Throughout his career, George Michael was known for more than just his chart-topping hits. He was a passionate listener, someone who spoke often and thoughtfully about the songs and artists that moved him.
His musical tastes were wide-ranging – covering everything from glam rock to hip-hop, indie pop to political ballads, and, during his appearance on BBC Radio 4’s Desert Island Discs in 2007, Michael listed eight tracks that he could not live without.
Out of those, he chose one as his ultimate favourite: a recent release at the time, by a young British artist whose work had left a strong impression on him.
“This is the best female vocalist I’ve heard in my entire career,” he told host Kirsty Young. “And one of the best writers. So all I can say is please, please understand how brilliant you are. And I wish her every, every success in the future. And I know she can get past the media. I don’t know if she can get past other things, but she’s a fantastic talent and we should support her.”
The song was ‘Love Is a Losing Game’ by Amy Winehouse. Part of her critically acclaimed 2006 Back to Black album, the track os a slow-burning ballad of heartbreak, widely praised since its release.
But George Michael’s favourite songs list didn’t contain itself to strong ballads. Near the top of his list was Roxy Music’s glam-era bop ‘Do the Strand’. He credited the band’s frontman Bryan Ferry with pushing the boundaries of sex and style in music: “At both ends of the spectrum, Bryan Ferry’s made some of the sexiest music of the last 30 years”, Michael said. “It’s so original and it’s so sexy and it’s so insistent”.
Another modern classic that made the cut was Gnarls Barkley’s 2006 chart-topping hit ‘Crazy’, and Michael explained: “An amazing song is an amazing song. Occasionally something left afield comes through and people see it for what it is – one of those old classics, you know, the kind of records we used to hear quite often. And it stands head and shoulders above everything else”.
Next up, he chose Nirvana’s groundbreaking ‘Smells Like Teen Spirit’: “This record is the best produced rock record in the history of rock, I think. It’s not necessarily the greatest song… but it’s a phenomenal record. Obviously it was a music industry-changing record”.
One of his more emotionally personal picks was the Pet Shop Boys’ ‘Being Boring’. Released in 1990, the song dealt with themes of loss, memory, and the AIDS crisis. “No one wants to hear frightening, terrifying songs about AIDS”, Michael reflected, “but they do, if they’re gay and they’ve lost friends, they do want to hear those people referred to and remembered and honoured. And I think some of Neil’s work did that beautifully”.
He also chose Goldfrapp’s ‘Paper Bag’ for its hypnotic sound and Alison Goldfrapp’s distinctive vocals, calling himself “a real admirer of her voice.”
Perhaps more surprising was his inclusion of Kanye West’s ‘Gold Digger’ – a track he openly admitted was “completely brutal, completely sexist”, but one that he couldn’t help but dance to: “There are certain records that literally I just can’t not move to. And this is one of them. The lyric makes me laugh”.
Finally, he pointed to Rufus Wainwright’s politically-charged ‘Going to a Town’ as one of the heaviest lyrical statements on his list. The song, released in 2007 during George W. Bush’s presidency, is a mournful and poetic critique of American politics. “Actually, this is the heaviest lyrical record on this list”, Michael said. “Really laying into the Bush administration, talking about America, you know, soaking the body of Jesus Christ in blood. You know, fantastic lyrics all over this record”.