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WHAM!
- Wham! were formed in 1981 by George Michael and Andrew Ridgeley - they split five years later after saying goodbye with a farewell concert at Wembley Stadium
- In the 1980s, Wham! were the only British act to secure three No1 Singles in both the UK and US
- Their biggest single was Last Christmas/Everything She Wants, which sold more than 1.5m in the UK.
George Michael and Andrew Ridgeley met at Bushey Meads School in Watford, UK. At first, they performed in a short-lived rock and roll band called The Executive, before changing their name to Wham!.
Thety arrived on the scene with their single Young Guns (Go For It) - accompanied by a memorable perormance on Top Of The Pops - in late 1982 and, by the end of 1983, were rivaling Duran Duran and Culture Club as Britain’s biggest pop act, with their first album Fantastic reaching #1 in the Official Charts.
When Careless Whisper was issued as a George Michael solo piece, it was unlike any Wham! single since Wham Rap!, being co-written by Ridgeley. But the song, which quickly reached #1, sowed the seeds of Wham!'s demise, marking the beginning of George Michael's solo career. In autumn 1984, Wham! returned as a duo with Freedom (another #1), but two years later they split.
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Singles
| Date | Title, Artist, (Label) | Peak Position | Weeks | Weeks at No.1 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 16/10/1982 |
YOUNG GUNS (GO FOR IT)WHAM! (Innervision IVL A 2766) |
3 | 17 | 0 |
| 15/01/1983 |
WHAM RAPWHAM! (Innervision IVL A 2442) |
8 | 11 | 0 |
| 14/05/1983 |
BAD BOYSWHAM! (Innervision A 3143) |
2 | 14 | 0 |
| 30/07/1983 |
CLUB TROPICANAWHAM! (Innervision A 3613) |
4 | 11 | 0 |
| 03/12/1983 |
CLUB FANTASTIC MEGAMIXWHAM! (Innervision A 3586) |
15 | 8 | 0 |
| 26/05/1984 |
WAKE ME UP BEFORE YOU GO GOWHAM! (Epic A 4440) |
1 | 16 | 2 |
| 13/10/1984 |
FREEDOMWHAM! (Epic A 4743) |
1 | 14 | 3 |
| 15/12/1984 |
LAST CHRISTMAS/EVERYTHING SHE WANTSWHAM! (Epic A 4949) |
2 | 13 | 0 |
| 23/11/1985 |
I'M YOUR MANWHAM! (Epic A 6716) |
1 | 12 | 2 |
| 14/12/1985 |
LAST CHRISTMASWHAM! (Epic WHAM 1) |
6 | 7 | 0 |
| 21/06/1986 |
THE EDGE OF HEAVEN/WHERE DID YOUR HEART GOWHAM! (Epic FIN 1) |
1 | 10 | 2 |
| 20/12/1986 |
LAST CHRISTMASWHAM! (Epic 6502697) |
45 | 4 | 0 |
| 08/12/2007 |
LAST CHRISTMASWHAM! (Epic GBBBM8400019) |
14 | 5 | 0 |
| 06/12/2008 |
LAST CHRISTMASWHAM! (Epic GBBBM8400019) |
26 | 5 | 0 |
| 12/12/2009 |
LAST CHRISTMASWHAM! (Epic GBBBM8400019) |
34 | 4 | 0 |
| 11/12/2010 |
LAST CHRISTMASWHAM! (Epic GBBBM8400019) |
57 | 4 | 0 |
| 10/12/2011 |
LAST CHRISTMASWHAM! (Epic GBBBM8400019) |
26 | 4 | 0 |
| 08/12/2012 |
LAST CHRISTMASWHAM! (Epic GBBBM8400019) |
34 | 4 | 0 |
Albums
| Date | Title, Artist, (Label) | Peak Position | Weeks | Weeks at No.1 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 09/07/1983 |
FANTASTIC!WHAM! (Inner Vision IVL 25328) |
1 | 116 | 2 |
| 18/11/1984 |
MAKE IT BIGWHAM! (Epic EPC 86311) |
1 | 72 | 2 |
| 19/07/1986 |
THE FINALWHAM! (Epic EPC 88681) |
2 | 47 | 0 |
| 06/12/1997 |
THE BEST OF WHAM!WHAM! (Epic 4890202) |
4 | 24 | 0 |
| 10/12/2011 |
THE FINALWHAM! (Epic 88697987892) |
50 | 2 | 0 |
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