After establishing himself as a pop force with teen-dream duo Wham!, George Michael struck out on his own in 1987, writing and producing his smoldering, R&B-inspired debut, Faith. That album's refutation of his past was both implicit and explicit on songs like the pleading “One More Try” and its electrifying title track, and it launched him to megastardom. His towering voice and unabashed love of music with soul—whether seductive R&B or arena-shaking rock—turned both his anthems of liberation and his tender love songs into unforgettable gems.