Faith (George Michael album)

Infobox Album | Name = Faith
Type = Album
Artist = George Michael


Released = October 30, 1987
Recorded = 1987
Genre = Pop, pop rock, R&B
Length = 53:16
Label = Columbia Records (US) Epic Records
Producer = George Michael
Reviews =
*Allmusic Rating|5|5 [http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=10:gmd7yl2jxpeb~T1 link]
*"Rolling Stone" Rating|4|5 [http://www.rollingstone.com/artists/georgemichael/albums/album/125429/review/5942339/faith link]
Last album =
This album = "Faith"
(1987)
Next album = "Listen Without Prejudice, Vol. 1"
(1990)
Misc = Singles
Name = Faith
Type = studio
single 1 = I Want Your Sex
single 1 date = June 1, 1987
single 2 = Faith
single 2 date = October 12, 1987
single 3 = Father Figure
single 3 date = December 29, 1987
single 4 = One More Try
single 4 date = April 11, 1988
single 5 = Monkey
single 5 date = July 3, 1988
single 6 = Kissing a Fool
single 6 date = November 21, 1988

"Faith" is George Michael's first solo album, released in October 1987 via Columbia Records/Epic Records. The album is widely considered one of the greatest albums in pop music history, and won several awards including the Grammy Award for Album of the Year. The album was an instant commercial success in the United States, selling more than 1 million copies in its debut, the most copies ever sold in a week by a British Pop/Soul artist. To date, the album has sold over 20 million copies worldwide, and received a diamond certification from the Recording Industry Association of America. Faith spawned six top 5 singles that substantially helped it dominate the chart of 1988.

History

After the split of Wham!, Michael spent the most part of 1987 writing and recording the songs for his breakthrough project. In addition to playing a large number of instruments on the album, he wrote and produced every track on the recording, except for one, "Look At Your Hands," which he co-wrote with David Austin. Using the then-revolutionary Synclavier 9600 Tapeless Studio, "Faith" was Michael's first digital recording. a Contemporary R&B album, Faith showcases the vocals of Michael in a new-style mode. It features songs littered with introspective lyrics. Generating controversies about Michael's personal relationship at that time.

The public speculated that 1988 is the year of George Michael. The success of the album put him in the mainstream, becoming the biggest artist of 1988. Others also said that George Michael might be the successor of Elton John.

The album earned George Michael numerous accolades. At the 31st Grammy Awards, he was nominated for the Album of the Year and won it. George Michael racked up three wins at the 1989 American Music Awards: Favorite Pop/Rock Male Artist, Favorite Soul/R&B Male Artist and Favorite Soul/R&B Album for "Faith".

Commercial reception

The album became commercially a massive success. Between 1987 and 1988, "Faith" produced an amazing string of hit singles, including six Top 5 Billboard Hot 100 hits, four of which ("Faith," "Father Figure," "One More Try," and "Monkey") reached #1, making him the only British male singer to have four #1 singles from one LP on the Billboard Hot 100. The album also had impressive staying power, with 51 non-consecutive weeks inside the Billboard 200 Top 10, including 12 weeks at #1. It was also the first album by a white solo artist to hit #1 on the US R&B charts. It also reached #1 in the United Kingdom, where it stayed at the top spot for only one week. In all, it was the best-selling album of 1988 in the United States, and eventually reached Diamond certification by the RIAA. According to Nielsen/Soundscan, current sales stand at 11 million copies, making it the 52nd best-selling album in the United States.

The album reached at number one on the US Billboard 200, becoming Michael's first number-one solo album. Its early, and successive, success on the chart was said to be partly sustained—with help from plenty of press appearances and promotions—by its strong single releases. With "I Want Your Sex" propelling the album's debut atop the chart, "Faith", the second single off the album, facilitated the album's continuing dominance as well. The single "Faith" wes 1988's top best-selling singles in the United States, with "Careless Whisper placing at number one at the 1985's top single, it honored George Michael for being the first act to achieve two U.S. year-end #1 single since 1968, when the Beatles had "Hey Jude".

The album continued its dominance on the chart of 1988. The self-titled debut album by Tiffany ended its frst week run at the top spot; however, Faith reclaimed the position the following week for five consecutive weeks. Over nine month after its release, Faith was certified five-time platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America for 5 million US shipments. To date, the album has sold twenty million copies worldwide.

In 1989, "Faith" was ranked #84 on "Rolling Stone" magazine's list of the 100 greatest albums of the 1980s. RS500|480 "Faith" was ranked 79th in a 2005 survey held by British television's Channel 4 to determine the 100 greatest albums of all time.

Legacy

With sales of more than seven million in 1988, Faith is named in the United States the Most-Shipped Album of the year. Along with the success of the American singer Michael Jackson's album, Bad, as well as breakthroughs albums by many new and old artists, it was seen as a sign that US record sales were slowly recovering after three straight years of decline due to competing VSH's, and the prevalent music piracy. By the end of 1988, the industry has sold millions albums, an increase of about 1 percent, as recorded by Nielsen SoundScan. Compared with sales records in 1987, the date showed two percent of increase.

Track listing

All songs written by George Michael, except where noted.

LP

*Side One
#"Faith" – 3:16
#"Father Figure" – 5:36
#"I Want Your Sex (Parts I & II)"† – 9:17
#"One More Try" – 5:50

*Side Two
#"Hard Day" – 4:48
#"Hand to Mouth" – 4:36
#"Look at Your Hands" (George Michael and David Austin) – 4:37
#"Monkey" – 5:06
#"Kissing a Fool" – 4:35

CD

#"Faith" – 3:16
#"Father Figure" – 5:36
#"I Want Your Sex (Parts I & II)"† – 9:17
#"One More Try" – 5:50
#"Hard Day" – 4:48
#"Hand to Mouth" – 4:36
#"Look at Your Hands" (George Michael and David Austin) – 4:37
#"Monkey" – 5:06
#"Kissing a Fool" – 4:35
#"Hard Day" (Shep Pettibone Remix) – 6:29
#"A Last Request (I Want Your Sex Part III)" – 3:48

Cassette

*Side One
#"Faith" – 3:16
#"Father Figure" – 5:36
#"I Want Your Sex (Parts I & II)"† – 9:17
#"One More Try" – 5:50
#"Hard Day" – 4:48

*Side Two
#"Hand to Mouth" – 4:36
#"Look at Your Hands" (George Michael and David Austin) – 4:37
#"Monkey" – 5:06
#"Kissing a Fool" – 4:35
#"Hard Day" (Shep Pettibone Remix) – 6:29
#"A Last Request (I Want Your Sex Part III)" – 3:48

† In the liner notes, "I Want Your Sex" is listed as "I Want Your Sex (Monogamy Mix)", with the parts titled "Rhythm 1 Lust", and "Rhythm 2 Brass In Love", respectively. The full 13-minute Monogamy Mix of the song can be found on the 12" and CD singles of "I Want Your Sex".

Charts

Personnel

*George Michael - vocals, guitar, bass, drums, keyboards
*Steve Sidwell
*Jamie Talbot
*Ian Thomas - drums
*Andy Duncan - percussion
*Shirley Lewis - background vocals
*Chris Cameron - piano, cathedral organ, keyboards
*Robert Ahwai - guitar
*Deon Estus - bass
*J.J. Belle
*Rick Taylor - horns
*Hugh Burns - guitars
*Paul Spong
*Malcolm Griffiths
*Betsy Cook - keyboards
*Mark Chandler
*Danny Schogger - keyboards
*Steve Waterman

References

* [http://www.georgemichael.com George Michael - Official Website]
* [http://www.riaa.com - RIAA]
* [http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=10:gmd7yl2jxpeb~T1 All Music.com]
* [http://www.rollingstone.com/artists/georgemichael/albums/album/125429/review/5942339/faith Rolling Stone.com]

ee also

*The Faith World Tour
*Hot 100 No. 1 Hits of 1988

External links

* [http://www.cduniverse.com/search/xx/music/pid/1086422/a/Faith.htm Album lyrics and samples]