Faith (George Michael album)

Faith
Studio album by
George Michael
Released2 November 1987
RecordedAugust 1986 – September 1987
Studio
Genre
Length
  • 58:04 (CD version)
  • 49:37 (LP version)
Label
ProducerGeorge Michael
George Michael chronology
Faith
(1987) 		Listen Without Prejudice Vol. 1
(1990)
Singles from Faith
  1. "I Want Your Sex"
    Released: 1 June 1987
  2. "Faith"
    Released: 12 October 1987
  3. "Hard Day"
    Released: 30 October 1987 (US)
  4. "Father Figure"
    Released: 28 December 1987
  5. "One More Try"
    Released: 11 April 1988
  6. "Monkey"
    Released: 4 July 1988
  7. "Kissing a Fool"
    Released: 21 November 1988

Faith is the debut solo studio album by the English singer George Michael, released on 2 November 1987 by Columbia Records and Epic Records.[3] In addition to playing various instruments on the album, Michael wrote and produced every track on the recording except for one, "Look at Your Hands", which he co-wrote with David Austin. A pop album with influences of R&B, funk and soul music, Faith's songs include introspective lyrics, which generated controversies about Michael's personal relationships at that time.[4]

Faith peaked at number one on the UK Albums Chart and US Billboard 200. It stayed for 51 non-consecutive weeks inside the Billboard 200 top 10, including 12 weeks at number one. It was also the first album by a white solo artist to hit number one on the Billboard Top Black Albums chart. Faith spawned four number one singles on the Billboard Hot 100: "Faith", "Father Figure", "One More Try", and "Monkey", making Michael the only British male solo artist to have four number one hits from one album on the Billboard Hot 100. Michael embarked on the Faith Tour to promote Faith in February 1988, opening at Tokyo's Budokan arena, before going on to dates in Australia, Europe and North America.[5]

Faith is one of the best-selling albums of all time, having sold over 25 million copies worldwide, and was certified Diamond by the Recording Industry Association of America in 1996.[6] The album won several awards, including Album of the Year at the 31st Grammy Awards. Michael won three awards at the 1989 American Music Awards: Favorite Pop/Rock Male Artist, Favorite Soul/R&B Male Artist and Favorite Soul/R&B Album. He was also honoured with the MTV Video Vanguard Award. Often ranked as one of the best albums of the 1980s, Faith was ranked number 151 on Rolling Stone's list of the 500 Greatest Albums of All Time in 2020.

  1. ^ Buskin, Richard (March 2013). "Classic Tracks: George Michael 'Faith'". Retrieved 22 December 2020.
  2. ^ "You Have Been Loved: Remembering George Michael, the Icon". Albumism.
  3. ^ "BPI".
  4. ^ Jet – Google Books. Johnson Publishing Company. 26 September 1988. Retrieved 5 January 2012.
  5. ^ Steele, Robert (2017). Careless Whispers: The Life & Career of George Michael: Revised & Updated. Omnibus Press. p. 155. ISBN 978-1-78323-968-9.
  6. ^ Tannenbaum, Rob (January 6, 2017). "George Michael: Why He Turned His Back on Fame, and the 'Faith'-like Songs He Recorded Before His Death". billboard.com. Prometheus Global Media, LLC. Retrieved September 3, 2019.