CSPC: Wham! & George Michael Popularity Analysis

Physical Singles Sales – George Michael

I previously mentioned how Wham! joined an elite group of artists that sold more than 10 million physical singles from the same album. As a solo artist George Michael came very close as well with 9,1 million units sold from hits from Faith. As he was on such a long hiatus, we tend to forget he is one of the very rare artists that got 10 or more #1 hits in both the US and the UK.

Both Listen Without Prejudice Vol. 1 and Older as well as the Orphan Album category own multiple million selling singles too. From his solo material, George Michael sold 23,1 million units in that format – a total almost cracking the 50 million plateau when adding Wham! material.

As a reminder, the weighting is done with a 10 to 3 ratio between one album and one physical single.

Faith (1987) – 2,718,000 equivalent albums

Faith – 2,220,000
Father Figure – 1,250,000
I Want Your Sex (Parts I & II) – 2,010,000
One More Try – 1,720,000
Monkey – 1,100,000
Kissing a Fool – 760,000

Listen Without Prejudice Vol. 1 (1990) – 903,000 equivalent albums

Praying for Time – 1,360,000
Freedom! ’90 – 1,060,000
Cowboys and Angels – 70,000
Waiting for That Day – 290,000
Mother’s Pride – 180,000
Heal the Pain – 50,000

Older (1996) – 1,152,000 equivalent albums

Jesus to a Child – 1,360,000
Fastlove – 1,410,000
Older – 180,000
Spinning the Wheel – 410,000
Star People – 270,000
You Have Been Loved – 210,000

Songs from the Last Century (1999) – 0 equivalent albums

No single.

Patience (2004) – 141,000 equivalent albums

Amazing – 150,000
Round Here – 30,000
Shoot the Dog – 50,000
Flawless (Go to the City) – 80,000
Freeek! – 160,000

Orphan – 2,025,000 equivalent albums

I Knew You Were Waiting – 1,510,000
Heaven Help Me – 500,000
Don’t Let the Sun Go Down on Me – 2,240,000
Too Funky – 970,000
Killer/Papa Was a Rollin’ Stone – 120,000
If I Told You That – 130,000
Waltz Away Dreaming – 80,000
Outside – 330,000
As – 240,000
Somebody to Love – 380,000
This Is Not Real Love – 100,000
Remaining Singles – 150,000