British singer George Michael who launched his career with Wham! in the 1980s and continued his success as a solo performer, has died at the age of 53 at home in Goring, Oxfordshire.
Michael sold more than 100 million albums in his career. Thames Valley Police said, they are treating the death as unexplained but there are no suspicious circumstances. In a statement, Michael’s publicist said, George passed away peacefully at home over the Christmas period.
Michael sold more than 100 million records worldwide. His 1987 debut solo album, Faith, sold more than 20 million copies worldwide. Michael garnered seven number one singles in the UK and eight number one hits on the Billboard Hot 100 in the US, including “Careless Whisper” and “Freedom! ’90”.
He ranks among the best-selling British acts of all time, with Billboard magazine ranking him the 40th most successful artist to ever live. Michael won various music awards throughout his 30-year career, including three Brit Awards—winning Best British Male twice, four MTV Video Music Awards, four Ivor Novello Awards, three American Music Awards, and two Grammy Awards from eight nominations.
In 2004, the Radio Academy named Michael the most played artist on British radio during the period 1984–2004. The documentary A Different Story, released in 2005, covered his career and personal life. In 2006, Michael announced his first tour in 15 years, the worldwide 25 Live tour, spanning three individual tours over the course of three years (2006, 2007 and 2008). In 2016, Michael announced a second documentary on his life entitled Freedom, set to be released in March 2017. On 25 December 2016, Michael died at his Oxfordshire home at the age of 53.