George Michael’s iconic 1984 hit “Careless Whisper” has reached an unprecedented milestone on YouTube by becoming the latest music video to join the billion views club. Despite being uploaded to YouTube in 2009 and originally produced in the mid-80s, the music video continues to attract an average of over 400,000 views each day, helping it to join the ranks of an exclusive group of videos to have hit one billion views on the platform.
The music video features George Michael, looking glam in gold earrings, a suit, and his signature poofy hair, as he sings to the camera amidst clips of him cheating on his significant other. Against a dramatic backdrop of Miami sunsets, sailboats, and vintage swimwear, the pop star sings his regrets over an affair, with the instantly recognizable saxophone solo completing the ballad. The track served as Michael’s pivot from Wham! to a highly successful solo career, becoming one of his most well-known songs and spending three weeks atop the Billboard Hot 100 in both 1984 and 1985.
George Michael was a two-time Grammy winner who passed away in 2016, leaving behind a legacy of legendary music. His autobiographical documentary, Freedom, was his last project shared with the world, and it showcased his career spanning several decades. In the documentary, Michael expressed his hope to be remembered as “one of those last kind of big pop stars, in a sense that there was a certain glamour to it.” He continued by saying, “But really, it’s just the songs, and I hope that people think of me as someone who had some kind of integrity,” with a hint of jest, “Very unlikely.”
In conclusion, “Careless Whisper” has become a timeless classic that transcends time and generations, and its view count milestone on YouTube is a testament to its continued relevance and popularity. It’s a reminder of George Michael’s immense contribution to the music industry and the iconic legacy he left behind.
