Overview
Timelines
Charitable Work and Philanthropy
Overview and main events
Tours and Live Performances
Early Life and Formation of Wham!
Solo Career
Health Issues and Legal Troubles
Documentaries and Posthumous Releases
Death and Legacy
Legal Battles and Contract Issues
Personal Life and Relationships
Awards and Recognition
Chronicle
Articles
George Michael. Overview and main events
Overview and main events
George Michael, born Georgios Kyriacos Panayiotou, was a British singer, songwriter, and record producer who transitioned from teen idol status with the pop duo Wham to global superstardom as a solo artist. His career spanned multiple decades, leaving a profound impact on the music industry and LGBTQ+ rights. Here is a timeline of his significant life events and milestones.
25 June 1963
Birth
George Michael was born Georgios Kyriacos Panayiotou in East Finchley, London, to Jack Panayiotou, a Greek Cypriot restaurateur, and Lesley Angold, an English former dancer. He was the youngest of three children.
1975
Move to Radlett and Friendship with Andrew Ridgeley
George Michael and his family moved to Radlett, Hertfordshire, where he attended Bushey Meads School and befriended Andrew Ridgeley, with whom he shared a passion for music.
1981
Formation of Wham!
George Michael and Andrew Ridgeley formed the pop duo Wham!, which quickly gained popularity. Their first hit single was 'Young Guns (Go for It!)' in 1982.
1984
Commercial Success and Live Aid
Wham!'s album 'Make It Big' reached number one in the US and UK, and the band became the first Western pop act to tour China. George Michael also participated in Band Aid's 'Do They Know It’s Christmas?' and performed at Live Aid in 1985.
1986
Dissolution of Wham and Solo Career
Wham disbanded, and George Michael released his first solo single, 'Careless Whisper,' which reached number one in over 20 countries. He also performed a duet with Elton John and released the holiday song 'Last Christmas' with Wham before the band's official breakup.
1987
Release of 'Faith'
George Michael released his debut solo album 'Faith,' which sold 10 million copies in the US alone and spent 12 weeks at number one on the Billboard 200 chart. The album included four number-one singles: 'Faith,' 'Father Figure,' 'One More Try,' and 'Monkey.'
1989
Grammy Awards and Continued Success
George Michael won two Grammy Awards for 'Faith,' including Album of the Year and Best Male Pop Vocal Performance for 'Father Figure.' He also received his second Ivor Novello Award for Songwriter of the Year.
1998
Coming Out and Advocacy
George Michael publicly came out as gay and became an active advocate for LGBTQ+ rights and HIV/AIDS charities. His personal life and legal troubles, including an arrest for public lewdness, made headlines.
2006-2008
25 Live Tour
George Michael embarked on his '25 Live' tour, which spanned three years and included performances at notable venues such as Madison Square Garden and the Rock in Rio festival.
25 December 2016
Death
George Michael died at his home in Goring-on-Thames, Oxfordshire, due to heart disease. He was 53 years old at the time of his death.
2023
Induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame
George Michael was posthumously inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, recognizing his significant contributions to the music industry.
