Why Did Wham! Break Up? The Real Reason Behind the Band’s Split
Wham! was one of the most successful pop bands of the 1980s, with catchy songs, colorful outfits, and
charismatic personalities.
The duo of George Michael and Andrew Ridgeley dominated the charts and the hearts of millions of fans around the world.
But why did Wham break up at the peak of their fame and success?
In this article, we will reveal the real reason behind Wham!’s split and how it affected their careers and friendship.
Wham!’s rise to fame and success
George Michael and Andrew Ridgeley met and formed Wham! in 1981 when they were still teenagers and best friends.
They had a shared passion for music and a desire to make it big in the pop scene.
They signed with Innervision Records and released their debut single Wham Rap! (Enjoy What You Do), which was a rap-inspired song that celebrated unemployment and leisure.
Their breakthrough came with their second single Young Guns (Go for It!), which was a catchy and rebellious song that appealed to the youth culture of the time.
The song reached number three on the UK Singles Chart and established Wham! as a pop sensation.
They followed it up with more hit singles, such as Bad Boys, Club Tropicana, Wake Me Up Before You Go-Go, Last Christmas, Careless Whisper, Freedom, I’m Your Man, etc.
Wham! also released three studio albums: Fantastic (1983), Make It Big (1984), and Music from the Edge of Heaven (1986).
The albums sold over 35 million copies worldwide and spawned several number-one hits in various countries.
Wham! also won several awards, such as Brit Awards, MTV Video Music Awards, American Music Awards, etc.
Wham! also performed at Live Aid in 1985, which was a global charity concert that raised funds for famine relief in Ethiopia.
They played at Wembley Stadium in London and sang two songs: Everything She Wants and Don’t Let the Sun Go Down on Me (with Elton John).
They also toured globally, visiting countries such as China, Japan, Australia, America, etc.
Wham!’s break up and farewell
However, behind the scenes, George Michael was the driving force behind the band’s split.
He wanted to create more mature and sophisticated music and pursue a solo career.
felt that Wham!’s image and sound were too childish and limiting for his artistic vision.
wanted to appeal to a more diverse adult audience, rather than Wham!’s primarily teenage fanbase.
George Michael and Andrew Ridgeley announced their decision to part ways in 1986, after releasing their final single The Edge of Heaven, and their greatest-hits album The Final.
They said that they wanted to end their partnership on a high note before they grew tired or bored of each other.
both said that they wanted to explore other opportunities and challenges in life.
held a farewell concert at Wembley Stadium in June 1986, which was attended by 72,000 fans and featured special guests such as Elton John and Simon Le Bon.
They sang some of their most popular songs and thanked their fans for their support and love.
hugged each other on stage and showed their friendship and respect for each other.
Some of their comments on why they decided to end their partnership and how they felt about it were:
- George Michael: “I think it should be the most amicable split in pop history.”
Andrew Ridgeley: “We’ve had a fantastic time together but we both feel it’s time to move on.”
George Michael: “We’re not breaking up because we don’t get on or because we’ve fallen out over anything.”
Andrew Ridgeley: “We’re still very close friends but we want different things from life.”
George Michael: “We’ve achieved everything we ever wanted to achieve with Wham! We’ve had so much fun but we want to go out while we’re still on top.”
https://youtu.be/2BbVxKxWgBs
Wham!’s aftermath and legacy
George Michael and Andrew Ridgeley remained close friends after their split, despite having different career paths and personal lives.
They supported each other through ups and downs, such as George Michael’s legal battles with his record label Sony Music, his coming out as gay, his health issues, his death in 2016; Andrew Ridgeley’s attempts to pursue other interests such as motor racing and music production, his marriage to Bananarama singer Keren Woodward, his divorce in 2017.
George Michael became one of the most successful solo artists of all time, with hits such as Faith, Father Figure, One More Try, Praying for Time,
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