Faith (George Michael album)

Last updated

Faith
George Michael - Faith.png
Studio album by
George Michael
Released2 November 1987
RecordedAugust 1986 – September 1987
Studio
Genre
Length
  • 58:04 (CD version)
  • 49:37 (LP version)
Label
Producer George Michael
George Michael chronology
Faith
(1987)		 Listen Without Prejudice Vol. 1
(1990)
Singles from Faith
  1. "I Want Your Sex"
    Released: 1 June 1987
  2. "Faith"
    Released: 12 October 1987
  3. "Hard Day"
    Released: 30 October 1987 (US)
  4. "Father Figure"
    Released: 28 December 1987
  5. "One More Try"
    Released: 11 April 1988
  6. "Monkey"
    Released: 4 July 1988
  7. "Kissing a Fool"
    Released: 21 November 1988

Faith is the debut solo studio album by the English singer George Michael, released on 2 November 1987 by Columbia Records and Epic Records. [3] In addition to playing various instruments on the album, Michael wrote and produced every track on the recording except for one, "Look at Your Hands", which he co-wrote with David Austin. A pop album with influences of R&B, funk and soul music, Faith's songs include introspective lyrics, which generated controversies about Michael's personal relationships at that time. [4]

Contents

Faith peaked at number one on the UK Albums Chart and US Billboard 200. It stayed for 51 non-consecutive weeks inside the Billboard 200 top 10, including 12 weeks at number one. It was also the first album by a white solo artist to hit number one on the Billboard Top Black Albums chart. Faith spawned four number one singles on the Billboard Hot 100: "Faith", "Father Figure", "One More Try", and "Monkey", making Michael the only British male solo artist to have four number one hits from one album on the Billboard Hot 100. Michael embarked on the Faith Tour to promote Faith in February 1988, opening at Tokyo's Budokan arena, before going on to dates in Australia, Europe and North America. [5]

Faith is one of the best-selling albums of all time, having sold over 25 million copies worldwide, and was certified Diamond by the Recording Industry Association of America in 1996. [6] The album won several awards, including Album of the Year at the 31st Grammy Awards. Michael won three awards at the 1989 American Music Awards: Favorite Pop/Rock Male Artist, Favorite Soul/R&B Male Artist and Favorite Soul/R&B Album. He was also honoured with the MTV Video Vanguard Award. Often ranked as one of the best albums of the 1980s, Faith was ranked number 151 on Rolling Stone 's list of the 500 Greatest Albums of All Time in 2020.

Background

By 1986, Michael had spent five years as the lead singer of the popular duo Wham! and had grown tired of accusations that the group, which featured his best friend Andrew Ridgeley, was nothing more than a teenybopper group despite the serious subject matter that was included on albums such as Fantastic and Make It Big . After the success of Make It Big, Michael had grown weary of continuing the group, and expressed to Ridgeley the desire that they should split up. A decision was made that the group would dissolve following the end of a tenure at Wembley Stadium for what was titled the Final. Following the split, Michael began to work on songs that would eventually make his first solo album, which would be titled Faith. [7] Michael was inspired by his contemporaries Michael Jackson and Prince: "I absolutely wanted to be in the same stratosphere as [Jackson and Prince], definitely. I'd gone from, a couple of years before, being perfectly happy with being on Top of the Pops , to thinking, 'I can do what Michael Jackson can do.' I mean, he'd just done Thriller for fucks sake! I wouldn't have the guts now. I wanted to be in that vein but, mostly, I wanted to make music as good as theirs." [8]

Recording

The album took over a year to make. [9] The first songs to be put together for the album were "I Want Your Sex (Part 1)" and "Look at Your Hands" (working title "Betcha Don't Like It"), recorded in August and September 1986 respectively, at Sarm West Studios in London. [1] [10] However, it wasn't until February 1987—after six months of little activity—that recording had properly started, [11] this time at the Puk Studios facility, located near Randers, Denmark. The lack of press activity there proved it to be a comfortable environment for Michael to work in without harassment. Songs were usually written by Michael bit by bit in the studio, often with the aid of technology such as drum machines to help create basic rhythms; he would then develop ideas further from there. Rather than using a live rhythm section (as was the case on Wham!'s Make It Big ), each instrument was overdubbed in the main studio. Michael would use session musicians to help realise his musical ideas, otherwise he'd try playing a lot (if not, all) of the parts himself, as was the case on "I Want Your Sex (Part 1)", "Hard Day" and "Monkey". The recording sessions at Puk, however, ended in late May shortly after the recording of the title track, "Faith", owing to Michael beginning to suffer from a bout of cabin fever, according to engineer Chris Porter. [1] Sessions later resumed at Sarm West, where the latter stages of production would take place.

In addition to playing various instruments on the album, he wrote and produced every track on the recording except for one, "Look at Your Hands", which he co-wrote with David Austin. A contemporary "black" pop-R&B album, Faith showcases Michael's vocals in a new style mode. Its songs are littered with introspective lyrics, which generated controversies about Michael's personal relationships at that time. The album comprises many musical styles including soul ("Father Figure", "One More Try"), rock ("Look at Your Hands", "Faith", "Hand to Mouth"), funk ("Monkey", "Hard Day") and jazz ("Kissing a Fool").

Some of the material was more graphic than Michael's previous efforts with Wham! One such song was "I Want Your Sex", which had three parts: the first part was titled "Rhythm 1: Lust", which was the version that would eventually be released as a single and featured electro funk influences; the second part was titled "Rhythm 2: Brass in Love", which mixed a more instrumentally-based funk live instrumentation with a smoother R&B arrangement during the verses; the third part, which was edited to be the final song on the album, was titled "Rhythm 3: A Last Request", featuring a jazz-influenced quiet storm and R&B sound combined with lyrics telling of Michael drunkenly trying to bring his lover to his bed.

Michael's liner notes in the booklet:

"These songs are the result of the last two years of my life. They are dedicated to my family and friends, whose loyalty and time are more important to me than ever before.

Love as always,

George" [12]

The title track began with an organ fanfare that was actually the music to Wham!'s "Freedom" played as if in a cathedral. After this, the song featured a rockabilly sound similar to Bo Diddley while Michael added his own style with his vocals. [13] "Father Figure" originally was a dance-styled production until Michael removed the snare drums from it and kept it that way because he loved what he heard, making the song a mid-tempo R&B ballad. "One More Try" was a soul song in the tradition of songs by Marvin Gaye and Stevie Wonder; its lyrics tell of a man who pushes his lover away out of fear of repeating past relationships, only to accept the invitation in the end.

"Hard Day", much like the first two parts of "I Want Your Sex", was inspired by funk. The social commentary song "Hand to Mouth" had a slight pop and folk approach while a similar social commentary song, "Look at Your Hands", co-written by Michael and David Austin, produced a pop song with rock elements featuring a piano and saxophone. "Monkey" returns to the funk influences of some of the other songs. A remix of the song by Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis brings a new jack swing approach to the original. "Kissing a Fool" is a jazz-influenced ballad with lyrics solemnly describing a breakup.

The synthesizers used by Michael on the album include the Yamaha DX7, Roland S-50, Roland D-50 and Roland Juno-106 (used for most synthesized bass parts and strings). Drum machines were a LinnDrum (Michael's main drum machine on the album—not the Linn 9000), Roland TR-808 and a Yamaha RX-5, while drum parts were played on a Pearl drum kit ("Look at Your Hands") and Roland Octapad. Engineer Chris Porter's Greengate DS3 sampler was sometimes used in conjunction the Linn for certain drum sounds, although the Linn's sounds were what Michael preferred. Non-synthesized parts were played by Michael on a Fender Precision Bass. [14] [15]

Release

Michael during a Faith Tour concert in 1988. The album propelled him to solo stardom and one of the most successful English acts of the 1980s. George Michael.jpeg
Michael during a Faith Tour concert in 1988. The album propelled him to solo stardom and one of the most successful English acts of the 1980s.

10 weeks after its release, Faith reached number one on the US Billboard 200. [16] Its early, and successive, success on the chart was said to be partly sustained—with help from plenty of press appearances and promotions—by its strong single releases. After "I Want Your Sex" helped propel Faith to its debut atop the chart, the second single "Faith" aided the album's continuing sales dominance. It also reached number one on the UK Albums Chart, although it stayed at the top spot for only one week. Faith stayed for 51 non-consecutive weeks inside the Billboard 200 top 10, including 12 weeks at number one. [17] It was also the first album by a white solo artist to hit number one on the Billboard Top Black Albums chart. [16]

In a 1988 interview with Jet magazine, Michael was quoted as saying: "I was much happier with [Faith] being the No. 1 Black [chart] album than I was when it became the No. 1 Pop album. There was much more of a sense of achievement. I knew this album would be a shock or a surprise to people in this country. The uptempo side of the new music is more overtly sexual, more black." [4]

During 1987 and 1988, Faith produced a string of hit singles for Michael, including six top-five Billboard Hot 100 hits, four of which ("Faith", "Father Figure", "One More Try", and "Monkey") reached number one, making him the only British male solo artist to have four number one hits from one album on the Billboard Hot 100. "Faith" was 1988's best-selling single in the United States; with "Careless Whisper" having been the best-selling single in 1985, Michael became the first musician to achieve two Billboard Year-End number one singles chart since the Beatles' "Hey Jude" topped the Year-End singles chart in 1968 after "I Want to Hold Your Hand" had done so in 1964. Michael also had both the year's number one album and the number one single, which hadn't happened since 1970, when Simon & Garfunkel grabbed both positions with Bridge over Troubled Water and its title track.

A video compilation of the same name was released by CMV Enterprises on August 9, 1988, to promote the album. [18] The singer's first solo video compilation, it contained six music videos from the album—"I Want Your Sex", "Faith", "Father Figure", "One More Try", "Monkey", and "Kissing a Fool". These videos were later released on the 1999 video compilation Ladies & Gentlemen: The Best of George Michael . [18]

The Faith Tour

Michael embarked on a world tour to promote the album in February 1988, opening at Tokyo's Budokan arena, before going on to dates in Australia, Europe and North America. In Los Angeles, Michael was joined on stage by Aretha Franklin for a duet on "I Knew You Were Waiting (For Me)". While on tour, new singles from the album continued to be released. In June, Michael interrupted the tour to sing three songs at Wembley Stadium's Nelson Mandela 70th Birthday Tribute. [19]

Critical reception

Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svg [20]
The Boston Phoenix Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svg [21]
Los Angeles Times Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svg [22]
New Musical Express 8/10 [23]
Pitchfork 8.7/10 [13]
Record Collector Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svg [24]
Rolling Stone Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svg [25]
The Rolling Stone Album Guide Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svg [26]
The Village Voice B+ [27]

Faith was met with widespread acclaim from music critics. Mark Coleman of Rolling Stone praised Michael for emerging as "one of pop music’s leading artisans, a painstaking craftsman who combines a graceful knack for vocal hooks with an uncanny ability to ransack the past for musical ideas and still sound fresh" and dubbed Michael the "Elton John of the 1980s". Coleman also claimed that Faith is "a concept album of sorts" incorporating "disco groove [varying] from urban thump to slow tropical heat wave", praising it for being "grounded in a passion and personal commitment". [25]

Faith earned Michael numerous accolades, including Album of the Year at the 31st Grammy Awards. Michael was awarded three awards at the 1989 American Music Awards: Favorite Pop/Rock Male Artist, Favorite Soul/R&B Male Artist and Favorite Soul/R&B Album for Faith. He was also honoured with the MTV Video Vanguard Award. Faith was the best-selling album of 1988 in the United States, and eventually reached Diamond certification by the Recording Industry Association of America. According to Nielsen SoundScan, current sales of the album stand at 11 million copies, making it the 52nd bestselling album in the United States. Faith has sold around over 20 million copies worldwide. [6]

Reappraisal

In a Billboard review, Faith was considered to have "cemented [Michael] as an MTV icon and a global superstar" and shaping the sound of "late-'80s pop as much as any LP of its time." [28] Writing for BBC Music, Ian Wade praised Faith for being a "classic of its era" and "one of the more listenable major releases of the 80s." He also regarded the album being responsible for turning Michael into a "proper international superstar, confirming his rightful place at pop's top table." [29]

Reviewing the reissue of Faith for the Metro in 2011, Arwa Haider claimed: "Faith still bursts with self-belief, designer vanity, classic songs and imagery, right from the opening title track which begins with a funeral church organ rendition of Wham!'s hit, "Freedom", before clicking into jaunty rock 'n' roll. It's easy to hear why Faith achieved multi-million status, although the masterful ballads ("Father Figure", "One More Try") have stood the test of time better than Michael's funk-pop." [30] Following the 30th anniversary of the release of the single "Faith", Nate Hertweck wrote in a Grammy Awards review that the song "change[d] everything". [31]

In 1989, Faith was ranked at number 84 on Rolling Stone's list of the Greatest Albums of the 80s. [32] In 2003, the album was ranked at number 480 on Rolling Stone's list of the 500 Greatest Albums of All Time, while in 2012, the album ranked eight places higher at number 472 on an updated list by the magazine. [33] In a 2020 revised list, it moved up to 151. [34] Faith was ranked 79th in a 2005 survey held by British television's Channel 4 to determine the 100 Greatest Albums of All Time. In 2006, Q magazine placed the album at number 24 in its list of 40 Best Albums of the '80s. [35] Slant Magazine listed the album at number 62 on its list of Best Albums of the 1980s. [36]

2011 remastered release

Professional ratings
Aggregate scores
SourceRating
Metacritic 90/100 [37]
Review scores
SourceRating
BBC Music 10/10 [38]
Entertainment Weekly A [39]
Filter 85% [40]
Islington Gazette Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svg [41]
Q Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svg [42]
Rolling Stone Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svg [43]
Slant Magazine Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar half.svgStar empty.svg [44]

The 2011 re-release received universal acclaim from music critics according to Metacritic. A remastered edition of Faith was released on 31 January 2011 in the UK and on 1 February 2011 in the US. It is available in several formats: Limited Edition Collectors Box Set, Two-CD and DVD Special Edition, Two-CD Edition and iTunes LP . The box set release features: the remastered album on CD, an additional CD of remastered 12" versions and B-sides; a DVD featuring a TV special from 1987, a hardbound book that includes an exclusive interview with George Michael, sleeve notes, rare photos and memorabilia; a vinyl album replica of the original LP; and a memorabilia envelope that includes five art prints, reproduction poster, tickets and tour pass from the Faith tour sourced from Michael's personal archive. All this is housed in a 12 x 12 numbered, black and gold-foiled slipcase with original artwork overlay. The first 2,000 copies were also provided with a hand-numbered lithograph attached (taped) outside the box set.

Accolades

Billboard Year-End Number One Awards

YearNominee / workAwardResult
1988FaithTop Pop AlbumsWon

Grammy Awards

YearNominee / workAwardResult
1989 Faith
(performed and produced by George Michael)		 Album of the Year [45] Won
"Father Figure"
(performed by George Michael)		 Best Pop Vocal Performance – Male [46] Nominated

American Music Awards

YearNominee / workAwardResult
1989
[47] 		Faith Favorite Soul/R&B Album Won
Favorite Pop/Rock Album Nominated
George Michael Favorite Soul/R&B Male Artist Won
Favorite Pop/Rock Male Artist Won

MTV Video Music Awards

YearNominee / workAwardResult
1988
[48] 		"Father Figure"
(Directors: Andy Morahan and George Michael)		Best Direction in a VideoWon
"Father Figure"
(Director of Photography: Peter Mackay)		Best Cinematography in a VideoNominated
"Faith"
(Art Director: Bryan Jones)		Best Art Direction in a VideoNominated
1989
[49] 		George MichaelVideo Vanguard AwardWon

Brit Awards

YearNominee / workAwardResult
1988
[50] 		FaithBest British AlbumNominated
George MichaelBest British Male ArtistWon

Ivor Novello Awards

YearNominee / workAwardResult
1989FaithInternational Hit of the YearWon

Japan Gold Disc Awards

YearNominee / workAwardResult
1988FaithThe Best International Pop Solo Album of the Year [51] Won

Track listing

All tracks are written and produced by George Michael; "Look at Your Hands" co-written with David Austin.

Standard edition
Side one
No.TitleLength
1."Faith"3:16
2."Father Figure"5:36
3."I Want Your Sex" (Parts 1 & 2)9:17
4."One More Try"5:50
Side two
No.TitleLength
5."Hard Day"4:48
6."Hand to Mouth"4:36
7."Look at Your Hands"4:37
8."Monkey"5:06
9."Kissing a Fool"4:35
CD and cassette bonus tracks
No.TitleLength
10."Hard Day" (Shep Pettibone remix)6:29
11."A Last Request (I Want Your Sex Part 3)"3:48

Note:

VHS video compilation [18]

  1. "I Want Your Sex" (uncensored version) – music video
  2. "Faith" – music video
  3. "Father Figure" – music video
  4. "One More Try" – music video
  5. "Monkey" – music video
  6. "Kissing a Fool" – music video

2011 remaster

Disc one

The first disc features the remastered version of the original album. [52]

  2. "A Last Request (I Want Your Sex Part 3)" – 3:48

Disc two

  1. "Faith" (instrumental) – 3:16
  2. "Fantasy" – 5:02
  3. "Hard Day" (Shep Pettibone mix) – 9:04
  4. "I Believe (When I Fall in Love It Will Be Forever)" (Stevie Wonder, Yvonne Wright) (live) – 7:03
  5. "Kissing a Fool" (instrumental) – 4:35
  6. "Love's in Need of Love Today" (live at Wembley Arena, 1 Apr '87) (Wonder) – 4:43
  7. "Monkey" (7" edit version) – 4:48
  8. "Monkey" (a capella & beats) – 7:27
  9. "Monkey" (Jam & Lewis remix) – 8:10

Note:

2011 remaster DVD

  1. George Michael and Jonathan Ross Have Words (1987)
  2. Music Money Love Faith (February 1988)
  3. "I Want Your Sex" – music video (re-synched with re-mastered audio)
  4. "I Want Your Sex" (uncensored version) – music video
  5. "Faith" – music video
  6. "Father Figure" – music video
  7. "One More Try" – music video
  8. "Monkey" – music video
  9. "Kissing a Fool" – music video

Personnel

Technical

Charts

Certifications and sales

RegionCertification Certified units/sales
Argentina (CAPIF) [93] Platinum60,000^
Australia (ARIA) [94] 5× Platinum350,000^
Brazil
as of January 1991 		—280,000 [95]
Canada (Music Canada) [96] Diamond1,000,000^
Canada (Music Canada) [97]
video 		Platinum10,000^
Denmark (IFPI Danmark) [98] Platinum20,000‡
France (SNEP) [99] 2× Platinum600,000*
Germany (BVMI) [100] Gold250,000^
Hong Kong (IFPI Hong Kong) [101] Gold10,000*
Italy—200,000 [102]
Japan—204,000 [64]
Netherlands (NVPI) [103] Platinum100,000^
New Zealand (RMNZ) [104] Platinum15,000^
Norway (IFPI Norway) [105] Gold50,000 [105]
Spain (PROMUSICAE) [67] 2× Platinum200,000^
Sweden (GLF) [106] Gold50,000^
Switzerland (IFPI Switzerland) [107] 2× Platinum100,000^
United Kingdom (BPI) [108] 4× Platinum1,300,000 [109]
United States (RIAA) [110] Diamond10,000,000^
United States (RIAA) [111]
video 		Platinum100,000^
Summaries
Worldwide—25,000,000 [112]

* Sales figures based on certification alone.
^ Shipments figures based on certification alone.
‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone.

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">George Michael</span> English singer-songwriter (1963–2016)

George Michael was an English singer-songwriter and record producer. Regarded as a pop culture icon, he is one of the best-selling musicians of all time, with his sales estimated at between 100 million to 125 million records worldwide. Michael was known as a creative force in songwriting, vocal performance, and visual presentation. He achieved 10 number-one songs on the US Billboard Hot 100 and 13 number-one songs on the UK singles chart. Michael won numerous music awards, including two Grammy Awards, three Brit Awards, twelve Billboard Music Awards, and four MTV Video Music Awards. He was listed among Billboard's the "Greatest Hot 100 Artists of All Time" and Rolling Stone's the "200 Greatest Singers of All Time". The Radio Academy named him the most played artist on British radio during the period 1984–2004. Michael was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2023.

<i>Keep the Faith</i> 1992 studio album by Bon Jovi

Keep the Faith is the fifth studio album by American rock band Bon Jovi, released on November 3, 1992, by Mercury Records. It is Bon Jovi's last studio album to feature all five original band members as bass guitarist Alec John Such was dismissed from the band in 1994, though it was not his last release with the band. It is Bon Jovi's first album to not be produced by either Lance Quinn or Bruce Fairbairn. The album was produced by Bob Rock and was recorded at the Little Mountain Sound Studios in Vancouver, British Columbia. Keep the Faith marked a change to a "more serious interpretation of the band's pop-metal groove". It is also Bon Jovi's longest album to date, clocking in at 66 minutes.

<i>Forever Your Girl</i> 1988 studio album by Paula Abdul

Forever Your Girl is the debut studio album by American singer Paula Abdul. It was released on June 21, 1988, through Virgin Records. The album was Abdul's breakthrough into the music industry after being a choreographer for high-profile clients including Kate Bush, The California Raisins, George Michael, ZZ Top, Duran Duran and most notably Janet Jackson. At the time of the album's release it was the most successful debut album of all time and was the first time an artist scored four US Billboard Hot 100 number-one singles from a debut album. It is currently certified 7× platinum by the RIAA.

<i>Whitney</i> (album) 1987 studio album by Whitney Houston

Whitney is the second studio album by American singer Whitney Houston, released on June 1, 1987, by Arista Records as the follow-up to her debut album. Whitney is one of the best-selling albums of all time, with sales of over 20 million copies worldwide. The album features five top-10 hits on the US Billboard Hot 100, which also became international hits. The album's first four singles—"I Wanna Dance with Somebody ", "Didn't We Almost Have It All", "So Emotional" and "Where Do Broken Hearts Go"—all peaked at number one on the US Hot 100, making her the first female act to achieve four number-one hits from one album.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">I Want Your Sex</span> 1987 single by George Michael

"I Want Your Sex" is a song by English singer and songwriter George Michael. Released as a single on 18 May 1987 (US) and 1 June 1987 (UK), it was the third hit from the soundtrack to Beverly Hills Cop II and the first single from Michael's debut solo album Faith.

<i>Listen Without Prejudice Vol. 1</i> 1990 album by George Michael

Listen Without Prejudice Vol. 1 is the second solo studio album by the English singer-songwriter George Michael, released on 3 September 1990 by Columbia Records in the US and Epic Records in the UK. The album was Michael's final album of all-new material on Columbia until 2004's Patience. Listen Without Prejudice was a stark departure from Michael's previous album, 1987's Faith, with largely acoustic instrumentation and a sombre intensity in many of the lyrics and melodies. While the album topped the UK Albums Chart, disappointing sales in the United States led to Michael's legal battles against Sony Music, in which he accused the corporation of not fully supporting him as an artist. Listen Without Prejudice was reissued across a number of formats on 20 October 2017 and again topped the UK Albums Chart, 27 years after it first reached number one on the chart.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">I Knew You Were Waiting (For Me)</span> 1987 single by Aretha Franklin and George Michael

"I Knew You Were Waiting (For Me)" is a song released by American singer Aretha Franklin and English singer George Michael as a duet in 1987. The song was a number one hit in the United States and the United Kingdom. Billboard listed "I Knew You Were Waiting (For Me)" as Franklin's all-time biggest Hot 100 single. The song was Franklin's biggest hit on the Billboard Adult Contemporary chart, reaching number two. The song was written by Simon Climie and Dennis Morgan and produced by Narada Michael Walden. Franklin and Michael won a 1987 Grammy Award for Best R&B Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal for "I Knew You Were Waiting (For Me)".

<i>Older</i> (George Michael album) 1996 studio album by George Michael

Older is the third studio album by English singer-songwriter George Michael, released on 13 May 1996 in Europe by Virgin Records and Aegean Records. The American release, which occurred one day later, was the first album released by DreamWorks Records. It was Michael's first studio album since 1990's Listen Without Prejudice Vol. 1 – the five-and-a-half-year gap was due to the legal battle that Michael experienced with his former record company Sony Music. Michael dedicated two years to the recording of Older, and the album found him exploring new musical territories in a more serious fashion compared to his previous work.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Faith (George Michael song)</span> 1987 single by George Michael

"Faith" is a song by English singer and songwriter George Michael. Written and produced by Michael, it was released via Columbia Records as the second single from his 1987 debut solo album of the same name. It held the number-one position on the Billboard Hot 100 chart for four weeks and, according to Billboard magazine, was the number-one single of the year in the United States in 1988. The song also reached number one in Australia and Canada and number two on the UK Singles Chart. In 2001, it placed at number 322 on the Songs of the Century list.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Father Figure (George Michael song)</span> 1987 single by George Michael

"Father Figure" is a song by English singer and songwriter George Michael from his debut studio album, Faith (1987). It was released on 28 December 1987 as the album's fourth single by Columbia Records. The song reached number one on the US Billboard Hot 100 and number 11 on the UK singles chart. Additionally it was a top five hit in Australia, Belgium, Canada, Iceland, Ireland, the Netherlands and Spain.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kissing a Fool (song)</span> 1988 single by George Michael

"Kissing a Fool" is a song written and performed by English singer and songwriter George Michael, released by Columbia Records in 1988.

<i>Ladies & Gentlemen: The Best of George Michael</i> 1998 greatest hits album by George Michael

Ladies & Gentlemen: The Best of George Michael is the first compilation album by George Michael, released on 9 November 1998. The collection of 29 songs is separated into two-halves, with each CD of the double set containing music of a particular theme and mood. The first CD, titled "For the Heart", predominantly contains Michael's hit ballads, while the second CD, "For the Feet", comprises mostly his popular dance tunes. A DVD release also titled Ladies & Gentlemen: The Best of George Michael followed in 1999, featuring 23 music videos from Michael's career. After his death in December 2016, it was revealed by Michael's friend Geri Halliwell on The One Show that all of the British profits from the album went to the charity Terrence Higgins Trust.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">George Michael discography</span>

English singer-songwriter George Michael's releases consist of five studio albums, two compilation albums, one extended play, 44 singles, six promotional singles, 36 music videos, and five video albums. In his career, Michael sold an estimated 100 million to 125 million records worldwide, making him one of the world's best-selling artists of all time.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Monkey (song)</span> 1988 single by George Michael

"Monkey" is a US number-one hit song by English singer and songwriter George Michael. It was released as a single in 1988 and reached number-one on the US Billboard Hot 100 and number 13 on the UK Singles Chart. "Monkey" debuted at number 42 on 9 July 1988, reaching number-one for two weeks, beginning on 27 August 1988.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bon Jovi discography</span>

American rock band Bon Jovi has released 16 studio albums, three live albums, five compilation albums, five EPs, 66 singles, 14 video albums, and 71 music videos. Bon Jovi has sold over 130 million records worldwide, making them one of the best-selling bands of all time. As of 2018, the band has sold 21.8 million albums in the US Nielsen SoundScan era. Billboard ranked Bon Jovi as the 45th Greatest Artist of all time, achieving 6 No. 1 albums on the Billboard 200 & 4 No. 1 hits on the Billboard Hot 100. According to Recording Industry Association of America, Bon Jovi has sold 34.5 million albums in the United States.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Whitesnake discography</span>

The English-American hard rock band Whitesnake have released thirteen studio albums, nine live albums, twelve compilation albums, three box sets, two extended plays (EPs), 40 singles, nine video albums and 29 music videos. Formed in London in 1978 by vocalist David Coverdale, the band originally featured guitarists Micky Moody and Bernie Marsden, bassist Neil Murray, keyboardist Peter Solley and drummer Dave Dowle. The group's debut EP Snakebite was released in June 1978 and reached number 61 on the UK Singles Chart. After replacing Solley with Jon Lord, the band released their debut full-length album Trouble later in the year, which reached number 50 on the UK Albums Chart. 1979's Lovehunter reached number 29 on the chart. Lead single "Long Way from Home" charted at number 55.

<i>Dirty Dancing</i> (soundtrack) 1987 soundtrack album by various artists

Dirty Dancing: Original Soundtrack from the Vestron Motion Picture is the original soundtrack to the 1987 film Dirty Dancing. It was released on August 4, 1987, by RCA Records. The album went on to sell 32 million copies worldwide and is one of the best-selling albums of all time. In the United States, the album spent 18 weeks at number one on the Billboard 200 chart and has been certified 14-times Platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA). With shipments of at least 3.25 million copies, it is the all-time best-selling album in Germany.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Faith No More discography</span>

The discography of Faith No More, an American rock group, consists of seven studio albums, nineteen singles, one live album, five compilations, four video albums.

<i>Twenty Five</i> (video) Album

Twenty Five is a video album by English singer-songwriter George Michael, released on DVD in November 2006. It contains forty videos on two discs, including seven with Wham!. The Twenty Five album was also released at the same time.

<i>Beverly Hills Cop II</i> (soundtrack) 1987 soundtrack album by various artists

Beverly Hills Cop II: The Motion Picture Soundtrack Album is the soundtrack to Tony Scott's 1987 action comedy film Beverly Hills Cop II. It was released in 1987 through MCA Records. Composed of eleven songs, production was handled by André Cymone, Giorgio Moroder, Keith Forsey, George Michael, Harold Faltermeyer, Howie Rice, Michael Verdick, Narada Michael Walden, Ready for the World and Stephen Bray.

References

  1. 1 2 3 Buskin, Richard (March 2013). "Classic Tracks: George Michael 'Faith'" . Retrieved 22 December 2020.
  2. ↑ "You Have Been Loved: Remembering George Michael, the Icon". Albumism.
  3. ↑ "BPI".
  4. 1 2 Jet – Google Books. Johnson Publishing Company. 26 September 1988. Retrieved 5 January 2012.
  5. ↑ Steele, Robert (2017). Careless Whispers: The Life & Career of George Michael: Revised & Updated. Omnibus Press. p. 155. ISBN   978-1-78323-968-9.
  6. 1 2 Tannenbaum, Rob (January 6, 2017). "George Michael: Why He Turned His Back on Fame, and the 'Faith'-like Songs He Recorded Before His Death". billboard.com. Prometheus Global Media, LLC. Retrieved September 3, 2019.
  7. ↑ GREIN, PAUL (14 January 1988). "George Michael's Got 'Faith' and Lots More". Los Angeles Times.
  8. ↑ "Mark Goodier Interview with George Michael (2010) | Part 2".
  9. ↑ Bowermaster, Jon (30 May 1988). "George Michael: Act of Faith". US Weekly.
  10. ↑ Fricke, David (20 November 1986). "The Second Coming Of George Michael". Rolling Stone . Retrieved 28 December 2020.
  11. ↑ Jensen, David (14 February 1987). "Everything He Wants". No.1 Magazine.
  12. ↑ "Image of Faith booklet". Discogs. Retrieved 29 December 2016.
  13. 1 2 Nelson, Brad (5 August 2018). "George Michael: Faith". Pitchfork . Retrieved 5 August 2018.
  14. ↑ Tannenbaum, Rob (January 1988). "George Michael: Artist or Airhead?". Musician.
  15. ↑ Horkins, Tony (December 1987). "George Michael: A Question Of Faith". International Musician. UK.
  16. 1 2 "George Michael's History on Billboard's R&B Charts". Billboard. Retrieved 5 January 2020.
  17. ↑ Helmore, Edward (26 December 2016). "Why George Michael turned his back on America". The Guardian. ISSN   0261-3077 . Retrieved 5 January 2020.
  18. 1 2 3 Faith VHS: George Michael. Legacy. 9 August 1988. ASIN   6301090411.
  19. ↑ "George Michael at the Nelson Mandela Tribute Concert (1988)". gmforever.com. Retrieved 5 January 2020.
  20. ↑ Huey, Steve. "Faith – George Michael". AllMusic . Retrieved 10 February 2016.
  21. ↑ Christopher, Michael (27 January 2011). "Review: George Michael | Faith: Remastered". The Boston Phoenix . Archived from the original on 15 March 2017. Retrieved 26 August 2016.
  22. ↑ Johnson, Connie (1 November 1987). "Wham! Man Makes His Big Move". Los Angeles Times . Retrieved 26 August 2016.
  23. ↑ Minkoff, Myrna (7 November 1987). "George, Best". New Musical Express . p. 29.
  24. ↑ Staunton, Terry (November 2010). "Faith | George Michael". Record Collector . No. 381. Retrieved 1 May 2021.
  25. 1 2 Coleman, Mark (14 January 1988). "Faith". Rolling Stone . Archived from the original on 5 August 2018. Retrieved 10 February 2016.
  26. ↑ Berger, Arion (2004). "George Michael". In Brackett, Nathan; Hoard, Christian (eds.). The New Rolling Stone Album Guide (4th ed.). Simon & Schuster. pp.  539–40. ISBN   0-7432-0169-8.
  27. ↑ Christgau, Robert (29 December 1987). "Christgau's Consumer Guide". The Village Voice . Archived from the original on 10 February 2016. Retrieved 10 February 2016.
  28. ↑ "Keeping the 'Faith': Six Writers Remember the Six Classic Hit Singles From George Michael's 30-Year-Old Debut". Billboard . Retrieved 5 January 2020.
  29. ↑ Wade, Ian (27 January 2011). "George Michael Faith Review". BBC Music . Retrieved 5 January 2020.
  30. ↑ Haider, Arwa (14 January 2011). "George Michael: Faith". Metro .
  31. ↑ "Remember When? George Michael's "Faith"". GRAMMY.com. 6 October 2017. Retrieved 5 January 2020.
  32. ↑ "The Top 100 Albums of 1989" by Jancee Dunn, Rolling Stone Magazine, 14–28 December 1989, page 239
  33. ↑ "500 Greatest Albums of All Time". Rolling Stone . 31 May 2012. Retrieved 2 September 2019.
  34. ↑ "The 500 Greatest Albums of All Time". Rolling Stone . 22 September 2020. Retrieved 1 May 2021.
  35. ↑ "40 Best Albums of the '80s". Q . No. 241. August 2006.
  36. ↑ "The 100 Best Albums of the 1980s". Slant Magazine . 5 March 2012. p. 2. Retrieved 1 May 2021.
  37. ↑ "Critic Reviews for Faith: Special Edition". Metacritic . Retrieved 1 March 2022.
  38. ↑ "George Michael Faith Review". BBC Music . Retrieved 1 March 2022.
  39. ↑ "Faith: Special Edition". Entertainment Weekly . Retrieved 30 June 2022.
  40. ↑ "Faith [reissue] - Epic/Legacy". Filter . Archived from the original on 16 April 2011. Retrieved 1 March 2022.
  41. ↑ "Album review: Faith [Remastered Special Edition]". Islington Gazette . Retrieved 2 March 2022.
  42. ↑ "George Michael: Faith". Q . No. 295. February 2011. p. 126.
  43. ↑ "Faith: Special Edition". Rolling Stone . Retrieved 1 March 2022.
  44. ↑ "Review: George Michael, Faith (Special Edition)". Slant Magazine . Retrieved 1 March 2022.
  45. ↑ "GRAMMYs' Best Albums 1980–1989". grammy.org. 4 February 2008. Archived from the original on 30 August 2011.
  46. ↑ Hunt, Dennis (13 January 1989). "Chapman, McFerrin Lead Grammy Race : Baker, Sting, Michael, Winwood Also Capture Multiple Nominations". Los Angeles Times .
  47. ↑ Marlow, Shirley (31 January 1989). "Randy Travis and George Michael Score Triple Plays". Los Angeles Times . Retrieved 3 May 2014.
  48. ↑ "MTV Video Music Awards: 1988 VMA Winners". MTV . Archived from the original on 30 August 2008. Retrieved 3 May 2014.
  49. ↑ "MTV Video Music Awards: 1989 VMA Winners". MTV . Archived from the original on 28 August 2008. Retrieved 3 May 2014.
  50. ↑ "The BRITs 1988". brits.co.uk. British Phonographic Industry. Archived from the original on 14 March 2012. Retrieved 10 October 2013.
  51. ↑ "第2回日本ゴールドディスク大賞" [The 2nd Japan Gold Disc Awards]. Retrieved 1 May 2014.
  52. ↑ "Faith – Remastered 2CD/DVD Special Edition [CD+DVD, Box Set]". Amazon. Retrieved 28 November 2010.
  53. ↑ "Hits of the World" (PDF). Billboard . 26 March 1988. p. 59. Retrieved 16 October 2017.
  54. ↑ "Austriancharts.at – George Michael – Faith" (in German). Hung Medien. Retrieved 16 October 2017.
  55. ↑ "Ultratop.be – George Michael – Faith" (in Dutch). Hung Medien. Retrieved 16 October 2017.
  56. ↑ "Ultratop.be – George Michael – Faith" (in French). Hung Medien. Retrieved 16 October 2017.
  57. ↑ "Top RPM Albums: Issue 0925". RPM . Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved 16 October 2017.
  58. ↑ "Hits of the World" (PDF). Billboard. 9 January 1988. p. 67. Retrieved 16 October 2017.
  59. ↑ "Dutchcharts.nl – George Michael – Faith" (in Dutch). Hung Medien. Retrieved 16 October 2017.
  60. ↑ "Hits of the World" (PDF). Billboard. 19 December 1987. p. 60. Retrieved 13 October 2017.
  61. ↑ "Albumit 1987-11 marraskuu" (in Finnish). Musiikkituottajat – IFPI Finland. Archived from the original on 7 April 2016. Retrieved 16 October 2017.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)
  62. ↑ "Les "Charts Runs" de chaque Album Classé" (in French). InfoDisc. Retrieved 16 October 2017.
  63. ↑ "Offiziellecharts.de – George Michael – Faith" (in German). GfK Entertainment Charts. Retrieved 16 October 2017.
  64. 1 2 Oricon Album Chart Book: Complete Edition 1970–2005. Roppongi, Tokyo: Oricon Entertainment. 2006. ISBN   4-87131-077-9.
  65. ↑ "Charts.nz – George Michael – Faith". Hung Medien. Retrieved 16 October 2017.
  66. ↑ "Norwegiancharts.com – George Michael – Faith". Hung Medien. Retrieved 16 October 2017.
  67. 1 2 3 Sólo éxitos: año a año, 1959–2002 (1st ed.). Spain: Fundación Autor-SGAE. September 2005. ISBN   84-8048-639-2.
  68. ↑ "Swedishcharts.com – George Michael – Faith". Hung Medien. Retrieved 16 October 2017.
  69. ↑ "Swisscharts.com – George Michael – Faith". Hung Medien. Retrieved 16 October 2017.
  70. ↑ "Official Albums Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 16 October 2017.
  71. ↑ "George Michael Chart History (Billboard 200)". Billboard. Retrieved 16 October 2017.
  72. ↑ "George Michael Chart History (Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved 16 October 2017.
  73. ↑ Kimberley, Christopher (2000). Zimbabwe Albums Chart Book: 1973–1998. Harare.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)
  74. ↑ David Kent (1993). Australian Chart Book 1970–1992 . St Ives, NSW: Australian Chart Book. ISBN   0-646-11917-6.
  75. ↑ "Top 100 Albums of '87". RPM. 26 December 1987. Retrieved 16 October 2017.
  76. ↑ "Dutch charts jaaroverzichten 1987" (in Dutch). Hung Medien. Retrieved 16 October 2017.
  77. ↑ "Les Albums (CD) de 1987 par InfoDisc" (in French). InfoDisc. Archived from the original on 1 February 2016. Retrieved 16 October 2017.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)
  78. ↑ "Top 100 Album-Jahrescharts" (in German). GfK Entertainment Charts. Retrieved 16 October 2017.
  79. ↑ "Topp 40 Album Julen 1987" (in Norwegian). VG-lista. Archived from the original on 16 October 2017. Retrieved 16 October 2017.
  80. ↑ "Gallup Year End Charts 1987: Albums". Record Mirror. 23 January 1988. p. 37.
  81. ↑ "ARIA Charts – End Of Year Charts – Top 50 Albums 1988". Australian Recording Industry Association . Retrieved 16 October 2017.
  82. ↑ "Jahreshitparade Alben 1988" (in German). Hung Medien. Retrieved 16 October 2017.
  83. ↑ "Dutch charts jaaroverzichten 1988" (in Dutch). Hung Medien. Retrieved 16 October 2017.
  84. ↑ "Top Selling Albums of 1988". Recorded Music NZ . Retrieved 16 October 2017.
  85. ↑ "Topp 40 Album Vinter 1988" (in Norwegian). VG-lista. Archived from the original on 16 October 2017. Retrieved 16 October 2017.
  86. ↑ "Swiss Year-end Charts 1988". Hung Medien. Retrieved 16 October 2017.
  87. ↑ Scaping, Peter, ed. (1991). "Top 100 Albums: 1988". BPI YearBook 1989/90. London, England: British Phonographic Industry. pp. 66–67. ISBN   978-0-9061-5410-6.
  88. 1 2 "The Year in Music: 1988" (PDF). Billboard. 24 December 1988. Retrieved 16 October 2017.
  89. ↑ "RPM Top 100 Albums of 1989". RPM. 23 December 1989. Archived from the original on 31 December 2013. Retrieved 16 October 2017.
  90. ↑ "The Year in Music: 1989" (PDF). Billboard. 23 December 1989. p. 20. Retrieved 16 October 2017.
  91. ↑ "Bestenlisten – 80er-Album" (in German). Hung Medien. Retrieved 16 October 2017.
  92. ↑ "Greatest of All Time Billboard 200 Albums". Billboard. Retrieved 16 October 2017.
  93. ↑ "Discos de oro y platino" (in Spanish). Cámara Argentina de Productores de Fonogramas y Videogramas. Archived from the original on 6 July 2011. Retrieved 23 June 2013.
  94. ↑ "ARIA Charts – Accreditations – 2004 Albums" (PDF). Australian Recording Industry Association . Retrieved 4 May 2011.
  95. ↑ "As mais variadas tendências no Rock in Rio 2". A Tribuna (in Portuguese). 12 January 1991. Archived from the original on 30 November 2022. Retrieved 29 November 2022. Transalation: The Faith album ended up selling more than 25 million copies, in Brazil alone more than 280 thousand people bought it.
  96. ↑ "Canadian album certifications – George Michael – Faith". Music Canada . Retrieved 4 May 2011.
  97. ↑ "Canadian video certifications – George Michael – Faith". Music Canada . Retrieved 9 July 2020.
  98. ↑ "Danish album certifications – George Michael – Faith". IFPI Danmark . Retrieved 14 July 2020.
  99. ↑ "French album certifications – George Michael – Faith" (in French). InfoDisc.Select GEORGE MICHAEL and click OK. 
  100. ↑ "Gold-/Platin-Datenbank (George Michael; 'Faith')" (in German). Bundesverband Musikindustrie . Retrieved 4 May 2011.
  101. ↑ "IFPIHK Gold Disc Award − 1988". IFPI Hong Kong. Retrieved 8 January 2016.
  102. ↑ "George Michael: "Essere bello conta ma non basta"". Corriere Della Sera. 20 October 1987. Retrieved 3 September 2023.
  103. ↑ "Dutch album certifications – George Michael – Faith" (in Dutch). Nederlandse Vereniging van Producenten en Importeurs van beeld- en geluidsdragers . Retrieved 4 May 2011.Enter Faith in the "Artiest of titel" box. Select 1988 in the drop-down menu saying "Alle jaargangen".
  104. ↑ "New Zealand album certifications – George Michael – Faith". Recorded Music NZ . Retrieved 20 November 2024.
  105. 1 2 "The European Best Sellers of 1987" (PDF). Music & Media . Vol. 4, no. 51/52. 26 December 1987. pp. 42–46.
  106. ↑ "Guld- och Platinacertifikat − År 1987−1998" (PDF) (in Swedish). IFPI Sweden. Archived from the original (PDF) on 17 May 2011. Retrieved 23 June 2013.
  107. ↑ "The Official Swiss Charts and Music Community: Awards ('Faith')". IFPI Switzerland. Hung Medien. Retrieved 4 May 2011.
  108. ↑ "British album certifications – George Michael – Faith". British Phonographic Industry . Retrieved 3 May 2011.
  109. ↑ Alan Jones (11 January 2017). "George Michael on the charts". Music Week . Retrieved 11 January 2017.
  110. ↑ "American album certifications – George Michael – Faith". Recording Industry Association of America . Retrieved 3 May 2011.
  111. ↑ "American video certifications – George Michael – Faith". Recording Industry Association of America . Retrieved 9 July 2020.
  112. ↑ "George Michael: Why He Turned His Back on Fame, and the 'Faith'-like Songs He Recorded Before His Death". Billboard . Retrieved 2 June 2023.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.