The popularity of Wham! coincided with the beginnings of MTV, and Michael’s easy stage manner and sex appeal earned him legions of fans far beyond the United Kingdom. The duo broke up in 1986, five years after they burst onto the scene, and Michael’s solo work far surpassed the dominance of his pop group.
In his solo years, he became known as a more serious singer who had massive hits such as “Faith,” “Father Figure” and “I Want Your Sex.” The London-born singer sold more than 100 million albums.
In 1998, Michael publicly came out as gay in an interview with CNN, a week after he was arrested for “investigation of misdemeanor lewd conduct” in a park restroom.
