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Wham!
2,258,725 plays (387,345 listeners)
(1981 – 1986)
Wham! (often written WHAM!) was a pop band formed in 1981. They were briefly known in the United States as Wham! UK due to a naming conflict with another band.
George Michael and Andrew Ridgeley met at Bushey Meads School in Watford, England. At first, they performed in a short-lived rock and roll band called The Executive. They then changed their name and signed with Innervision Records. Soon after a legal victory over Innervision, the duo was signed to CBS, Columbia Records in the United States and Canada and Epic Records for the rest of the world.
Further information: Artist development deal
Michael took on the majority of roles and responsibilities within the band— composer, singer, producer, and occasional instrumentalist— but the contribution of Ridgeley as the group’s image specialist and spokesman was crucial to the band’s initial success. Ridgeley convinced a reluctant George that Wham! needed to change their image and sound frequently, from the leather-clad moody singers of “Bad Boys” and “Young Guns (Go For It!)” to the more fashionable pop superstars of “Wake Me Up Before You Go-Go.”
Still teenagers, they promoted themselves as hedonistic youngsters, proud to live a carefree life without work or commitment. This was reflected in their earliest singles. Such works as “Wham Rap! (Enjoy What You Do?)” have been seen as sarcasm advocating the other point of view.
The first record to be released by the band was “Wham Rap!”. It was a double-A side with a Social Mix and Anti-social Mix. The record was banned for general release in the UK due to the profanity in the Anti-social Mix.
George Michael and Andrew Ridgeley met at Bushey Meads School in Watford, England. At first, they performed in a short-lived rock and roll band called The Executive. They then changed their name and signed with Innervision Records. Soon after a legal victory over Innervision, the duo was signed to CBS, Columbia Records in the United States and Canada and Epic Records for the rest of the world.
Further information: Artist development deal
Michael took on the majority of roles and responsibilities within the band— composer, singer, producer, and occasional instrumentalist— but the contribution of Ridgeley as the group’s image specialist and spokesman was crucial to the band’s initial success. Ridgeley convinced a reluctant George that Wham! needed to change their image and sound frequently, from the leather-clad moody singers of “Bad Boys” and “Young Guns (Go For It!)” to the more fashionable pop superstars of “Wake Me Up Before You Go-Go.”
Still teenagers, they promoted themselves as hedonistic youngsters, proud to live a carefree life without work or commitment. This was reflected in their earliest singles. Such works as “Wham Rap! (Enjoy What You Do?)” have been seen as sarcasm advocating the other point of view.
The first record to be released by the band was “Wham Rap!”. It was a double-A side with a Social Mix and Anti-social Mix. The record was banned for general release in the UK due to the profanity in the Anti-social Mix.
Top Albums
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Make It Big
Wham!Buy- Download Album
- Amazon MP3 $9.99
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- iTunes $8.82
- Buy Album
- Amazon $6.99
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The Best of Wham!: If You Were There...
Wham!Buy- Download Album
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- 7digital Search
- iTunes
- Buy Album
- Amazon $12.57
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-
The Final
Wham!
Buy- Download Album
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- iTunes
- Buy Album
- Amazon Search
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Twenty Five
Wham! Buy- Download Album
- Amazon MP3 Search
- 7digital Search
- iTunes $34.99
- Buy Album
- Amazon Search
- eBay Search
Top Tracks
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Last Christmas
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Everything She Wants
full track
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Freedom
full track
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Young Guns (Go for It!)
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Shoutbox
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Anmie_Fan wrote:
Last Christmas is the best song for christmas, but I prefer that song by other artists! [2]
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nacho615 wrote:
Last Christmas is the best song for christmas, but I prefer that song by other artists!
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JoannaTempest wrote:
Oh yeah best Christmans song ever-Last Christmas!
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aineb wrote:
Last Christmas
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Lingonbuske wrote:
Best Christmas Song Ever [1]
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dippyke wrote:
best christmas song :]
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ChowCwow wrote:
My fav christmas song(:
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cekayla1 wrote:
love it
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TervistSlash wrote:
And it will Start again soon. I already fear this Song.
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ilovestarburst wrote:
So, so, so good.
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innominate_ wrote:
wonderful ;))))))
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shinohiro929 wrote:
I like them though they had broken up before I was born.
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Jesakah_Punkah wrote:
<3333
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1711 wrote:
When I was 4 or 5 years old... I played that album - Make It Big - on father's gramophone every fucking day, I loved it and I danced in our living room. Again & again & again... :-)
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Kostrzewska wrote:
Wake me up before you go go! ;))
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lovethe60s wrote:
I usually listen to rock music,but Wham! are great! :)
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letmerunwild wrote:
I love how moderators just sit on their a$$es and don't ban people who spam like that.
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slushie360 wrote:
Gravelesssoulless is so hardcore. Of course someone who is soulless would know nothing of a real soulful artist like George. Just hating on his talent and success, that is all.
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peeves111 wrote:
lol plus dr. dre is in his top artists. 'nuff said...
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letmerunwild wrote:
George Michael was TWENTY ONE years old when he writing, producing, and performing songs like Wake Me Up Before You Go-Go, Everything She Wants, Freedom, Last Christmas... I don't know many 21 year olds today who are doing that. He did it ALL without the help of ANYONE. I don't think anybody has the right to put his accomplishments down.
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Recent Activity
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bekih_85, djr88 and DAINT3RN added Wham! to their libraries. 2 hours ago
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Ruprek tagged Wham! with british, 80s and new wave. 13 hours ago
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Grunge_Queen11, Imluvvinit_09, LEG87 and 45 other people added Wham! to their libraries. 15 hours ago
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Trish95 tagged Wham! with british, pop, 80s and 2 other tags. Sunday afternoon
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ledopizza123, Tictac423, Timtam450 and 20 other people added Wham! to their libraries. Sunday afternoon
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The_Imposter tagged Wham! with british and pop. last week
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plopez1990, Clarksy95 and tauoffice added Wham! to their libraries. last week
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MoppieMops tagged Wham! with pop and 80s. last week
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bettington and bobek82 added Wham! to their libraries. last week
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gabbamann tagged Wham! with ‘electronic’. last week
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