Smooth Radio listeners have named George Michael as the "greatest music icon of all time". The former Wham! star, who died on Christmas Day in 2016, has now taken first place in the station’s poll of the top 100 music stars for the fourth consecutive year. Michael beat US singer Michael Jackson in second, British pop rock band Queen in third, Whitney Houston in fourth, and Swedish pop group Abba to the top spot.
A statement from George Michael Entertainment, the official estate of George Michael, said: “We are absolutely delighted that George has once again been voted Smooth Radio’s ‘ultimate artist’ in the annual Smooth Icons Top 100 for 2026. With Wham!, Michael achieved five UK number one singles with the duo, completed by Andrew Ridgeley, best known for songs such as “Last Christmas”, “Wake Me Up Before You Go Go” and “I’m Your Man”. The group also achieved six top 10 albums, including two number ones, before their split in 1986.
Michael began his solo career a year later with the release of his debut album Faith, and went on to score seven UK number one singles and seven number one albums. Enjoy unlimited access to 100 million ad-free songs and podcasts with Amazon Music Sign up now for a 30-day free trial. This revenue helps to fund journalism across The Independent.
The singer’s best known solo songs include “Careless Whisper”, “A Different Corner” and a version of “Don’t Let The Sun Go Down On Me” with Sir Elton. The full countdown can be heard on Smooth Icons on Global Player now. Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
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