Wham! was a British popduo founded in 1981 by the friends George Michael and Andrew Ridgeley.
Content[]
Origin[Edit][]
Michael and Ridgeley met at Bushey MEADS school (Bushey Meads School) in Watford, England. At first they performed in a skabandje named "The Executive". When the two formed this group ceased to exist the duo Wham! after which they signed to Innervision Records a record deal. Soon after, they signed with Columbia (US) and Epic (the rest of the world).
George Michael had the largest role and responsibility in terms of composing, singing, producing and take care of instrumentation. Ridgeley was the spokesman for the band, a role that was crucial for their first success. Ridgeley convinced Michael that Wham! had to change his image. Of the gloomy guys with profound lyrics to the more poppy pop stars with songs like Wake Me Up Before You Go Go.
Their debut single was the Wham Rap!, in June 1982. It was one of the first singles ever to hear a band in the United Kingdom which was rappend. The song was initially unsuccessful. In October, their next single,Young Guns released a call from a boy to his friend to his life not as fast to throw away by marrying. Also this song came the British hit parade not within, but Wham! It was noted by the tv program Top of the Pops.The two were allowed to occur there. This concert was an important moment in the career of Wham!, since this was the moment in which they really were discovered by the general public.
More success[Edit][]
The effect of Wham! on the public, especially teenage girls, was felt from the moment they appeared in Top of the Pops with Young Guns. After the show came the number the British hit parade within, in which it earned a third place in december.
After Young Guns was re-released the Wham Rap! , now with more success. Bad Boys Club Tropicana and followed as singles. With every single the duo made a remarkable video clip.
At the end of 1983 was Wham! become a competitor of Duran Duran and Culture Club with regard to the most successful British band. Their debut album Fantastic won first place in England and the top 10 in several countries including the Netherlands.
However, their old label Innervision non-money and made problems over their original contract with the record company. While a lawsuit brought Innervision ran a medley of songs from that Wham! had previously recorded but not on their album appeared: the Fantastic Megamix. Wham! called the public not to buy on this single. The lawsuit eventually led to a bankruptcy Declaration by Innervision.
The new single by Wham! was released, with which also the image of the Group was changed. Something had already started with Club Tropicana continued: from bleak duo tried Ridgeley Wham! to change into a pop group that the idol would be for teenagers. The song Wake Me Up Before You Go Go became their first number one hit around the world. The t-shirts that the band members wore in the video clip were popular garments.
After this global hit was, with great contrast, Careless Whisper the ballad released, under the name of George Michael as a solo singer. Yet it was the song co-written by Ridgeley. Also this song came on right to number one. Michael tried to distance himself from the playboy image of Wham!. It was only in the autumn of 1984, the next issue of Wham! released: Freedom, followed by their second album Make It Big .
George Michael took part in the Band Aid project and in addition also brought Wham! a Christmas song: Last Christmas. All proceeds from the single went, just like the proceeds from Band Aid, to Ethiopia, to fight the famine.
China and Live Aid[Edit][]
In april 1985, Wham! took a break from recording to a world tour, including a 10-day visit to China. They were the first Western pop group who did this.
Also joined Michael and Ridgeley (however not as Wham!) on during Live Aid. Michael sang Don't Let the Sun Go Down On Me " with Elton John, Ridgeley stood with Kiki Dee in the row as backing vocals. In november of 1985, Wham! a new number from: I'm Your Man, again a world-wide hit.
Lifting[Edit][]
George Michael wanted to make more mature music than some more suited to the mostly teenage girls existing fanbase of Wham!. For that reason, in the spring of 1986 the split up of the Group announced. On 28 June 1986 the Group gave a grand farewell concert at the Wembley Stadium. As a farewell single The Edge of Heaven was released, again a number one hit in many countries.
After Wham![Edit][]
George Michael knew after Wham! a very successful solo career. Several years after its beginning as a solo artist Michael spoke itself negatively out in the press about his Wham! time. He complained about the constant pressure he felt snubbed and claimed that the duo would be financial. Also he spoke negatively about the repertoire of Wham!.
Andrew Ridgeley tried in vain to be professional driver. Also he does not pursue a solo career. The backing singers Pepsi & Shirlie scored after the break-up of Wham! some hits.
Discography[Edit][]
Albums[Edit][]
| Album (s) with any charts in the
the Dutch Album Top 100 |
Date of
appear |
Date of
entry |
Highest
position |
Number Of
weeks |
Comments |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fantastic | 09-07-1983 | 16-07-1983 | 8 | 28 | Gold |
| Make it big | 23-10-1984 | 17-11-1984 | 1 (6wk) | 45 | Platinum |
| Music from the edge of heaven | 01-07-1986 | - | |||
| The final | 31-05-1986 | 12-07-1986 | 1 (2 wk) | 71 | Greatest Hits/Platinum |
| 12 "Mixes | 1988 | - | Remix album | ||
| The best of Wham! -If you were there ... | 29-11-1997 | 06-12-1997 | 14 | 18 | Compilation album/Gold |
| Album (s) with chart positions in
the Flemish Ultratop 200 albums |
Date of
appear |
Date of
entry |
Highest
position |
Number Of
weeks |
Comments |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| The best of Wham! -If you were there ... | 1997 | 29-11-1997 | 5 | 17 | Compilation album |
Singles[Edit][]
| Single (s) with any charts in the
the Dutch Top 40 |
Date of
appear |
Date of
entry |
Highest
position |
Number Of
weeks |
Comments |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Young guns (Go for it) | 15-10-1982 | 11-12-1982 | 4 | 10 | No. 9 in the Single Top 100 / |
| Wham! rap | 16-06-1982 | 05-03-1983 | 9 | 7 | No. 9 in the Single Top 100/
Alarm Drive |
| Bad boys | 13-05-1983 | 25-06-1983 | 14 | 7 | No. 26 in the Single Top 100 |
| Club tropicana | 23-07-1983 | 24-09-1983 | 8 | 8 | No. 14 in the Single Top 100 |
| Club fantastic (Megamix) | 1983 | 24-12-1983 | tip12 | - | No. 44 in the Single Top 100 |
| Wake me up before you go go | 05-05-1984 | 23-06-1984 | 1 (2 wk) | 13 | No. 1 in the Single Top 100/ |
| Freedom | 13-08-1984 | 13-10-1984 | 2 | 13 | No. 3 in the Single Top 100/
Alarm Disc /Gold |
| Last Christmas /Everything she wants | 12-1984 | 15-12-1984 | 2 | 9 | No. 2 in the Single Top 100/ |
| I'm your man | 14-09-1985 | 23-11-1985 | 4 | 11 | No. 3 in the Single Top 100/
Alarm Drive |
| The edge of heaven | 18-06-1986 | 21-06-1986 | 1 (3 wk) | 13 | No. 1 in the Single Top 100/
Alarm Drive |
| Where did your heart go? | 14-10-1986 | 01-11-1986 | tip7 | - | No. 37 in the Single Top 100 |
| Last Christmas | 1988 | - | No. 28 in the Single Top 100 | ||
| Last Christmas | 1989 | - | No. 67 in the Single Top 100 | ||
| Last Christmas | 1997 | 20-12-1997 | 21 | 4 | No. 22 in the Single Top 100 |
| Last Christmas | 01-2000 | - | No. 69 in the Single Top 100 | ||
| Last Christmas | 12-2000 | - | No. 71 in the Single Top 100 | ||
| Last Christmas | 2003 | - | No. 63 in the Single Top 100 | ||
| Last Christmas | 2004 | - | No. 73 in the Single Top 100 | ||
| Last Christmas | 2006 | - | No. 6 in the Single Top 100 | ||
| Last Christmas | 2007 | - | No. 5 in the Single Top 100 | ||
| Last Christmas | 2008 | - | No. 12 in the Single Top 100 | ||
| Last Christmas | 2009 | - | No. 19 in the Single Top 100 | ||
| Last Christmas | 2010 | - | No. 32 in the Single Top 100 | ||
| Last Christmas | 2011 | - | No. 51 in the Single Top 100 | ||
| Last Christmas | 2012 | - | No. 47 in the Single top 100 | ||
| Last Christmas | 2013 | - | No. 22 in the Single top 100 |
| Single (s) with chart positions
in the Flemish Ultratop 50 |
Date of
appear |
Date of
entry |
Highest
position |
Number Of
weeks |
Comments |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wham! rap | 1982 | - | No. 8 in the Radio 2 Top 30 | ||
| Bad boys | 1983 | - | No. 9 in the Radio 2 Top 30 | ||
| Club tropicana | 1983 | - | No. 7 in the Radio 2 Top 30 | ||
| Wake me up before you go go | 1984 | - | No. 1 in the Radio 2 Top 30 | ||
| Freedom | 1984 | - | No. 2 in the Radio 2 Top 30 | ||
| Last Christmas | 1984 | - | No. 2 in the Radio 2 Top 30 | ||
| Everything she wants | 1985 | - | No. 7 in the Radio 2 Top 30 | ||
| I'm your man | 1985 | - | No. 3 in the Radio 2 Top 30 | ||
| The edge of heaven | 1986 | - | No. 1 in the Radio 2 Top 30 |
Radio 2 Top 2000[Edit][]
| Number (s) with markings
in the Radio 2 Top 2000 |
' 99 | ' 00 | ' 01 | ' 02 | ' 03 | ' 04 | ' 05 | ' 06 | ' 07 | ' 08 | ' 09 | ' 10 | ' 11 | ' 12 | ' 13 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Freedom | - | - | 1432 | 1926 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| I'm your man | - | 1889 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| Last Christmas | 74 | 139 | 263 | 292 | 447 | 286 | 467 | 358 | 437 | 359 | 416 | 443 | 631 | 930 | 743 |
| Wake me up before you go go | - | 1018 | 982 | 1065 | 1240 | 1150 | 1399 | 1249 | 1519 | 1299 | 1489 | 1638 | 1919 | 1650 | 1488 |