He was a member of one of the most successful band of the 80s Wham!, but only lasted 5 years as they split in 1986. Wham! had 11 Top 20 hits, 10 Top 10 hits, including 4 no.1s. He re-establised himself as a solo artists and his first three songs were no.1 hits and four more no.1 in the 90s. His songs between 1984 and 1999 included 18 Top 10 hits, 15 of them were Top 5 and overall 7 no.1s, he only had 7 songs out of Top 10. Between 1982 and 1999, he had 11 no.1s, 28 Top 10 hits as a solo artist and as part of Wham!.
Was arrested in early 1998 at a public restroom in Beverly Hills for commiting a lewd act in front of an undercover police officer. He has since made a music video mocking the whole incident. The arresting police officer has since filed a civil suit againt George for defamation of character. It was dismissed. He enjoyed four British number one singles with Wham: "Wake Me Up Before You Go Go" (1984), "Freedom" (1984), "I'm Your Man" (1985) and "The Edge of Heaven" (1986). Has sung duets with Aretha Franklin, Elton John, Toby Bourke, Mary J. Blige and Whitney Houston. His song "Father Figure" was sampled for PM Dawn's hit "Looking Through Patient Eyes". Collaborated with Queen and Lisa Stansfield on the British chart-topping "Five Live" (EP) of 1993. The first three singles of George Michael's solo career all went to the no. 1 position on the UK chart: "Careless Whisper" (1984), "A Different Corner" (1986) and "I Knew You Were Waiting (For Me)" (1987). The latter was a duet with Aretha Franklin. His song with Wham, "Last Christmas", is the best selling British hit never to get to number one, reaching the no. 2 position in December 1984, being re-issued and reaching the no. 6 position the next December and being re-issued again and reaching the no. 45 position in December 1986. It spent a total of 24 weeks on the British chart. He sang on the no. 1 and no. 2 Christmas singles of 1984, Band Aid's "Do They Know It's Christmas?" and Wham's "Last Christmas". He was a big fan of This Morning and, on the final episode of the series, he phoned the presenters, Richard and Judy, to thank them live on air and to wish them the best. He has contributed two songs to the "Warchild Hope" album (released 21 April 2003); one is a cover of Don McLean's "The Grave" and the other is his own classic "Faith" (a duet with Ms Dynamite). His controversial single "Shoot the Dog" (released 2002) had a video that ridiculed Tony Blair, Cherie Blair and George W. Bush. His last performance with Wham! was at Wembley Stadium in June 1986. Played a benefit for striking British miners. [September 1984] He wrote his smash hit single "Careless Whisper" when he was just 17, on a Thursday afternoon in Bushey. He waited until he was 21 before he released it as his first solo single. Is of Greek-Cypriot heritage from his father, a restaurant owner, who emigrated to the U.K. from Cyprus, in the 1950s. He and Andrew Ridgeley wrote "Careless Whisper" on the back of a bus during their school days. Was backing vocals on Andrew Ridgeley's album "Son Of Albert" on tracks "Red Dress" & "Shake". These were the only 2 songs to do well on the charts. His 1990 solo hit "Freedom 90" from the CD "Listen Without Prejudice, Vol. 1" was so titled to avoid confusion with his previous Wham! hit "Freedom". Wrote many of his songs while working at a movie theater as a teenager. He has sold an estimated 80 million records worldwide, both as a solo performer and as one half of the duet Wham!, as of 2006. In the Independent on Sunday 2006 Pink List - a list of the most influential gay men and women - he came no. 25, down from 22. He has an estimated fortune of £70 million. Winner (as part of Wham) of the British Phonographic Industry Award for British Group in 1985. Winner of the British Phonographic Industry Award for British Male Solo Artist in 1988. His album "Listen Without Prejudice Vol.1" won the 1991 Brit Award for British Album. Winner of the 1997 Brit Award for British Male Solo Artist. Announced his retirement in February 2004, but began a new European tour in September 2006, his first tour in fifteen years.