup of Wham!.
1984: Band Aid Recording
In 1984, George Michael performed on the original Band Aid recording of "Do They Know It's Christmas?"
1984: Participation in Band Aid's "Do They Know It's Christmas?"
In 1984, George Michael took part in Band Aid's UK number-one single "Do They Know It's Christmas?".
1984: Most Played Artist on British Radio
The Radio Academy stated that between 1984 and 2004, George Michael was the most frequently played artist on British radio, highlighting his enduring popularity in the UK.
April 1985: Wham!'s Tour of China
In April 1985, Wham!'s tour of China marked the first visit to China by a Western popular music act, generating worldwide media coverage.
July 1985: Performance at Live Aid
On July 13, 1985, George Michael sang "Don't Let the Sun Go Down on Me" with Elton John at Live Aid at Wembley Stadium in London.
1985: Live Aid Performance with Elton John
In 1985, George Michael sang with Elton John at Live Aid, the Band Aid charity concert, further contributing to famine relief efforts.
June 1986: Wham! Officially Separates
In June 1986, Wham! officially separated after releasing a farewell single, "The Edge of Heaven", and a farewell compilation album, The Final, plus a sell-out concert at Wembley Stadium. "The Edge of Heaven" reached No. 1 on the UK chart.
1986: Release of "A Different Corner"
George Michael had his third consecutive solo number one in the UK with the song, after 1986's "A Different Corner".
1986: Prince's Trust Charity Concert
In 1986, George Michael performed "Everytime You Go Away" alongside Paul Young at the Prince's Trust charity concert held at Wembley Arena.
1987: Release of "I Knew You Were Waiting (For Me)"
In 1987, George Michael released "I Knew You Were Waiting (For Me)", a duet with Aretha Franklin, which scored number one on both the UK Singles Chart and the US Billboard Hot 100.
1988: "Faith" Becomes Best-Selling Single
In 1988, "Faith" became the best-selling single in the US.
1988: World Tour and Brit Awards
In 1988, George Michael embarked on a world tour and was joined on stage by Aretha Franklin in Los Angeles. He also received the first of his two awards for Best British Male Solo Artist at the Brit Awards, and won the Grammy Award for Album of the Year for Faith.
1988: Nelson Mandela 70th Birthday Tribute
In 1988, George Michael performed "Sexual Healing" at the Nelson Mandela 70th Birthday Tribute at Wembley Stadium in London, alongside various other singers.
1990: Desire to Change Promotion Strategy
In 1990, George Michael told his record company Sony that, for his second album, he did not want to do promotions like the one for Faith.
1991: Release of "Don't Let the Sun Go Down on Me"
In 1991, George Michael released the single "Don't Let the Sun Go Down on Me," and the proceeds were divided among 10 different charities for children, AIDS, and education.
April 1992: Freddie Mercury Tribute Concert
In April 1992, George Michael wore a red ribbon at the Freddie Mercury Tribute Concert at Wembley Stadium, showing support for HIV/AIDS awareness.
1996: Album Older Dedicated to Anselmo Feleppa
In 1996, George Michael's album Older, was dedicated to Anselmo Feleppa.
2000: Equality Rocks Concert
In 2000, George Michael performed in Washington, D.C. as part of Equality Rocks, a concert to benefit the Human Rights Campaign, an American LGBT rights group.
2002: "Shoot the Dog" Release
In 2002, George Michael released the single "Shoot the Dog," a song critical of the relationship between the UK and US governments and their involvement in the War on Terror.
2003: Who Wants to Be a Millionaire? Appearance
In 2003, George Michael paired up with Ronan Keating on Who Wants to Be a Millionaire? and won £32,000 for charity, and supported the Rainbow Trust Children's Charity campaign.
2004: Most Played Artist on British Radio
The Radio Academy stated that between 1984 and 2004, George Michael was the most frequently played artist on British radio, highlighting his enduring popularity in the UK.
2005: Patron of Swan Lifeline Charity
From 2005 until his death, George Michael was a patron of the Swan Lifeline charity, inspired by the swans in the river at the end of his garden in Highgate.
2005: Release of "A Different Story" Documentary
In 2005, the documentary A Different Story was released, covering George Michael's career and personal life.
2006: Start of the 25 Live Tour
Beginning in 2006 and continuing until 2008, George Michael earned £48.5 million from the 25 Live tour, showcasing his enduring popularity and appeal.
2006: Free Concert for NHS Nurses
In 2006, George Michael performed a free concert for NHS nurses in London to thank them for caring for his late mother and to advocate for government appreciation.
2007: "Peace Tour" with John Lennon's Piano
In 2007, George Michael sent John Lennon's "Imagine" piano on a "peace tour" around the United States, displaying it at sites of violence, and devoted his Sofia concert to Bulgarian nurses prosecuted in the HIV trial in Libya.
June 2008: Thrilled by Legalisation of Same-Sex Marriage
On June 17, 2008, George Michael expressed his excitement regarding California's legalisation of same-sex marriage, calling it "way overdue."
2008: Earnings from the 25 Live Tour
Between 2006 and 2008, George Michael earned £48.5 million from the 25 Live tour, demonstrating his continued success as a performer.
2008: Continuation of 25 Live Tour
In 2008, George Michael continued his 25 Live tour.
2010: Anonymous IVF Treatment Donation
In 2010, George Michael anonymously paid for a woman's IVF treatment after seeing her talk about her problems conceiving on an episode of This Morning.
August 2011: Split from Kenny Goss announced
On 22 August 2011, the opening night of his Symphonica Tour, George Michael announced that he and Kenny Goss had split two years earlier.
October 2011: Cancelled Performance Due to Viral Infection
In October 2011, George Michael cancelled a performance at the Royal Albert Hall in London due to a viral infection, marking a setback during his Symphonica Tour.
February 2012: Surprise appearance at the 2012 Brit Awards
In February 2012, George Michael made a surprise appearance at the 2012 Brit Awards at the O2 Arena in London after leaving the hospital, receiving a standing ovation and presenting Adele with the award for Best British Album.
October 2012: Final Concert of Symphonica Tour
On 17 October 2012, George Michael performed the final concert of the Symphonica Tour at London's Earls Court, which was also the final concert of his life.
2012: Final Concert at Earls Court
In 2012, George Michael performed his final concert at London's Earls Court.
2012: Birth of Child Funded by George Michael
In 2012, a woman gave birth to a girl after George Michael anonymously paid for her IVF treatment in 2010, following her appearance on This Morning.
March 2014: Release of Symphonica Album
On 17 March 2014, the album Symphonica was released, becoming George Michael's seventh solo No. 1 album in the UK.
2015: Ranked in Billboard's Greatest Artists
In 2015, Billboard ranked George Michael 45th in their list of the "Greatest Hot 100 Artists of All Time,", acknowledging his impact on popular music.
2015: Completion of the song "This Is How (We Want You to Get High)"
In 2015, George Michael completed the song "This Is How (We Want You to Get High)", which was later released on the Last Christmas soundtrack album in November 2019.
November 2016: Announcement of Freedom documentary
On 2 November 2016, George Michael's management team announced that a second documentary on his life, entitled Freedom, was set to be released in March 2017.
January 2017: Anonymous IVF Treatment Donation Revealed
In January 2017, a woman revealed with Michael's family's permission that in 2010 George Michael anonymously paid for her IVF treatment after seeing her on This Morning. She gave birth to a girl in 2012.
March 2017: Documentary Freedom set to be released
In March 2017, it was planned to release a second documentary on George Michael's life, entitled Freedom, as announced in November 2016 by his management team.
September 2017: Release of the single "Fantasy"
On 7 September 2017, after George Michael's death, the single "Fantasy", featuring Nile Rodgers, was released.
March 2019: Art Collection Auctioned
In March 2019, George Michael's art collection was auctioned in England for £11.3 million, with the proceeds donated to philanthropic organizations he supported during his lifetime.
2019: Named Greatest Artist of All Time by Smooth Radio
In 2019, George Michael was named as the greatest artist of all time by Smooth Radio, further cementing his legacy in music history.
2020: Mural Commemorating Michael in Brent
In 2020, George Michael was commemorated with a mural in his native borough of Brent, celebrating his contributions to music, entertainment, and LGBTQ+ culture.
January 2021: "Last Christmas" reached number one in the UK
In January 2021 (chart week ending date 7 January 2021), more than 36 years after its initial release in 1984, "Last Christmas" finally reached number one in the UK Singles Chart.
June 2022: Release of Freedom Uncut documentary film
On 22 June 2022, the documentary film Freedom Uncut was released, featuring narration by George Michael, who had been working on the film with David Austin shortly before his death.
September 2022: Release of remastered and expanded version of Older
On 30 September 2022, a remastered and expanded version of the album Older was released, comprising the original album, the Upper disc, and three bonus CDs.
October 2022: Older Charted at number 2 on the UK Official Albums Chart Top 100
On 7 October 2022, the album Older charted at number 2 on the UK Official Albums Chart Top 100.
May 2023: Inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame
On May 3, 2023, George Michael was selected as an inductee to the 2023 class of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, recognizing his significant contributions to music.
November 2023: Induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Ceremony
In November 2023, George Michael was formally inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, with Andrew Ridgeley presenting his induction.
2023: "Last Christmas" became the UK Christmas number one for the first time
In 2023, the song "Last Christmas" became the UK Christmas number one for the first time.
2024: "Last Christmas" hit number one again at Christmas
In 2024, "Last Christmas" hit number one again at Christmas, making it the first song to top the Christmas chart in consecutive years, and become only the third song to top the festive chart more than once.
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