Yes. George Michael wrote or co-wrote about 80% of his solo catalogue and produced most of it. He was the sole writer on nearly every track of Faith and Older, including 'Faith,' 'Father Figure,' and 'Fastlove.' The main exception is Songs from the Last Century (1999), an all-covers album on which he has no writing credits.
By the Numbers
5
Studio Albums
54
Tracks Credited
80%
Self-Written
29
Years Active
37
Collaborators
Authorship Breakdown 43 / 54 self-written
Who wrote the songs?
Across all 54 tracks: how many George Michael wrote alone, how many they co-wrote, and how many were written by others. The bracket marks every track they hold any writing credit on.
George Michael has a writing credit80%
59%
20%
20%
Sole author32tracks59%
Co-written11tracks20%
Outside writers11tracks20%
Role Fingerprint how they contribute
George Michael's roles across the catalogue
Share of all 54 tracks where they are personally credited, by role.
Lyricist (words)80%
Composer (music)80%
Producer100%
Performer100%
Authorship Over Time writing credit per album
George Michael's writing credit per album, in release order. Hover any bar for the album.
avg 80%
100%
90%
100%
0%
100%
1987Faith
1990Listen Without Prejudice Vol. 1
1996Older
1999Songs from the Last Century
2004Patience
Early · 97% written
Late · 58% written
Authorship by Decade track-weighted
100%
1980s
Faith
65%
1990s
Listen Without Prejudice Vol. 1, Older +1 more
100%
2000s
Patience
Authorship Spectrum pure performer to complete author
Where George Michael sits on the scale from a pure performer (0%, sings songs written by others) to a complete author (100%, writes everything). The bright marker is their catalogue authorship score, plotted against other artists on the site.
George Michael
Other artists on the site
Reference artists spread across the scale, closest by genre and era.
Bubble size = tracks worked on together. JD Jon Douglas · DA David Austin · NF Niall Flynn · JJ James Jackman · RC Ruadhri Cushnan
The Authorship Story
Data Insight
Michael co-wrote or solely authored nearly every song in his solo catalog. The notable exception is Songs from the Last Century (1999), an all-covers album on which he carries no writing credits. On Faith and Older he is the sole credited writer on almost every track. 'Fastlove' (Older) quotes Patrice Rushen's 'Forget Me Nots,' requiring shared credits with Rushen, Freddie Washington, and Terri McFaddin. 'Waiting for That Day' (Listen Without Prejudice Vol. 1) interpolates the Rolling Stones, adding Mick Jagger and Keith Richards to the credits.
Quick Facts
FaithHis 1987 solo debut won the Grammy for Album of the Year and sold over 25 million copies
GrammysWon Grammy Awards including Album of the Year and a duet award with Aretha Franklin
Four number onesFaith produced four US number-one singles: 'Faith,' 'Father Figure,' 'One More Try,' and 'Monkey'
Wham! rootsRose to fame in the duo Wham! before his solo breakthrough
Self-producedWrote and produced the bulk of his own material across his career
Creative Fingerprint
A self-writing pop auteur: George Michael wrote or co-wrote about 80% of his solo catalogue and produced most of it, with the gap coming almost entirely from his all-covers album Songs from the Last Century.
The Story
Georgios Kyriacos Panayiotou (June 25, 1963 - December 25, 2016), known professionally as George Michael, was an English singer-songwriter and record producer from East Finchley, London. After rising to global fame through the duo Wham! in the early 1980s, Michael launched a critically acclaimed solo career with Faith (1987), which spawned four US number-one singles and became one of the best-selling albums of all time. Widely regarded as one of the most gifted songwriters of his generation, Michael wrote or co-wrote the vast majority of his solo material and self-produced most of his catalog, with his later albums reflecting deeply personal themes.
Awards & Recognition
Faith (1987) won the Grammy Award for Album of the Year (1989)
Won a Grammy for Best R&B Performance for 'I Knew You Were Waiting (For Me)' with Aretha Franklin (1988)
Faith produced four US number-one singles and sold over 25 million copies
One of the best-selling recording artists of all time, with Wham! and as a solo artist
Frequently Asked Questions George Michael
Did George Michael write his own songs?
Yes. George Michael wrote or co-wrote about 80% of his solo catalogue and produced most of it. He was the sole writer on nearly every track of Faith and Older, including 'Faith,' 'Father Figure,' and 'Fastlove.' The main exception is Songs from the Last Century (1999), an all-covers album on which he has no writing credits.
Who wrote 'Faith'?
'Faith,' the title track of his 1987 solo debut, was written and produced entirely by George Michael. It topped the Billboard Hot 100 and helped the album win Album of the Year at the Grammys.
Who wrote 'Freedom! '90'?
'Freedom! '90,' from Listen Without Prejudice Vol. 1 (1990), was written and produced by George Michael. A statement about fame and identity, it became one of his most acclaimed songs, with a famous supermodel-led video he did not appear in.
Did George Michael win a Grammy?
Yes. Faith won the Grammy for Album of the Year in 1989, and he won Best R&B Performance in 1988 for his duet with Aretha Franklin, 'I Knew You Were Waiting (For Me).'
Was George Michael in Wham!?
Yes. He first found fame in the duo Wham! in the early 1980s before launching his solo career with Faith in 1987. He wrote much of Wham!'s material as well, including 'Careless Whisper.'
George Michael died on December 25, 2016, at age 53, from heart disease at his home in Oxfordshire. His death came decades into a career as one of Britain's most successful songwriters.
What genre is George Michael?
George Michael made pop, dance-pop, soul, and R&B, moving from the upbeat pop of Faith to the introspective, jazz-tinged songs of Older.
George Michael