George Michael – Faith

Catalog: OC 40867  |  Side A Matrix: AL 40867-1F G1 VLADO

About the Artist

George Michael was one of the defining pop artists of the 1980s and 1990s — a songwriter, producer, and vocalist of rare sophistication whose work consistently transcended the commercial mainstream. Born Georgios Kyriacos Panayiotou in East Finchley, London in 1963, he first rose to fame as one half of Wham!, the duo whose sun-drenched pop anthems made them one of the biggest acts of the early 1980s. But it was his solo debut that revealed the full depth of his ambition: a desire to be taken seriously as an artist on his own terms, in full creative control, and answerable to no one.

About the Album

Faith was released in October 1987 on Columbia Records and became one of the best-selling albums of the decade. Produced entirely by George Michael himself, it was a bold statement of artistic independence — a record that deliberately shed the bubblegum image of Wham! in favour of something more complex, sensual, and musically ambitious. It spent 12 weeks at #1 on the Billboard 200, won the Grammy Award for Album of the Year in 1989, and has sold over 25 million copies worldwide.

The album is a masterclass in genre-blending. The rockabilly-inflected title track “Faith” — built on a churchy organ intro and a driving acoustic guitar riff — became one of the most iconic singles of the era, reaching #1 in multiple countries. “I Want Your Sex” arrived ahead of the album as a provocative lead single that generated enormous controversy and enormous chart success in equal measure. The slow-burning “Father Figure” is among Michael’s finest vocal performances — a hushed, intimate ballad that reached #1 on the Billboard Hot 100. “One More Try”, a gospel-drenched soul ballad, also topped the US charts and remains one of the most emotionally raw recordings of his career. The album closes with “I Want Your Sex (Part 3 / A Last Request)”, a tender coda that reframes the album’s themes with unexpected vulnerability.

Faith made George Michael the first solo artist to have four #1 singles from a single album on the Billboard Hot 100 — a record-setting achievement that cemented his status as one of the era’s most complete pop artists.

Record Condition

This copy has been carefully cleaned with a Spin-Clean record washer and stored in a new inner plastic sleeve. The vinyl presents with minor surface scuffs but played flawlessly on a quality turntable with no skips. Minor pops and crackles were noted during playback, consistent with the visual grade.

• Record Grade: VG (Very Good) — plays well, minor surface noise
• Jacket Grade: VG (Very Good) — original plastic cover still on (open); wear consistent with age (see photos)
• Includes: Original inlay

Photos show actual item. What you see is what you get.