Listen Without Prejudice Vol. 1

Good album. Not great.

As far as I’m concerned this album is alright but Faith is much better…hope it’s on the list

Meget nice og smukt album. Ved at lytte til dette album har jeg fået øjnene op for styrken i George Michaels stemme. På nogle tidpunkter minder den mig om Freddie Mercury, men på en måde mere delikat. Albummet har meget samme vibe hele vejen igennem, men har et par højdepunkter. Standouts: They Don't Go When I Go (Virkelig smuk og man kan sagtens høre Stevie Wonders arbejde på nummeret), Mother's pride (bare hjerteskærende), Waiting (vildt smuk)

schön. bissi rockig aber dann sehr baladenlastig und ruhig. mothers pride gefällt mir am besten aber all in all sind die anderen jetz auch nit schlecht aber mir a nit volle positiv in erinnerung geblieben

Decent album but not really my taste.

Praying for Time 2.7 Freedom! 90 3 They Won't Go When I Go 2.9 Something to Save 2.6 Cowboys and Angels 2.6 Waiting for That Day 3 Mother's Pride 2.7 Heal the Pain 2.4 Soul Free 2.7 Waiting (Reprise) 2.5 Score: 2.71

Not bad, just not nearly as fun as Faith. The early part of the album shows promise, but the second half loses definite steam.

I listened without prejudice. It was nice but kind of boring.

First off, you really have to respect the sheer balls it took for George Michael to follow up the massive, image driven success of Faith with an album cover that doesn't even feature his face. It was a huge, defiant statement to ignore the pop idol persona and take him seriously as a songwriter. But as for the music itself, it ends up feeling like a bit of a mixed bag. It heavily relies on one undeniably hot track, "Freedom! '90", surrounded by a lot of slow, somber filler. Granted, some of that "filler" is actually quite beautiful, and the acoustic, mature vibe really works when you're in the right mood. But as a complete, front-to-back listen, it gets a bit too bogged down in its own serious intensity to be an absolute classic.

Was fine

No private session used for Spotify. George Michael when he was dominate was tiresome as he was everywhere, so I don't really listen to him now that I have a choice. "Freedom!'90" is a classic, if this song doesn't give you moving, go see your doctor to get your vitals checked. Covering Wonder's "They Won't Go When I Go" is bold, but clearly Michael was up for that challenge.

i listened with prejudice.

Did as I was told, but ended up being kinda bored. The album is by no means bad, it's just too long and slow.

Solid album Standout songs: Freedom! '90 Heal the Pain

very 90s, very "we are the world"

Beetje traag album en niet zo uniek ofzo.

Good Pop swinging between sweet and soulful

I tried what the title suggests, but I found the songs mostly boring and forgettable. Freedom! `90 is a banger and stands out from all this filler material.

So we have this guy with a really amazing voice and an obvious talent to write good lyrics and melodies, who can produce real bangers like Faith and Freedom and even has an affinity to a little experimentation incorporating different genres like jazz, soul and some more exotic styles. And what does he do with that? 90% are the same slow ballads about relationship and breakup, just like everyone else on the radio. A real shame, because I feel this could have been much better.

Very nice album

10/05/2026 I feel a little disappointed with Georgey boy here, I expected more from this album. Shame. Spotify listeners: 21 million

Yeah, I mean it’s really just a pretty boring and slow album riding the coat tails of one good song. But, when that one song takes up more than 15% of the runtime, it’s going to help the overall rating.

Going into this, I was honestly afraid that it was gonna end up kind of boring, but George Michael really won me over here. I'm not gonna say this is the most interesting album on the list; but it's well performed, well written and detailed, and most importantly, it seems to have a genuinely, convincingly kind heart. Even if it comes across as a little cheesy sometimes, there is hope and empathy across these songs, and it is felt strongly and appreciated. While doing some research on this album, I found a take that framed Listen Without Prejudice Vol 1 in regards to The AIDS epidemic, and it has honestly stuck with me, and strengthened my extant feelings about the tone and themes here. I would also like to say that George Michael is singing his ass off on this entire thing, and he *knows* it. If he didn't, he wouldn't have tried to pull off a Stevie Wonder cover. This cover is honestly what cemented this album for me. It is a *bold* move to cover They Won't Go When I Go. It is a well loved deep(ish) cut, and also one of Wonder's most emotionally heavy songs, in my opinion ever. There was little to gain in covering something this completely untouchable, which makes me think that George Michael really felt that *this* Stevie Wonder song had to be on this album, which I respect. And honestly, even though it's a pretty straightforward cover, he really pulls it off. Even if I can't fully love Listen Without Prejudice as a piece of music, it is clearly a labor of love, made with a kindness that shines through in earnest. And on some level, I am truly moved.

Pop that’s sprawling, surprisingly ambitious, often indulgent, and trying hard to impart serious social commentary. I did think that was sometimes cool, but I’m also sitting here listening to some of the lyrics in 2026 and can’t help thinking “Just you fucking wait, man.” (Especially when he’s lamenting the evils of the rich.) He’s got a great set of pipes. I hear a lot of Freddie Mercury in his voice, especially how he delivers his big vocal moments (“Freedom! ‘90” is a good example). The way the harmonies are layered remind me of Queen’s production as well, perhaps more gospel-influenced here. It’s funny to read critics at the time talking about how sparse this sounds. Maybe compared to his other releases - this still sounds pretty lush and stacked to me.

Eh. I assume Faith is on the list which is the George Michael album you need if you need one. I always appreciated him more as a public figure, esp the way he navigated the aftermath of his arrest, than I resonated with him as an artist. The piano ballads feel unfinished while the anthems seem overbaked. "Freedom" is infectious in both a good and bad way.

Good voice. Seems to be a top bloke. Liked Wham alot. Not too into the solo stuff but well produced and a decent listen. If youre in the mood.

3.3

This album has many of the same issues as Faith, such as songs that are too long, but the difference is that Faith has so many good songs you can kind of excuse the issues. Not that this album is bad, but aside from the standouts “Praying For Time,” “Freedom! ‘90,” and “Waiting For That Day,” the rest is bland and forgettable. Probably only needed one George Michael album on this list, and it definitely didn’t need to be this one.

5/10

I'm not a big fan of this album, but I did listen to it without prejudice I do understand that it was revolutionary during a time when house music was booming. "Freedom! '90" is the highlight of "Listen Without Prejudice Vol. 1". As for the rest of the tracks, they're fine, but they could be more exciting. Advice for musicians: Don't add "Vol 1" to your album title, unless you're 100% sure you'll make a second volume. 3 stars for "Listen Without Prejudice Vol. 1".

Pretty good

Besides Freedom! 90, this was mostly forgettable.

- Stop whispering "Plan B" like it's some sort of super covert CIA operation... Plan B is a dance routine. IT'S A GOD DAMN DANCE ROUTINE! - ... and it's gonna rock! Freedom!!

pretty funky and forgettable fav song: Freedom

I'm not a george michael fan but there are a couple of good songs on here

Like it 3/5

The last time I listened to this whole album I swear I liked it more. I love Freedom, Something To Save, Cowboys and Angels, and Heal The Pain. Beyond that, it really does sound dated and the songs are meh. Praying for Time was meant to sound "contemporary" but it seems so silly leading off the album with that when Freedom is so strong. Anyway I still love his voice but probably the greatest hits can suffice.

Some nice songs, but it’s dated as hell and VERY cheesy

In general a good yet unremarkable pop album. It is pleasant to listen to but doesn't really stand out much. Of course George Michael has an excellent voice, though it could be showcased more throughout. A bit too safe for my liking. 3/5

Vastly better than I was expecting an advance from the dance pop of "Faith" this is a largely acoustic George Michael delving into more sophisticated songwriting. There are some really strong tracking on here: "Praying for Time", "Freedom 90", "Something To Save", and "Heal The Pain" are standouts. But ultimately its a little too mainstream pop and ballad intensive for my taste.

this was very different than the first george michael album i got…. i was hoping for another dancey album…. this one was quite sad. still good, but very sad :(

Remember that time George went through a jazzy phase and ended up dangerously close to becoming a lounge singer? I didn’t either.

This was not bad.

I remember when this came out, late 80s we played it nonstop on the bus when we did wknd trips on the month abroad. Love GM, Cowboys and Angels, They won't go .. Freedom.. fantastic tracks defining his sought after independence and that now define him

This man’s voice alone makes it must listen to music. All time great vocalist. This is a very diverse album. No song sounds the same. Soul Free is great. Freedom moves the heart and the feet.

Freedom is enough to elevate this one to a 3. The rest was very highly polished a lovely sounding, but mostly forgettable - at least with only a couple listens.

Pretty good

3 de 5 Disco calmado y tranquilo, con buenos arreglos y que presenta a George Michael como un compositor y artista serio. A destacar: Track 1 - Praying for Time Track 2 - Freedom! Track 4 - Something to Save Track 6 - Waiting for That Day Track 8 - Heal the Pain

su voz MY GOD. Aunque dudo que lo escuche de nuevo

Tracks I liked: they won't go where I go.

Tatsächlich deutlich besser als befürchtet. Sehr abwechslungsreich, sehr stimmungsvoll. Aber ich höre halt auch immer Wham! raus und das stört mich... Mir fällt zudem auf, dass seine Stimme der von Freddy Mercury gar nicht so unähnlich ist.

I like the sound of the organs, and the grandness of many of the songs

It's fine.

A banger or two on here. Pretty eclectic album — less poppy than I expected, and more jazzy from time to time.

Pleasant mix of jazz and pop. Kinda like some Phantom of the Opera type sh*t. Most of the songs felt ballady in that jazzy way, save for FREEDOM! '90 and HEAL THE PAIN... oh and what felt initially felt like Bandana Brett doing, EvErY rOsE hAs It'S tHoRn

Freedom 90 is a great song also a great cover from Pitch Perfect. Otherwise a lot of these songs just vaguely sounded like Freedom 90

NGL not a ton stands out besides Freedom! 90 but its nice enough to listen to in the background

Obviously "Freedom '90" is a banger and the music video is great, but I liked the rest of this album more than I thought I would (which is not at all). There are a few catchy tracks with great melodies, and George Michael's voice sounds good.

the ballads just are not for me

This was fine. I enjoyed a few songs. The rest was good background listening.

Not the best George's album, but it's played in a motley of styles.

Reviews haven’t filled me with confidence, but let’s see… As many have said, Freedom clearly stands out is a solid track. The rest, not so sure; kinda poppy, okayness. A bit too polished and manufactured feeling for me. Yeh, quite sickly, really. Think I’ve had my fill half way through. 3*

Freedom is undeniable. And this has its fun. But overall: a middle of the road 3

Save for “Freedom ‘90”, which is a classic, these songs are not particularly well-written or arranged, but George Michael was such an incredible vocalist—so charismatic—that he managed to pull it off anyway, barely. Best track: “Freedom ‘90”

⭐⭐⭐+ Har lite svårt att placera detta album. Å ena sidan är det väldigt jämnt och George är uppenbart musikalisk och har väldigt bra röst och känsla. Det finns inga spår jag tycker är dåliga, men däremot kan jag känna att det saknas riktiga toppar. Freedom! 90 är den stora hitten men den är nästan den udda fågeln på albumet och nästan den jag uppskattar minst. Han gör Stevie Wonders They wont go when I go mycket bra. Lutar mellan en stark 3a och svag 4a, tycker albumet är bra och jämnt men är osäker på om jag kommer söka upp albumet igen på grund av avsaknaden av toppar så det får bli en stark 3a för nu. Bäst är Praying tor time, covern They won't go when I go, Cowboys and angels, Mothers pride.

A bit somber bit still not bad

Pleasant

Pretty good. I like his cover of "They won't go where I go"

pretty cool some bops, gm has better albums tho

He had such a beautiful voice (when not in falsetto). This is a pretty solid album with a few good songs.

5/10 – Mediocre

Me encanta George Michael; no me encantó Listen Without Prejudice Vol. 1. Tiene buenas canciones, claro: un disco que abre con Praying For Time casi sería seguro que sería un mega hitazo, pero en general no me hizo muy feliz. La canción más famosa del disco, Freedom, me parece repetitiva y eterna. En general un disco disparejo, pero es George Michael, así que siempre va a tener algo bueno que entregar.

Kind of forgettable, but pleasant enough

No. 147 Nothing compelling but it was pleasant enough.

Listen Without Prejudice Vol. 1 arrives with genuine artistic ambition — Michael deliberately stepping away from spectacle, refusing promotional videos, and reaching for something quieter and more personal than the pop machine that made him famous. The intention is admirable, and in places it pays off. “Freedom ‘90” is the obvious highlight, the moment where Michael’s artistry and his pop instincts align perfectly — a song about liberation that actually sounds liberated. “Cowboys and Angels” is the album at its most musically interesting, a jazzy, sax-driven piece with a sophistication that feels genuinely earned. And the deliberate interpolation of “You Can’t Always Get What You Want” woven into “Waiting for That Day” rewards close listening in a way that suggests a sharper, more adventurous record was within reach. The problem is what surrounds those moments. The introspective restraint that critics celebrated as artistic courage mostly lands as low energy rather than meaningful vulnerability. The emotional core feels muted rather than raw, and the quietness that was supposed to feel brave too often just feels inert. The closing track, backed by what amounts to a generic acoustic guitar arrangement, is the clearest example — ambition without payoff. Higher hopes than delivered. A respectful three — with a genuinely great single at its center.

Bonus points for soundtracking one of the best scenes in It’s Always Sunny

It has a couple of absolute gems and a lot of middling ok. Freedom ‘90 is of course the standout here. Sadly the rest doesn’t hold up to the same quality. 3/5

6/10

ok

On the one hand, it's not bad. On the other hand, it's not great, or special.

Inoffensive, boring

6.5/10

Freedom is an all out banger. The rest was whatever, but his voice is pretty amazing...

George Michael is cheesy but in a good way. Sadly most of these songs just weren't that interesting

6/10 Fav Track - Praying For Time, Freedom! '90 (I know it's me and my taste's fault) but we finally broke the streak of misses!

Freedom! '90 absolutely slaps miles above the rest on this but still good

Almost worthy of a 4-star based on "Freedom!" alone.

пойдет..

Its an interesting album in how much it changes stylistically but the general impression it left me with was a bit middling. Maybe I just don't really get what makes it really good, but it sounds like that was true for a lot of people when it came out too Standouts Freedom 90' They Won't Go When I Go 3/5

BO-RING! It was a ton of mellow and one hit -

Kind of a sad, more serious album, but really good. I love George Michael's voice. The piano is so good in these tracks

Freedom was the only song I recognized. It was a decent album.

George Michael was a very talented songwriter and he had a beautifully powerful voice at times. His Freddie Mercury tribute singing Somebody to love showed that. However this album was so gloomy and slow I didnt really enjoy it much.

I was able to throw this on and completely zone out. Not necessarily good or bad, just kind of neutral and not memorable. It’s like a 2 1/2 star for me but I’ll round up to 3 as I didn’t dislike it

Listen without prejudice is good advice. Having heard George Michael's previous album, I did expect more pop music. This follow up is his attempt to be taken a bit more seriously. And surely, it's less of a chart-topping singles machine, but it does have a decent amount of pop-quality to it. The music walks a fine line between the synthetic sound of 80s synth-driven dance music, and heartfelt ballads. The music often sounds cheap, which works fine in the context of a 80s dance club, but maybe less well for more reflective content. Still, it's all pretty decent with a handful of beautiful moments throughout. "Freedom 90" is the clear standout, with "Praying for Time" and "Heal the Pain" closely behind.

A long distance from careless whisper. I think his muse deserted him and this led him to dark places. He could have had a bright future, had he abandoned pop. Great voice, and the songs are... Ok

Solo conocía Freedom. Me ha gustado más de lo esperado, pero no es ninguna maravilla.

George Michael is very talented and has a great voice, but I can't see myself coming back to this. I did enjoy this, and it was a surprise to see that George Michael could fill a whole album with catchy songs, I'd only known him from a handful of Wham! and solo tracks

a very good album i particularly liked Cowboys and Angels.

most of this album is cheese, but boy, "Freedom! '90" is a song worth listening to! not even the memorable overused passages, but the second part with the bass solo and the bridge, ahhhh!

Not much to write home about here but i definetly didnt hate the album by any means 6/10 Favourite: Cowboys & Angels Least Favourite: Waiting for that Day

Not bad, his voice surprised me, and the music didn't sound bad at all. However, I wouldn't go back for a second listen. 2,75/5.

Favorite track(s): Freedom! '90, Cowboys and Angels, Mothers Pride

A little too mellow for something that feels like it's trying not to be. Very gospely but still pretty enjoyable.

J'ai pas grand chose à dire sur l'album il m'as quand même donné un meilleur vis à vis de George Michael mais sinon il est pas très très inventif. C'était quand même sympa j'ai adoré la reprise de Stevie Wonder et le son freedom 90's

Album 102. Listen Without Prejudice Vol.1 (https://open.spotify.com/album/4lGS8HxU3NYaQxfU0wx2r1?si=jkN3kdHbQT-YMFvFuHMCXA) — George Michael (1990) It was an interesting experience 'cause I almost never listened to George Michael's solo career (after Wham!) except a couple of songs. Well, I definitely have to get used to his music style, but overall I like it for an occasional listen. Huge respect to GM for trying to fuck Sony in court. And huge respect for making music on his own, like Prince. 3/5 Liked songs: — Praying for Time — Freedom! '90 — Cowboys and Angels

3 out of 5. So this is where that Freedom song comes from.

favorite song: Soul Free

Kind of a confusing sound. I found it to be a little incohesive. But I like it! Soul music. Also, tipong naririnig mo on Sunday mornings... remixed with construction work. If you know, you know.

Freedom is an all time banger but the rest is just a bit mid

Not bad at all. Guy had pipes for sure. But just not really my thing.

Wasn't mindblowing but I did enjoy the listens and it gave me some more respect for his music.

Correcto

Was never a big fan of George Michael but can appreciate it for what it is.

I had this one in high school. Didn't listen to it then. I didn't hate it as much as some of y'all did, but pretty lite and not super interesting aside from the main attraction. I went back and listened a 2nd time and softened a little bit.

recognized some classics but overall didn’t really captivate

Me ha sorprendido para bien, he reconocido canciones, sabia del tipo pero nunca me habia parado a escucharle, le he encontrado parecido al cantar con Freddy Mercury

Never listened to any George Michael album. Some interesting moments and 'Freedom' is iconic. But rest of album got lost in the sauce for me.

Plenty of good here but oh so corny.

really came out swinging with 2 bangers and then abruptly fell off a cliff

Great 80s vibes with some deep lyrics, some inspiration from MJ and Prince is evident

I didn’t like it but I couldn’t give our George less than a 3

The opening pairing on this album, the epic 'Praying for Time' and the Happy Mondays-adjacent 'Freedom 90!' set this album up to be the full five stars. It's an erstwhile boy-band member progressing to full-blown arena anthems and undeniable songwriting credibility. The huge gospel chorus in 'Freedom 90!' is superb (as was the ubiquitous sexy video on MTV). After that though it really becomes slim pickings, and feels like he's trying to gemmy in every influence he's ever had, reaching a nadir with the Aswad-sounding 'Soul Free' which is unforgivable. A few very accomplished tracks, but sapped of energy by the scattershot heart-on-sleeve influences, and lounge music masquerading as maturity. Still gets a decent score for the classics.

Parts of this are so compelling lyrically. A stirring declaration of an artist's identity, rejection of the contrived image that had been created for him (and by him). I'm afraid I just find the songs themselves dull. Would I listen to it again? Probably not. 2.5 rounded up to 3

7.3

I never really got the hype around him, there are some decent songs in his discography and on this release but it lacks big hitters. Nothing bad but kind of a boring listen, the songs in the second half blend together.

Tarzim degildi 3 tane guzel şarkı vardi Mid bi album bazi şarkılar birbirine baya benziyo ama citir şarkılar var

Freedom y Mothers pride son muy buenas canciones y el resto safan.

je me suis endormie pendant que j’écoutais le rer il faudra que je réécoute pour exprimer un vrai avis mais j’ai trouvé ça bien, mieux que ceux des derniers jours pas de chansons en particulier qui m’a interpelée pour que j’ajoute à mes likes mais j’ai apprécié l’écoute

I’ll probably never be a George Michael fan, and this album is a good example of why. It’s not bad music by any means, and there were even a few elements I genuinely enjoyed, but overall, his style comes off as one of the most cliché examples of ’80s sophisti-pop.

I recognised some of those songs from listening to the radio as a kid. It was fine I guess. On another note; Was George Michael the guy that got caught rubbing one out in the public toilets?

1/1/26. Feels good. 6.5/10

Okay

Praying for Time and Freedom!'90 are good songs. Freedom is especially great and one of GM's best. The rest of the album failed to wow me.

As the title requested, I made a full attempt to listen without prejudice. Freedom is a great song and Soul Free was pretty good, but I found this largely to be a bit whiny and boring. It felt like one sad love ballad after another. I enjoyed the little Easter eggs of song lyric covers sprinkled throughout though.

George Michael is Respectable to me, if not a guy I would regularly listen to. If I did regularly to him, this would probably be the album I would go to. Never heard it before. A pleasant surprise.

I remember liking this a lot more back in the day. Less so now.

A true neutral. Nothing compelling but it was pleasant enough

I don't think I've ever listened to a whole album of GM, but the songs of his I like, I really like. Freedom 90 slaps obviously - not just his voice which is always gorgeous but the heartfelt lyrics and iconic video are great too. I also loved his take on Stevie Wonder's They Won't Go When I Go, and Mother's Pride gave me goosebumps. However on the whole the album isn't that exciting and probably not his best, I'll be interested to see which others turn up on this list

One good song then a lot of feelings. Cool album cover though.

Classic pop album

I think I managed to listen without prejudice despite the invitation

It was okay, I guess. I actually preferred some of rhe unplugged stuff that wasn’t on the actual album.

Obviously Freedom stands out, but he's a very talented singer as shown on the rest of the album.

A nice, enjoyable pop record with some bops on it. Not the best thing I've heard in this experience so far and far from the worst. Perfectly middle of the road.

Freedom 90 is one of the greatest pop songs ever made, but the rest of the album doesn't keep up. Every second song was interesting in some way, but not enough to want to go back to the album

His second solo album. Pop / Rock. Freedom! '90 is easily the stand out track on this one. His vocals are fantastic. The production is good, maybe a bit echoey. It's a quality album but meanders a little and lacks another punch after Freedom! '90. Always liked George though, a brilliant artist. I just think he has better songs elsewhere.

Pas mon style mais cool qd meme

Só é meio entediante e sem sal, mas nada ruim. É um disco bem produzido, e acho linda a voz de George Michael. Mas aqui ele canta sobre nada, e as canções são um tanto quanto repetitivas e cansativas. Não é uma audição super engajante, mas novamente, nada é ativamente ofensivo ou odiável. Apenas mais do mesmo, um clássico exemplo de um disco três estrelas. 3/5

Some classic songs very enjoyable.

i listened without prejudice... and found a warm, rewarding 3/5. nice 1 george

He’s an excellent vocalist, but the style just isn’t my bag.

Excellent singer, decent songs, good arrangements. Not my style, but definitely a quality example of its genre.

This is the sort of album this challenge is for. Obviously I’d love it, obviously I should have listened to it before. A nice Sunday morning to have George Michael forced upon you.

3/5

Some of George Michael songs are really great. But when listening to a whole album the songs resemble each other too much. And then it gets boring.

Pretty nice.

Soft, moody, acoustic, atmospheric. Too saccharine at times, but an interesting turn for a big pop star. Best song: Something to Save

Nach den ersten beiden Songs war ich bei soliden vier Sternen. Dann kamen viel zu lange, anstrengende Songs, die alle gleich klangen.

I remember when this album came out, and the world (or at least the U.S.) just seemed to suddenly and collectively decide that we were done with George Michael. I don't know why that happened, because there are some decent tracks here and no real clunkers. I'm surprised there haven't been more covers of these songs, because it seems like they might do well if put into the right (non-George Michael) hands.

Freedom 90 is great! everything else, not so much. I'm much more of a Fast Love pt.1&2 kinda guy. I can appreciate George Michael as a singer-song writer and push aside my personal likes and dislikes here. Definitely worth listening to at least once, as different as it may sound to his previous works.

Look… Freedom 90 is an all time banger. Put that shit on any time, any where and people will get hyped. The rest of the album is kind of boring though. I get he was going through things at the time and wanted to shed his old image but man… at least bring something interesting to the table. That cover of Stevie Wonder wasn’t too bad though

That is one hell of a set of pipes. Unreal vocals throughout the album, with some absolute bangers thrown in for good measure. Freedom! ‘90 is one of the best pop songs of the era, and the album has 2-3 other high points that mark it out as a strong album. It's just let down by some filler material & songs that don't land as well as others. Overall it's a good album, but as a collective I think it's inconsistent.

Good album. George had such a range and emotional voice that pulled you into his songs.

Decent effort from the lad. He's very missed you know...

3.5

3.5

Better than I expected. "Freedom 90" is a great song. 3.5 stars

"Praying for Time" and "Freedom! 90" are pretty great, but I thought this album feel off heavily after that. "Waiting for that Day" possibly the only other contender. 3 stars.

There's a choice here between banging songs with frivolous lyrics, or plodding songs with clichéd words. The former are great. The latter means this just gets 3*.

Trapped in the dentist lobby

Kedelig

Freedom! '90 is always a great time. Love the unusual tune of Cowboys and Angels, Mothers Pride and Soul Free. Heal the Pain - what an absoLUTE tune - what a great and weird bridge - what a lot of cool key changes - what a great way of clawing back to the main tune.

George Michael undoubtedly has an amazing voice. Problem is the songwriting is a bit dull and the voice is drenched in so much reverb the audio engineer must have answered yes to how much reverb do you want. Perfectly pleasant but aside some great vocals just lacks lyrics, hooks, something memorable.

Better than I expected but not particularly compelling in the end.

Maybe for what it is, it's great.

I find it mostly pretty bland. I do like Heal the Pain though....probably because I know it from a movie that I love called Last Christmas.

There is definitely plenty of bland easy listening here, but a couple of songs held my attention. He never quite equaled the brilliance of Careless Whisper but he's making an effort here. Edit: hold the phone! The best song (They Won't Go When I Go) is a Stevie Wonder cover, oh well.

Never really listened to any GM before. Pretty good, recognized one of the songs. Not sure if I'd return mindfully, though.

I felt some pieces of this in my soul. It’s a little melodramatic but it’s pretty good

Nice Rolling stones reference on Waiting for that Day!

Not something I would seek out, which is the reason for this exercise. Starts strong, never notices how much Freedom sounded like the Happy Mondays. The songs can go on a bit. Liked it more than I thought I would. 3.5 rounded down Heard before? Singles Owned: No 20/1001, 20/81 (24%) Will I get? No

Better than Faith. Prob good on GM for rest of list though

- classic - knew freedom and wham - git gueti stimmig

Good album

This one surprised me, 3.5 stars

Solid 3 Just vibes, but didn't do much for me beyond Freedom (classic!). The man has an undeniably good voice though.

It's no Faith, but it is a very solid George Michael album.

Not my sort of music but have a new appreciation for his voice and song writing

Ok listen. Not sure this would be on my 1001 album list.

I did enjoy listening to this album. It’s a stray away from his pop songs. I do like his voice and the smoothness of his songs

Pleasantly surprised by this. I enjoy his voice and the pop hits were pretty good.

Not really my cup of tea but I understand George Michael was very talented

I am not a fan of his music. It was good to be introduced to this Album.

I tried to listen without prejudice but I don't think that's really possible, especially when it says "vol 1" like it's a threat.... the best songs here sound a lot like "Faith" which is a pretty good song. For GM fans mostly.

Freedom 90 is probably one of my Dakota songs ever, but the rest of this album is just going between cheesy and melodramatic

I was going to say that I wasn't sure why this album was in this list as it's nothing special, but while this is true for most of the tracks, the R&B track "They Won't Go When I Go" (which was written by Stevie Wonder and Yvonne Wright) was very good. I've not heard this album before but most of the tracks seem to remind me of songs by other artists.

OK, well I don't like what little I've heard of George Michael's music, either solo or with Wham!, but I will listen without prejudice... Well, not really my thing, but this was much better than I had expected. I did feel it was verging a bit towards the sophistipop of the period, but it must have been a relief to leave the lightweight pop behind. But is this a great album? Not so sure.

Pleasant inoffensive pop.

I really enjoyed “Freedom ‘90” but the rest of the album was pretty average and forgettable. 2.5/5

Poppy, but decent vocals. Nothing really stood out to me though, perhaps maybe Freedom!

A perhaps intrusive thought: George Michael sounds a bit like Freddie Mercury but without the kickass band behind him. So the man can sing, but the songs are kinda safe. I had the same feeling as with his Faith record, so it gets the same score.

was ok

3.5

Perfectly fine 80's Pop Best Song: Freedom Rating: 5.5/10 Stars: 3/5

Didn’t give this pop music much change back in the day when was a youth, viewed as all posturing stubble and sunglasses and little else, but shows my modern music bias because it now seems to the power of 10 more real than what’s followed. Happy to listen from start to finish, still not my thing but at the least it’s listenable and not generic sound and production. 3.5 star

Lyrically well written, not my thing

3,5

An important and strong album for sure, just not my jam

George Michael was an absolutely glorious human being in an industry that is jam-packed full of shitcunts. I wish I liked his music more than I do, but it’s just a bit bland for me. This is better than Faith, though, and Praying For Time is just such an accurate and scathing assessment of the world as it was and as it is. George Michael was too good for this world. RIP.

Some real bangers on this, but the overall affect is a bit too consistently downtempo for me.

- produção muito boa - bom exemplo de british pop - apesar disso, tirando alguns momentos, achei um álbum meio sem sal

I admire the attempt to get more serious with the songwriting, but only a few of these tracks are not boring. Freedom 90 is such a good song I'm boosting to 3, but this is a 2 or 2.5 for me.

Honestly? This man is corny but he is smooth

Back in the early 90s we had a handful of tapes in my mother’s car. The three most played were a Jon Secada album, the Bodyguard soundtrack, and a mix my sister made with Harry Connick Jr and a couple of other artists. The first song on that mix was “Freedom! 90”- and I must’ve had to listen to that song 9,000 times. Of course, whenever the video came on MTV, I would stop and watch because it featured some of the most beautiful women on the planet lip syncing to the song. So when you make me listen to it as a middle aged man, it’s like time travel. I can smell the upholstery of a 1991 Honda Accord. What I’m trying to say is- this is what the early 90s truly felt like. We all want to believe it was Nevermind but nah- it was George Michael. THREE STARS

George Michael is obviously a pop legend with a great voice and an excellent ability for composing catchy songs. This album seemed quite personal and was enjoyable to listen to but I was missing his biggest hits (aside from freedom). Ultimately not my fav.

- I actually kind of like this - I recognised one of the songs which I was proud of because I didn't think I would know any Overall, this album is not to bad and pretty good to listen to. I would listen to some of the songs again as well.

Fun, accessible and varied. Has a good selection of songs, where George Michael gets to flex his muscles on top of a decent selection of pop instrumentals. However a bit cheesy George gives a heartfelt and vulnerable performance that sticks out as memorable. Not life changing or anything, but decent if you're feeling some early 90s production, soulful backing vocals and a couple of fun instrumentala carried by a powerful and passionate voice. Pleasant when it lasted, but not something I'll add to my regular rotation. 3.5/5. Fave tracks. They Won't Go When I Go, Waiting for That Day, Soul Free.

Realmente bueno? no me esperaba esto de george michael

Decent stuff. Didn’t fully grab my attention though. 3 stars

I loved freedom! 90, and if you were my woman.

It was ok. A lot of it I wouldn't listen to again.

I like this a whole lot more than Faith. It’s less aggressive, less busy, a bit more contemplative - all around it’s more restrained and the work is better for it. There’s a single high point for me in Freedom ‘90. It’s just such a fun pop song. Everything else here is inoffensive to my ears. George Michael has a nice voice. He doesn’t need all that reverb. ✨

Ya not bad

This one prompted debate with my wife (she’s a 4). Freedom is a banger and there are 3 interesting ballads - Praying for Time, Mothers Pride, and Waiting - no doubt George Michael can sing and these are where he’s strongest. But the rest of the album is fairly boring. So what do you score when half of album is great and half is mediocre? Faith is the better album. 3/5.

I consider this department store music, however George Michael is undeniably a very talented singer.

Meh

I’ll give it a three because his voice is incredible, but the content is a two. I don’t dislike it but I would be embarrassed to be caught listening to it in public.

Dust off those gossamer wings and fly yourself to the moon of your choice.

Un poco horterilla

I’ll probably never be a George Michael fan, and this album is a good example of why. It’s not bad music by any means, and there were even a few elements I genuinely enjoyed, but overall, his style comes off as one of the most cliché examples of ’80s sophisti-pop.

All very soft. OK for once

Decent pop album

OVERALL THOUGHTS - A little cheesy or saccharine at times when trying to sound sincere, the production does feel dated at times but overall an enjoyable listen with inventive chord progressions and some good stylistic variety. Excellent songwriting at times, though the quality does seem to drop off towards the end. Freedom is the obvious highlight, Praying For Time, Cowboys and Angels and Waiting for That Day are also standouts. The last 4 tracks are very forgettable. 3/5

Boring

Great pop music with emotional vocal delivery.

George Michael's follow up to "Faith" came just three years into his solo career. He was a major pop star who wanted more creative control, and with this album steered toward more emotional and soulful vocal showcases. "Praying For Time" and "Freedom 90" were here to satisfy his rabid fans, but the rest of the time George explored what was in his heart and on his mind. This is a good idea of what it sounds like when a pop star grows up.

There are a lot of things to like here. This seems to be a more serious version of George Michael - unfortunately it's also a version that I find a lot less interesting.

Le début était un peu faible mais je me suis prise à apprécier de plus en plus.

80's style pop music. Nothing to particularly hate on, but the only thing to stand out was a song about freedom reminding me a lot of 'faith', which isn't on this album.

Slow not his best

Good George Michaels. Very 80’s

Three really good tracks on here, otherwise not much. I liked the film 'Last Christmas' which had music from George, just not so keen on this album. Was ok though, so giving it 3 stars.

Sounds good

Turns out I am not a George Michael fan. I just like a few of his songs.

This was a good album, short and sweet. Generally, the songwriting was largely quite average, with a few of of the songs just being generic pop ballads, but George’s insane voice definitely brings it up a notch. I was also surprised at the variety of genres he explores. My favourite songs were Freedom! ‘90, they won’t go where I go and Soul Free

I listened to this without prejudice and… it was good! Strong 3, like a 3.5 I did listen to Freedom and was hearing “have some faith in the sound” in a certain actors voice from a movie, and it turned out to be Peter Dante from Chuck & Larry. Does that count as prejudice?

he's a good lad isnt he

Would have enjoyed more up-tempo tracks and less acoustic stuff. Still good though

I liked this better than I thought I was going to surprisingly. It started off a little repetitive for the first couple songs and then by the 4th song I really started to like it. Personal favorite definitely Cowboys and Angels, intro came on and I felt like I was ascending 🙂‍↕️

so fun!

ok

Great production and music.

Had to give this two tries, the sunny walk helped on the second. Very solid - didn’t want to turn it off but also wasn’t reaching to add any songs to library

he tried to do a different job from Wham and he did. Great single

Thoughts before listening: George Michael gets two albums on this list? I know he was a big star (and even bigger in the UK than the US) but I never thought of him as someone that was a critical favorite. Review: Fewer pop bangers and a more introspective approach makes for an enjoyable listen. I am enjoying a number of these songs: "Freedom 90", "Cowboys and Angels", and "Waiting for the Day" are all going on the playlist. I'll give this 3-stars.

Pleasant enough to listen too but pretty corny. This is fine.

I listened with prejudice.. some songs solid, wanted to skip a few.

Listen, I played this while making dinner last night just to humor this website. I fully expected to hate this album because it is not my jam. And I didn't love it, but it grew on me throughout the length of the album. Like it's so over the top and dramatic, but also slaps like a little bit? It's like a bad joke that's so bad it's funny. It's a caricature of itself. It insists upon itself. But it also knows what it's doing and you have to appreciate it for that.

Not bad.

He has a strong voice and his passion shines through with intimate lyrics. Where I get lost is in the overtly 80s pop tones. My favorite song on the album was the stripped down “They Won’t Go When I Go”.

Nothing too exciting. Nice voice though.

It started off pretty good, but ended with all the songs being a bit too much of the same to the point it just blended together

Love George but a couple of slow ones there

One good song and the rest just was lame

I did. Do I get a cookie?

It’s good. Wouldn’t choose to listen to it, but it’s fine.

This was alright. It was between a 2 and 3

I like his voice more than his music. most popular: "Freedom! 90" 2,5

2.6 Pretty dull, but comes across slightly pretentious. Can't put my finger on why. Not sure I needed to listen to that before I died.

It was okay

non abituata ad ascoltare questo genere di musica, so riconoscere comunque un album ben fatto, curato... Salvo due pezzi nelle mie playlist...non l'avrei mai detto!

Freedom 90 is by far the best track everything else is meh

I think people will either accept or reject the ultra processed sound of this. But there are three songs that I think are great, a few that are pretty good, and the rest are fine. Had a good morning listening to this. 3.5/5

Soul free : why is it the least popular ??? It BANGS Heal the pain is cool!!

The video for Freedom ‘90 is forever burned into my brain.

Ambitieux, pas pire

Tsé, Il y a des moments, c'est exactement ce dont je m,attendais d'un meilleur album de George Michael. Pas ma tasse de thé mais pas mauvais, à par la production, y'a rien à détester, mais j'ai pas aimé. 2.5 arrondi.

Heavier than his previous album, delving more into social conscience themes. Solid pop album but not my cuppa.

Nothing remarkable

Nice voice don’t mind

I was kind of bored by this. He gets right to edge of a good hook or chorus and it lands flat. Freedom is really good, but it didn’t carry the whole album for me.

Great quality, but not really for me.

3.5

I wasn't expecting much from this, and didn't really like Faith much at all when it came up on this list. But this was a lot better and more interesting than I was expecting it would be. It's clear that he took a much more serious approach with this, and the songs seem a lot more thoughtful. It's a pretty record.

Seems like a gospel album, loved the choir acts in the background. Was more of an album where he singled out certain components especially his voice and piano with the piano being involved throughout the album

Not a huge George Michael fan

3.5

A different, more soulful and somber type of pop I’m used to. Easy to listen to all around but a little downbeat for my taste

Two first songs are good - Freedom is awesome - but the rest of the album is mostly average pop. 3.4

The only time I’ve seen Len Houmous cry more than when George died was when his 18th son was born! They weren’t happy tears! 3.1

Listens: 3 Stand out tracks: Praying for Time, Freedom! '90 Good variety of music styles in the tracks. This is not something I'd go out of my way to listen to, but I enjoyed the opportunity to hear it and was impressed by the music and lyrics.

Alrightish album, enjoyable but nothing crazy, fun beats and excellent vocals but nothing that will suprise the listener. Favorite track: Freedom 90!. Overall score: 5.5/10

It’s alright. Pretentious ahh title though

Oikeastaan pidin tästä, letkeä. On panostettu popiin ja ilmaisuun. Hyvin kasarikolina.

3.5

Generic pop at its best but not unpleasant.

Great album

the vibe i'm getting is troye sivan for young boomers/gen x. highly recc the You're Wrong About podcast episodes on George Michael!

Mehhh its a cool album but not mindblowing. Just good music overall. Great voice and lyrics. Simply not his best album.