Vote for George Michael Top 10 Placement

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If we want George Michael to have more songs in the Top 10 of Smooth’s All Time Top 500, then we should focus on voting for the songs that did well in 2023.

Here are the George Michael or Wham! songs that did well in 2023 in the Top 200:

  • “Careless Whisper” #1
  • “A Different Corner” #3
  • “Jesus to a Child” #11
  • “Don’t Let the Sun Go Down on Me” #17
  • “Father Figure” #26
  • “One More Try” #56
  • “Praying for Time” #64
  • “Faith” #72
  • “Kissing a Fool” #76
  • “I Knew You Were Waiting (For Me)” #80
  • “Somebody to Love” #82
  • “FastLove” #95
  • “Everything She Wants” #125
  • “Wake Me Up Before You Go-Go” #136
  • “Club Tropicana” #145
  • “Freedom 90” #160

It’s probably best to focus on the ten songs that did the best if we want George to have 3 or more songs in the Top 10. “Jesus to a Child” was close to being in the Top 10 last year. Possibly we should team up with the Elton John and Aretha Franklin fans to get more votes for the duets.

You can pick up to 10 George Michael songs in order of preference, choosing your number 1 song first. You can vote here.

Smooth’s All Time Top 500 will be counted down from Friday, May 3rd, at 10 a.m. to Monday, May 6th, at 7p.m.

Make sure to follow Yours Only George on Facebook and X, and join our mailing list for the latest news on George Michael.

Vote for George Michael in Top 500

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Voting for George Michael songs in Smooth’s All Time Top 500 is open for 2024.

George Michael has topped the Top 500 for six consecutive years with “Careless Whisper.” Last year, he even came in third place with “A Different Corner.” George Michael also had “Jesus to a Child” at number 11 and “Don’t Let the Sun Go Down on Me” at number 17. He had 20 songs in the chart overall.

You can pick up to 10 George Michael songs in order of preference, choosing your number 1 song first. You can vote here.

Smooth’s All Time Top 500 will be counted down from Friday, May 3rd, at 10 a.m. to Monday, May 6th, at 7p.m.

Make sure to follow Yours Only George on Facebook and X, and join our mailing list for the latest news on George Michael.

George Michael Nominated for Global Legend

George Michael has been nominated for the Global Awards 2024 in the Global Legend category.

Winners will be announced on-air on Globalā€™s radio stations and on Global Player on Friday, March 22, 2024.

The Global Awards include all of Globalā€™s radio stations: Capital, Heart, Smooth Radio, Classic FM, Radio X, Capital XTRA, Capital Dance, and Gold, as well as Global Player.

Other Global Legend Nominees are:

  • ABBA
  • Barry Manilow
  • Billy Joel
  • Bruce Springsteen
  • Cher
  • Dolly Parton
  • Elton John
  • Elvis
  • George Michael
  • Lionel Richie
  • Madonna
  • Michael Jackson
  • Queen
  • Rod Stewart
  • Take That
  • The Rolling Stones
  • Tina Turner

You can read more about the Global Awards here.

Make sure to follow Yours Only George on Facebook and X, and join our mailing list for the latest news on George Michael.

George Michael News Mailing List

The George Michael News mailing list has changed to Follow.it.

Previously, subscribers received e-mail alerts to news from Feedburner/Google.

Feedburner closed, and we have moved all active subscribers over to Follow.it. If you no longer want to receive George Michael news in your mailbox, please unsubscribe.

Follow.it has additional features. For example, subscribers can now define filters and more delivery channels.

If you would like to join the George Michael news mailing list, following George Michael News is very easy.

Here is information on subscribing to our mailing list:

George Michael Coin Process

If you ever wanted to know how the Royal Mint is making the George Michael coins, you can take a look here. In the video, the Royal Mint creates the George Michael color printed UK Ā£5 coin.

The George Michael collectable coins are available from the Royal Mint, as part of the Music Legends series. The coins feature the Faith era look with George Michael’s trademark sunglasses and an engraving of the refrain of Faith.

You can read more at the Royal Mint or from the press release here.

Did you buy the collectable George Michael coin? Tell us in the comments!

George Michael Coin from the Royal Mint

George Michael collectable coins will be available from the Royal Mint, as part of the Music Legends series. The coins feature the Faith era look with his trademark sunglasses and an engraving of the refrain of Faith.

The collectable coins will be available to purchase from The Royal Mint’s website at 9 am on 26 February.

The coins have been officially approved by George Michaelā€™s estate.

On behalf of George Michael, we are deeply honoured that the Royal Mint is paying tribute to him by creating a series of beautifully crafted coins. He would have been enormously proud and genuinely touched that a national institution should have decided to pay tribute to his memory in this way.

George Michael Entertainment

The coin was designed by sculptor and artist Sandra Deiana.

You can read more at the Royal Mint or from the press release here.

The Royal Mint has a fun George Michael quiz here. I got 10 out of 10! What did you get?

Will you buy the collectable George Michael coin? Tell us in the comments!

The Life and Music of George Michael Concerts

The Life and Music of George Michael is making its way across the United States in February and March. The show is a concert featuring one singer for the Wham! years and another singer for George Michael’s solo career.

You can find out more in the following clip.

You can find the list of tour dates here.

Are you going to see the Life and Music of George Michael? Tell us more about it in the comments.

Wham! Documentary Loses at BAFTA Awards

The Wham! documentary lost to “20 Days in Mariupol” at the BAFTA awards.

Simon Halfon had the following to say about the loss:

You can see the entire list of winners for the BAFTA awards here.

Do you think Wham! should have won best documentary? Let us know in the comments.

Wham! Documentary Director Interviewed

The New York Times has a new article on Chris Smith, the director of the recent Wham! documentary.

The following part of the article had me chuckling:

I assume you didnā€™t listen to Wham! in the ā€™80s?
Where I was living in Michigan, kids were turning their noses up at Wham! I was a snide teenager, listening to the Cure, Depeche Mode, that sort of new wave thing.

The Story of ā€˜Wham!ā€™ Comes From an Unlikely Source

Hey, there were plenty of us who didn’t turn up our noses at Wham in the 1980s! Two of us started a fan club in the mid-1980s and eventually started this website in the 1990s!

The Wham! documentary is nominated for best documentary at the BAFTAs.

George Michael Still Making It Big After Death

George Michael is still a successful businessman, even after his death.

According to The Sun, George Michael’s company, Nobby’s Hobbies Holdings, made Ā£20.6million in publishing income, Ā£2.5million in record royalties and an additional Ā£600,000, from records ending in March 2023.

This revenue equates to Ā£55,000 day.

New Netflix Wham! Documentary Inside Look

Netflix has added a new video on YouTube with an inside look of the Wham! documentary.

Producers John Battsek and Simon Halfon provide some background information on the making of the documentary WHAM! with Andrew Ridgeley.

You couldn’t have a better best friend than Andrew Ridgeley. He not only encouraged George Michael to start a band, but he also stepped back to let George shine.

The Wham! documentary has been nominated as best documentary at the BAFTA awards which will be on Sunday, February 18, 2024.

Deluxe Fantastic and Make It Big on Blu-Ray

Besides the vinyl releases of Wham!’s Fantastic and Make It Big, Wham! will also be releasing deluxe editions of Fantastic and Make It Big on BluRay Audio.

Fantastic BluRay Audio includes:

Wham! Fantastic

Dolby AtmosĀ & 96/24 Stereo

  1. Bad Boys
  2. A Ray of Sunshine
  3. Love Machine
  4. Wham Rap! (Enjoy What You Do?)
  5. A Ray of Sunshine (Instrumental Remix)
  6. Love Machine (Instrumental Remix)
  7. Club Tropicana
  8. Nothing Looks The Same in the Light
  9. Come On
  10. Young Guns (Go For It!)
  11. Nothing Looks The Same in the Light (Instrumental Remix)Ā 

Bonus tracks in DolbyĀ Atmos & Stereo

  1. Wham Rap! (Enjoy What You Do?) – single version 3.32
  2. Young Guns (Go For It) – single version 3.43
  3. Young Guns (Go For It) UK 12ā€ mix 5.11
  4. Blue (Armed With Love) 3.56

Ā Bonus tracks inĀ Stereo-onlyĀ 

  1. Wham Rap! (Enjoy What You Do?) [Club Mix] 4.20
  2. Wham Rap! (Enjoy What You Do?) [Social Mix] 6.45
  3. Wham Rap! (Enjoy What You Do?) [Unsocial Mix] 6.38
  4. Wham Rap! (Enjoy What You Do?) [Special Club Remix] 3.05
  5. Young Guns (For For It) – Special US 12ā€ Remix 6.53
  6. Going For It 4.39
  7. Bad Boys (12ā€Ā Extended Club Mix) 4.58
  8. Bad Boys (instrumental) 3.21
  9. Club Tropicana (instrumental) 3.31
  10. Club Fantastic Megamix 3.57
Wham! Make It Big

Make It Big BluRay Audio includes:

Dolby AtmosĀ & 96/24 Stereo

  1. Wake Me Up Before You Go-Go 3.51
  2. Everything She Wants 5.03
  3. Heartbeat 4.44
  4. Like A Baby 4.15
  5. Freedom 5.02
  6. If You Were There 3.39
  7. Credit Card Baby 5.10
  8. Careless Whisper 6.32

Bonus tracks in Dolby Atmos & Stereo

  1. Careless Whisper (Single Version) 5.03
  2. Freedom (version from The Final) 5.20
  3. Last Christmas 4.26
  4. Everything She Wants (Remix edit) 5.30
  5. Freedom (Long Version) 7.09
  6. Last Christmas (Pudding Mix) 6.45
  7. Everything She Wants (Remix) 6.30
  8. Iā€™m Your Man 4.07
  9. The Edge of Heaven 4.37
  10. Battlestations 5.31
  11. Where Did Your Heart Go? 5.50

Bonus tracks inĀ stereo (only)

  1. A Ray of Sunshine (specially recorded for ā€˜The Tubeā€™)
  2. Wake Me Up Before You Go-Go (instrumental) 4.02
  3. Freedom (instrumental) 5.10
  4. Last Christmas (Pudding Mix Edit) 4.47
  5. I’m Your Man (Extended Stimulation)
  6. Do It Right (Instrumental)
  7. I’m Your Man (Acappella)
  8. Blue (Recorded Live in China)
  9. Iā€™m Your Man (version from Music From The Edge Of Heaven version)
  10. Wham! Rap ’86

These versions are currently only available through SDE Shop.

Fantastic and Make It Big Vinyl Release

Fantastic (sponsored link) and Make It Big (sponsored link) will be released on vinyl on March 22, 2024. It’s the first time in more than 30 years that they have been released on vinyl.

According to Amazon, the track listing for Wham!’s Fantastic (sponsored link) is:

  1. Bad Boys
  2. A Ray of Sunshine
  3. Love Machine
  4. Wham Rap! (Enjoy What You Do?)
  5. Club Tropicana
  6. Nothing Looks the Same In the Light
  7. Come On!
  8. Young Guns (Go for It!)

Wham!’s first album, Fantastic debuted at #1 in the UK in 1983 and sold millions of copies worldwide. Fantastic is available on standard weight black vinyl.

According to Amazon, the track listing for Wham!’s Make it Big (sponsored link) is:

  1. Wake Me Up Before You Go-Go
  2. Everything She Wants
  3. Heartbeat
  4. Like a Baby
  5. Freedom
  6. If You Were There
  7. Credit Card Baby
  8. Careless Whisper

Wham!’s second album, Make It Big was released in 1984. It is available with the US cover on standard weight black vinyl.

Andrew Ridgeley said: ā€œItā€™s a wonderful testament to the enduring nature of Wham!ā€™s music that our legions of loyal fans and the younger cohorts of music fans desire to own the music in their original formats.ā€

George Michael Entertainment added: ā€œWe are delighted that these two classic albums are once again available on vinyl for a whole new generation to enjoy.ā€

Will you be buying Fantastic or Make It Big on vinyl? Let us know in the comments!

Yours Only George is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to amazon.com.

George Michael Remembered One Year after His Death

“Melanie, did you hear? George Michael is dead!”

Shaking from head to toe in what must have been an adrenalin rush, I dashed to my computer. I don’t know why. The news came from Shannon who started this fan club back in 1986, so obviously it was true!

I have attempted, on various occasions, to write an article on what George Michael meant to me. What I’ve realized is that it would take my writing a book to be able to say everything I want to say.

The year that has followed George Michael’s death has been revealing to me on a very personal level.

Initially, I was struck by how few people understood what George Michael meant to me. Very few friends and family reached out to me.

George Michael was a part of my life for 33 years before his untimely death. My love of his music and writing is intrinsically linked to my friendship with Shannon.

Obviously, I take from this loss an understanding that life is short and you have to live your life in the moment. As a mother, I still struggle with this as there’s always a load of laundry or more homework to do.

Also, after George Michael’s death, it came to light how much money he gave to so many worthy causes. This did not surprise me in the least. I never met George Michael in real life, but I think this thoughtful, giving nature of his was why he had so many fans. It wasn’t just the beautiful music. It wasn’t just the heartfelt lyrics. It was that at his core George Michael was a warm, caring person, and that came across in his interviews.

So, yes, mourn the loss of George Michael today. Listen to his music, if you can. Remember concerts you attended. Read through the lyrics of your favorite songs. But, at the end of the day, see what you can give to someone less fortunate. Consider donating to George Michael’s favorite charities or donate to local charities.

George Michael lives on through his music, but he lives on through you as well.

Make a difference to those in need.

How did you celebrate George Michael’s life?

George Michael Tops UK albums chart

George Michael has once again topped the UK albums chart with the reissue of Listen Without Prejudice.

In 1990, when Listen Without Prejudice was first released, it topped the UK album charts as well. According to the BBC, “CD sales have collapsed in the meantime. In 1990 the album sold 423,577 copies to top the chart. This week, it shifted just 56,000 copies.”

The AFP reports:

David Austin, Michael’s manager, long-term collaborator and close friend since childhood, said the team behind the efforts were “incredibly proud” to have immediately topped the charts.

“It’s no great secret that George was a perfectionist and it shows, he was over everything from its inception to its finish and it’s a blessing and rare gift to be guided by such genius,” he added in a statement.

Billboard also reports:

Sony reissued Michael’s second solo album, now adding his 1996 MTV Unplugged show and the Nile Rodgers collaboration ā€œFantasy,ā€ in the wake of Channel 4’s Oct. 16 broadcast of the new Freedom documentary. Last week, that show helped his Ladies & Gentlemen ā€” The Best of George Michael compilation (Epic/Sony) to re-enter at No. 9. Another collection, Twenty Five, now climbs 61-21 and Older re-enters at No. 35.

Did you buy Listen Without Prejudice this week? Which version? Tell us in the comments below!

George Michael: Freedom Reactions

Now that the dust has settled from all of the promotion of George Michael: Freedom, here are some of the reactions to this emotional documentary.

What did you think of George Michael: Freedom? Tell us in the comments below!

George Michael’s Final Interview

Mark your calendars! George Michael’s final interview will air on November 1 and November 8 on BBC Radio 2.

George Michael: The Red Line is a two-part interview of 60 minutes each.Ā  It will be broadcast for the first time on BBC Radio 2 on Wednesday, November 1, and Wednesday, November 8 at 10 p.m.

Kirsty Young interviewed George Michael as a part of the George Michael: Freedom documentary, which aired earlier this week in the UK.

After George’s death, it was decided that this, his final interview, should be released to the public.

The BBC article states:

Although it had never been the intention to broadcast their conversation in its entirety, following Georgeā€™s untimely death only a few weeks later, it began to feel like something that should happen. In fact, as they parted, George said to Kirsty: “You should turn this into a radio programme.”

George Michael: The Red Line is his final interview, told in almost all itā€™s [sic] entirety with many of the personal asides left as they were.

Lewis Carnie, Head of Radio 2 says: “The Radio 2 listeners continue to love and remember George Michael and his music, and I’m glad that they will be able to hear his final, very special interview on the station.”

You can read more about it atĀ George Michael’s final interview to be broadcast on BBC Radio 2.

George Michael Emoji on Twitter

Have you noticed when you type #GeorgeMichael on Twitter, you now see the George Michael emoji?

George Michael emoji

The emoji may only be on the desktop version of Twitter. (It doesn’t work on my phone, at least.)

Obviously, there is much happiness from the land of Twitter about our new emoji.

Check out the comments here:

What do you think of the George Michael emoji on Twitter? Let us know in the comments below.

Listen Without Prejudice Released Today

George Michael’s anniversary edition of Listen Without Prejudice was released today. It is technically in celebration of the 25th anniversary of the release of Listen Without Prejudice, although there were several delays, including George Michael’s death, that affected the release date.

The Deluxe version in the UK includes:

Disc: 1
1. Praying for Time
2. Freedom! ’90
3. They Won’t Go When I Go
4. Something to Save
5. Cowboys and Angels
6. Waiting for That Day – George Michael / The Rolling Stones
7. Mothers Pride
8. Heal the Pain
9. Soul Free
10. Waiting (Reprise)

Disc: 2
1. Freedom! ’90 (MTV Unplugged)
2. Fastlove – George Michael / Patrice Rushen (MTV Unplugged)
3. I Can’t Make You Love Me (MTV Unplugged)
4. Father Figure (MTV Unplugged)
5. You Have Been Loved (MTV Unplugged)
6. Everything She Wants (MTV Unplugged)
7. The Strangest Thing (MTV Unplugged)
8. Older (MTV Unplugged)
9. Star People (MTV Unplugged)
10. Praying for Time (MTV Unplugged)
11. Fantasy featuring Nile Rodgers(Via Download Code)

Disc: 3
1. Soul Free (Special Radio Edit)
2. Freedom! (Back To Reality Mix)
3. Freedom (Back To Reality Mix Edit)
4. Fantasy 90
5. Freedom (Edit)
6. Cowboys & Angels
7. If You Were My Woman
8. Too Funky (Edit)
9. Crazy Man Dance
10. Do You Really Want To Know
11. Happy
12. Too Funky (Extended)
13. Too Jazzy (Happy Mix)
14. Fantasy 98
15. George Michael with Paul McCartney – Heal The Pain
16. George Michael with Astrud Gilberto – Desafinado

Disc: 4
1. The Southbank Show 1990 (DVD Video)
2. Freedom! ’90 promo (DVD Video)
3. Praying For Time promo (DVD Video)
4. Freedom 90 MTV 10th Anniversary (DVD Video)

The CDs are available from our sponsorsĀ AmazonĀ orĀ Ā Amazon UK.

Did you buy the re-release of Listen Without Prejudice with all the extra goodies? What do you think of it? Let us know in the comments below.