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George Michael’s ‘Careless Whisper’ voted UK’s most popular song... again!

‘Five years in a row at number one! What can we say?’ said singer’s family

Ellie Harrison
Tuesday 02 May 2023 09:31 BST
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George Michael: Outed trailer

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The UK has crowned George Michael’s 1984 hit “Careless Whisper” as its favourite song for the fifth year running.

Michael’s track, with its dreamy saxophone riff, was announced on Tuesday (2 May) as the number one pick for Smooth Radio’s All Time Top 500.

In second place was Queen’s “Bohemian Rhapsody” and in third was Michael’s “A Different Corner”.

The late singer was also chosen as the most popular artist in the poll, which received 32,000 votes.

“Careless Whisper” appeared on the Wham! album Make It Big. When it was released, it reached number one in at least 10 countries, selling about six million copies worldwide.

In a joint statement, George Michael Entertainment and his family said: “Five years in a row at number one! What can we say?

“It means so much to us that you have shown how much ‘Careless Whisper’ means to you by voting and getting it to the top once again this year.

“We are truly grateful for your continued support and George would be so delighted.”

George Michael
George Michael (DDP/AFP via Getty Images)

In March, Channel 4 released the documentary George Michael: Outed, which looked at the fallout from Michael’s 1998 arrest for lewd conduct, and exposed how the media forced the star out of the closet in the Nineties and shamed him for being gay.

Read The Independent’s four-star review here.

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