Wham!

British Pop Duo of the 1980s

Wham! was a British pop duo formed in 1981, consisting of George Michael and Andrew Ridgeley. The band achieved massive success in the 1980s with their upbeat pop tunes and became known for their catchy hits and distinctive image. Their second album, "Make It Big," released in 1984, was a huge commercial success and included chart-topping singles like "Wake Me Up Before You Go-Go," "Freedom," and the ballad "Careless Whisper," which was often credited as a George Michael solo effort due to its personal style. Wham! also released a compilation album titled "The Best of Wham! If You Were There..." in 1997, which featured a selection of their biggest hits and served as a retrospective of their career. The song "Last Christmas" is one of their most enduring hits, although it was not part of an album titled "Last Christmas (The Original Motion Picture Soundtrack)" during the band's active years; it has been re-released and covered by various artists over the years. Wham! disbanded at the height of their fame in 1986, with George Michael going on to have a successful solo career until his untimely death in 2016. Andrew Ridgeley has been less visible musically but has occasionally appeared in media and has been involved in music-related activities.