George Michael’s Twenty Five hits 400 weeks on the Official Albums chart, while “Careless Whisper” … More
Years after his passing, George Michael continues to show up on the charts in the United Kingdom. The beloved singer-songwriter seems to never truly disappear from the rankings, often appearing solo, and even sometimes alongside his former bandmate Andrew Ridgeley as one-half of Wham!. His presence is always felt during the holidays, thanks to the seasonal staple “Last Christmas.” But even outside that predictable annual spike, Michael is almost always found on one list or another, and this week, he posthumously reaches a special milestone.
Twenty Five is George Michael’s Only Album on the Charts
Michael’s Twenty Five is his only full-length on the charts in the U.K., and it’s proving its popularity once again. The compilation, which collects some of the biggest hits from his solo career, experiences a bit of a mixed performance this time around, even though this is a special period for the set.
On the Official Albums Streaming chart, Twenty Five dips slightly, falling from No. 41 to No. 43. At the same time, it lifts on the main Official Albums list, which blends pure purchases with streaming activity. On that all-genre tally, Twenty Five improves by three spaces, rising from No. 46 to No. 43.
George Michael Reaches a New Career Milestone
As Twenty Five returns to the top 50 on the Official Albums chart, it also reaches a major career milestone. This week marks the collection’s four hundredth frame on the ranking. That’s a new high for Michael, whose previous releases haven’t come anywhere close to that number.
Among his solo efforts, only two others have managed to spend at least 100 weeks on the list. Ladies and Gentlemen: The Best Of George Michael has earned 119 stays, while Older isn’t far behind, sitting at 116 turns on the tally. Both have only accrued less than half as many stays on the roster.
Even Wham! Can’t Compete With Twenty Five
Wham! helped launch Michael’s career, but even the most successful project from the duo’s catalog hasn’t managed a chart run that long. Fantastic, the pair’s debut album, enjoyed a run at No. 1 when it first dropped in 1983. Since then, it’s accumulated 116 weeks on the Official Albums chart – but barely more than a quarter of what Twenty Five has now managed.
“Careless Whisper” is Back in the Top 10
One of Michael’s signature songs is also enjoying a big week across the pond. “Careless Whisper” appears on two U.K. charts this week, and it returns to the top 10 on both of them.
On the Official Vinyl Singles chart, “Careless Whisper” jumps 13 spaces from No. 22 to No. 9. Over on the Official Physical Singles list, the tune improves from No. 19 to No. 10. The former chart-topper has now spent 23 weeks on both tallies, and it’s smash once more on each of them.
