Listen Without Prejudice Vol. 1

4 out of 5 supermodels agree the single is the only jam on this record.

I mean, besides Faith, I'm never going to listen to any of this again. It wasn't terrible, but it really didn't work for me. It sat in the uncomfortable space between "pop star" and "serious artist" without do either particularly well.

An extra star for Freedom. The rest, pass.

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.

This is more downbeat than I expected from George Michael, especially knowing that Faith was more of an upbeat album. Praying for Time is a melancholy way of starting the album off but it is a really great song. Freedom '90 is the perfect name for the song because it takes me back to 1990 and seeing the video on MTV at least 20 times per day. Soul Free is another very 90's-sounding song. I've never been a huge George Michael fan, though this album could turn a person around with so many of the well-written songs. I wish it were a bit more up tempo at times and some of the song lengths can drag. There was no need for a reprise of Waiting. Overall, it's a good listen and worthy of an inclusion in this book. I prefer Faith to this one though. My favorite tracks: Praying for Time Freedom '90 Cowboys and Angels Waiting for that Day Heal the Pain

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

Thought this was a 3 star album on the first listen but I let it loop and actually the more times I listen to these songs the more I like them. And of course I have to thank it especially for teaching me about the song "They Won't Go When I Go" which is an EXTRAORDINARY piece of music (this cover as well as the original)

Not my bag of tea - A critical success with quite a few singles. Smooth pop. Not a horrible by any means. You do have to listen without prejudice… aaaahhh see what I did there ?

The production is just so beautiful. I've always been a fan of George Michael, but listening to this record in full only cements that sentiment (cementiment?). The music is so well sequenced and placed perfectly to create such a welcoming mood while listening. George's voice is uncanny and so easy on the ears. This is absolutely one I will be revisiting in the future. RIP Mr. Michael.

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

As a collection of songs on this album there are none which I personally like although I accept there are some good pop songs which a lot of others will value. There are George Michael songs which I do like none of which are on this album consequently I cannot rate this album very highly. But don’t want this to reflect on the fact that George Michael was a very talented vocalist and songwriter who left this world tragically and much too soon. 2/5 13/10/25

Ég hef alltaf fílað Faith plötu George og þetta var einhverskonar brottför frá því yfir í aðeins rólegri lög, sérstaklega þegar leið á plötuna, án þess að vera slæm plata. Ég mun samt alltaf bera hana saman við Faith. 3.5 sem ég set í 4

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

7/10

- classic - knew freedom and wham - git gueti stimmig

Growing up as a child of 70's and it's, the huts are great but the rest of the album is eh. Which is most.

Good album

didn’t listen to all sorry

Not for me at all. Recording sounds awful with far too much reverb. Most of the songs here aren’t even good pop songs with the exception of Freedom. The rest is very difficult to get through and I honestly couldn’t wait for it to be over

Ironically it's tough to listen to this (or any other album here) without prejudice when there are all these ratings and reviews posted, especially if you're like me and you take a peek at a few ratings before listening to an album! It's certainly not my favourite, but that bass player is awesome!

while george michael had a recording career before he went solo (he was 1/2 of the pop group wham in the early 80’s), this was his second solo album. there is a phenomenon amongst musical acts referred to as “the sophomore slump”. it’s hard to follow up a successful debut album, that’s just how it is. as the saying goes “you have your whole life to write your first album and you have six months to write your next one”. and how do you follow up the monster of an album that “faith” was? well, he did it. this album was pretty good in its own right. twas a pleasure to listen to and no tracks that felt that i needed to “skip”. solid songwriting and amazing vocals. highlights: “freedom! ‘90” “cowboys and angels” “mother’s pride”

Solid Goggi.

Complexaður snillingur. Einn best lagahöfundur sinnar kynslóðar. Vönduð plata, rólegu lögin hans leyna svo á sér. Frábær söngur. Fimma frá okkur hjónum.

I enjoyed this! Definitely planning a deep discog dive on George Michael soon. My favorites were "Freedom! '90" and "Waiting for That Day." Some of the tracks were a bit slow for my liking, but I really loved the vocals and percussion on this project.

This one surprised me, 3.5 stars

Just some nice classy music from Georgie Boy. 4.5

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

This just isnt very good. Freedom is fine but following with a lil stevie cover is unforgivable

Quite an enjoyable album

Just no.

Beautiful voice

After the first two songs, I really wanted to like this, but I really didn’t. In the 80s I dismissed Wham! as a limited, manufactured, corporate entity. I really enjoyed the recent Wham! documentary and that helped me realize how talented George Michael was. The guy knew his way around a pop hook and obviously has an incredible voice. This album covers a lot of styles but mostly badly. We have piano ballads, guitar ballads, folky tunes, jazzy numbers, and, um, a reggae song. The album is saved from 1 star by the first two songs, especially Freedom! ‘90. That’s a real banger.

Very much not my thing. Freedom is a good song, but twice as long as it should be. The rest is a boring mix of 80s drum sounds and too-breathy vocals.

2/5 - I'd probably have to spend a lot more time engaging with they lyrics to understand why I need to hear this. I think "Freedom! '90" is fantastic, but I listened to the rest of it twice, and nothing stuck with me. Listenable, but I wouldn't return to it.

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

Meh didnt even finish this one

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

Love it

Not into it. Had a few cool tracks though that I might revisit

I wish I had the time to REALLY listen to this and dig into the lyrics of these songs. Musically, this is great! I enjoy listening to him sing!

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

7/10

Was für eine Stimme. Und Texte, die immer noch relevant sind

This hits!

Good album. Fun, danceable, very well produced. A 3,7

Freedom! slaps, but other than that, no thanks.

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.

I thought this album had a much more consistent sound to it than faith did and less songs that I could skip. Very good.

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

This was good but I really didn’t like the mix

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

Well, now that I realize we get two George Michael solo albums in this collection, I feel a bit better now for having given his debut album only two stars. And there's nothing here to alter my rating or estimation of his music; if anything it feels like *this* album could have and should have gotten a pass far more so than his debut. Aside from the lone hit I recognized, "Freedom! '90", there's nothing here that really adds to "Faith"; if anything, his attempts to be more introspective and moody and acoustic make for a less engaging and interesting album (even his musical borrowings--like on "Freedom" (Primal Scream) or "Waiting for that day" (Rolling Stones)--seem tepid and tame). That said, I still admire it that he composed and produced all the songs on this album too. A shame that his turn towards being more artistic also became effectively his swan song.

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.

not particularly great by any means but beautiful voice and obviously freedom is iconic. Felt a bit too cheesy pop

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.

Amazing voice, poignant lyrics.

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

Listen Without Prejudice Vol. 1 feels like a real coming-of-age moment for George Michael, marking a deliberate shift away from the glossy pop of Faith. Personally, I think I still prefer Faith, but the two records are so different it almost feels unfair to compare them. Where Faith was vibrant, upbeat, and made for the dancefloor, Listen Without Prejudice Vol. 1 is slower, more acoustic, and more focused on melody and introspective lyrics. It’s a more mature, reflective piece of work. Michael’s voice is, as always, stunning — rich and powerful, yet perfectly suited to these more restrained ballads. The songwriting is equally impressive, moving seamlessly between touches of rock ’n’ roll, gospel, and funk. It’s a thoughtful, beautifully crafted album that rewards multiple listens, and I found myself coming back to it several times throughout the day. Favourite track: Freedom! ’90 is an absolute belter. Least favourite track: Mother’s Pride dragged a little for me — overly long and a bit dull in comparison to the rest. Album artwork: A very cool and striking cover.

A new side, quite far from his pop roots. A more cynical artist.

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.

Some might say GM is cheezy or whatever, but here's the key - he leans into it, HARD. And when an artist does it so wholeheartedly, so earnestly, it kinda just works. So go on and slay George! 4 hearts on 4 sleeves out of 5

was ok

I got his previous album, Faith, two days before this. Interesting to see these two very different albums juxtaposed. I liked the previous one better, but it speaks to George Michael's musical range that he is able to pull off both contrasting tones.

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

"Cowboys and Angels," "They Won't Go When I Go" — these songs have always been somewhere nearby, as if they were always with me. In my childhood, my father very often listened to George Michael, specifically this album, so it's difficult for me to evaluate this album objectively. Magnificent vocals, an airy sound, subtle arrangements — it's George Michael's best album.

Hmmm. Ja lubię George’a Michaela, ale tego najwcześniejszego. Z czasów Wham i Careless Whisper. Ale ta płyta też daje radę, jest pewnym podkreśleniem własnej drogi, ma spójny koncept i jest dość ambitnym popem z lekko soulowskim/funkowym zacięciem. 7/10

Nothing special on here, not bad enough for a one star but nothing memorable enough for a 3 or higher

3,5

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

Dude’s got a hell of a voice.

It was not my thing but good listen.

I will absolutely listen with prejudice because I obviously know who George Michael is and care very much He's not beating the allegations with this one

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.

corny ahh

Too optimistic I wanna cry cause I’m sad not cause I’m happy

Nice voice and message but music is not for me.

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

Blarf. Objectively this probably doesn't deserve a 1 so I won't give it that, but this was hard to get through after "Freedom." Sorry, "Freedom! '90" which makes for an awful track title. 1.6

While this is not really my cup of tea, I recognize how important this record is and that it deserves 5 stars.

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

Thought I would like it more than I did.

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.

Realmente esperaba algo más. El disco suena débil y probablemente otra producción habría ayudado mucho. Pero con todo, esperaba mejores canciones y más propuesta de álbum.

Honestly? This man is corny but he is smooth

I was honestly incredibly surprised with how good Listen Without Prejudice Vol. 1 (of 1) turned out to be. George Michael was originally another artist that i would frequently get confused with Michael Jackson when i was younger. But as i have grown older, i now see the differentiation between the two quite clearly. The main thing that this album has going for it is it's absolutely excellent production. It genuinely sounds crystal clear and quite expensive. Plus a lot of the songs here could be either incredibly relaxing or incredibly catchy. There were a few songs that were a bit forgettable but other than that, this is an absolutely great album. Best Song: Freedom! '90 Worst Song: Something to Save

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

Good musician/singer. Good music.

This had me Waiting for That Day so that it would Heal the Pain.

I listened without prejudice, and your still only getting 2 stars.

This is not my cup of tea. I liked the Stevie Wonder cover and a couple others. The rest was really slow. He has a great voice but I find his singing lacks vitality or something.

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.

Can be great in spots, but overall not consistent or memorable

Started off strong but went downhill quickly

Not a fan

2.3

Freedom 90 is still a banger. Classic album.

Both the vocals and the music in this album were just beautiful, so lovely.

- 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.

A beautiful album from start to finish. Powerful voice powerful lirycs. 10/10

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.

Artiste connu, pas apprécié à l'époque. Cet album ne présente rien d'original Aucun intérêt pour moi, en plus il est vraiment très ennuyeux. Il m'a paru long dès le second morceau ... Je ne suis pas allé au bout. =>1/5

favs: -something to save - cowboys and angels - mothers pride

Ufff. Great álbum. Much emotions expressed here. With a great quality in the musicianship.

Great voice 
 Great songwriter Sad loss

First impression of the first song is how thin everything sounds. Hopefully that changes as the album goes on. Freedom is kinda catchy and has a little more going on...Oh its the song from the bank commercials. Three songs in and I feel like we're treading water here. I zoned out again until Waiting For That Day ripped You Can't Always Get What You Want at the end. Mothers Pride sounds like it might go somewhere, and now there's 80s style "exotic" flutes or something added so who knows. Honestly, idk what to think of this album, it isn't bad, but there are so many artist that make similarish stuff that I prefer, and I don't want a whole album of this vibe.

2.5/5. Just not as up my alley

I was surprised at how much I enjoyed this album. I wasn't a fan as a teenager, I'm still not, but i enjoyed the album

Feels like a generic, boring old Pop album.

After listening to this turd of an album, I listened to a punk playlist so I could cleanse myself from the stench of this turgid affair. Just awful.

Hm, I didn't think I'd like this. They Wont Go When I Go is actually pretty cool. It's like soul. Man a few of these songs are actually really pretty. Mothers Pride is nice. His voice is reminding me of Freddy Mercury on this one. 4 stars

What a voice, what an album, just incredibly good. 4/5.

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.

Freedom ‘90 was the only good song.

Less preoccupied with getting his back blown out than Faith, so this is already the more interesting album. And the production here has aged better, too - simple loops and an jazzy palette, it's really not bad at all. But I dunno, I still struggle to connect with this. The lyricism, the rhythm of George's voice, the untempered optimism. I find it all too quaint. Like your high school piano teacher woke up one day and was suddenly certain that he needs to put a record out to save the Middle East. Maybe it's a generational thing.

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. ✨

So it's not really my style, but the opening and closing of the album were quite good. I can recognise there's a lot of craft behind the poppy-ness of the tracks, and the anthemic approach to the songwriting. Wouldn't necessarily listen to it again, apart from a few tracks maybe.

One of the best

not bad, no highlights

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.

Surprisingly really good. Solid vocals and the upbeat tracks really carry the album. Very 80s for a 90s album

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

7/10

Awesome!

Radio music about nothing

7/10 - I think my parents like this album. There was a couple songs I liked

Meh

Not bad really, but also just did not resonate with me.

Praying for Time, Freedom '90, and Waiting for That Day are the best, but they're all just fine. Nothing on the album that really pushes it over the edge for me, and the sound in general isn't my style.

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.

Anyone who grew up as a teenager in the 80s will remember Wham as the ultimate disposable teeny-bop boy band who everyone thought would have a string of number one hits before flaming out and being replaced by the next sensation. No one expected that George Michael would mature into a one of the best singer song writers of his generation starting with the album Faith in 1987 followed by this one in 1990. Of the two, this is the more introspective and heartfelt record with fewer obvious hit singles. Apparently this made Sony nervous and they failed to promote it properly in the US, leading to long running legal wrangles. This didn’t stop it being a huge hit in the UK though, and it easily stands as one of George Michael’s best albums, made even more poignant by his tragic death in 2016.

I'm not a fan of pop in general, but it started relatively OK with two catchy songs. Wouldn't rate it 5 stars, but not 1 either. And then, the rest of the album is just spiraling into boring, slow, low-key songs. The man can sing when he wants to -- at least he is not suffering from the common plague of people with a voice (singing loud and demonstrating what they can do all the time) -- but that doesn't make a good album.

Un poco horterilla

Not really for me, but I also don't like 80's/90's pop, so that completely tracks.

Some good songs, some ok songs, some shit songs. Impossible for me to listen to as an album without skipping tracks.

Slow songs are torture (he shouldn't be allowed to cover Stevie) but the up-tempo songs are tolerable. An extra star for the time I was dancing with an absolutely stunning med student friend-of-a-friend's-girlfriend to Freedom and, after an exchange of flirtatious banter, she two-hand shoved me while I was of my feet and accidentally sent me flying about 20' across the dance floor taking people out like bowling pins. Did I end up hooking up with her? God no, she burst out crying and ran out of the club bawling her eyes out, but it was one of the very funniest of the many many ways I've managed to not get laid over the years.

Започнах да го слушам с предразсъдъци, а не трябваше :D

He had a great voice but it doesn’t blend with this style for me? It just feels off? Idk. It’s probably me.

I really liked it! Better than anything from Wham! IMO

One of my top 50 favorite albums of all time!

Such a great record. The fact that he showed the depth of his writing and creativity in such a sincere way. Do yourself and listen....without prejudice ;)

I question the inclusion of the album. Im old enough to remember the George Micheal Wham! days, and the superstar solo stuff, but this record just isn't good, let alone great.

This is my first earnest listening to any George Michael that isn't 'Faith'. Honestly this album comes out of the gate with a very unexpected emotional powerhouse and I'm excited to hear the rest. Obviously 'Freedom!' is a banger, but I also really loved 'Heal the Pain' I don't know what I was expecting 'They Wont Go When I Go' Holy crap... figures it's a Stevie Wonder cover. So much good in this track. Honestly I'm on my second listen through and it's just such a beautiful record. The soundscape is rich and the songs are full of emotional writing. It's got a flavor of early 90's nostalgia and is still timeless songwriting. Feels like it could've come out a week ago and 30 years ago just the same minus a few production quality give aways

Crazy how an album can sound the same but have such distinct differences between each song. If you like Michael at all you’ll probably enjoy this. 7/10

There's maybe one okay song on here. Trying to hard to be late stage Queen. Pass.

Man, I miss George Michael. Outside of having an utterly amazing voice and being an actually transgressive left-wing artist, he was also just a top bloke. This album is so good, a definite step up in maturity and songwriting compared to his debut. It loses points for the hokey reggae pastiche of Soul Free which honestly is the only blemish on this record for me.

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.

Listen without Prejudice v1 - George Michael One of those ones where everything is pretty high level. Really really good pop album. Nearly every song sounds like a single 4/5

Yay!

Gorgeous voice. Didn’t realize how much Hozier owes to him.

Good album, less upbeat that previous albums but a good listen

All very soft. OK for once

so hot

Decent pop album

One used to love Boy George, primarily for the gorgeousness of the voice; one might love George Michael as much today, for the same reason, primarily, though one was very much embarrassed by the love then, one is much less so now; however ready one was, given one’s contrarian spirit, to argue with one’s straight friends (as a straight guy oneself) about what a great singer BG was, one woudl do the same for GM now, though obviously no one cares anymore, this sort of commerically oriented pop being as quickly turned over as the snack aisle of the warehouse stores. One loved “Kissing a Fool” those year ago and might have dressed as GM one Halloween (still straight, girlfriend mighta recommended). Faith doesn’t hold up nearly as well as this, which is extraordinarily well crafted, well made, with distinct songs in complementary tonalities and vibes. This might be the record with the greatest delta in terms of reception at release time (complete and utter disdain) to now (measured appreciation). The title has always bothered -- is it caveat emptor or a lack of trust in his own material or vaguely insulting the audience? Even allowing for the argument that he’s Barry Manilow of the 90s, the 90s were cooler than the 70s so this holds up better.

That's how it's done .... a Classic !! 10/10

Probably revolutionary, but not a huge George Michael fan

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

4/5

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.

Great voice and not enough complexity in the music to make me want to even nod my head. Could be good for being sad but not for me

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.

Love it! “They won’t go ‘till I go” is een van mijn lievelingsnummers. Daarnaast word ik altijd vrolijk van “Freedom”. George Michael had een van de beste stemmen ooit.

loved it

released at the start of the '90s, this album by george michael is a massive departure from his usual sound he had before, swapping his clean and synthy pop with natural and acoustic instrumentation and personal, emotional lyrical content. george michael has definitely seen a few angels in his lifetime, and his voice is equivalent to a fallen one. it's mindblowingly perfect. taking inspirations from soul, gospel, and singer-songwriter vibes, the album is full of commentary and serves as a true window of how he felt at that time, growing sick of the fame. he entered a hiatus after the release of this album.

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

Dadurch das ich Last Christmas hasse (Was nicht das Verschulden von George Michael ist) hab ich mich nie mit ihm befassen wollen. Gut, das mir das hier serviert wurde und bewiesen hat was für ein großartiger Musiker er war

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.

I mean Freedom is a great pop song and Michael is a great singer but the songs and production are overall a bit flat sounding. It just lacks energy.

This guy really thought he was something didn't he? 3/10

An excellent follow-up to Faith. Much more serious without being boring, with a wide range of musical genres, it may not be his best record, but this showed that he wasn't just the pretty boy from Wham!

Awful in the 80s worse mow

I know the hits, but I love the mix of styles of all the songs. Not a clunker to be found.

One of those artists where I find the popularity UTTERLY AND TOTALLY baffling. I mean, if mediocre "white man sings soul" is your thing then great, you go for it, you'll probably not understand my appreciation for Rammstein either. tldr : there's nothing close to "Young Guns" here

Sounds good

Not my genre, not my usual vibe at all but it just has that little extra something special

This album is so radically different than "Faith". I love them both in separate ways. Faith is my favorite, but this one has a different side of George Michael that was far more personal. Freedom! 90 is an absolute banger of a song, and anyone who bashes it really should reconsider what a good song is. Also, Waiting For That Day / You Can't Always Get What You Want and the Waiting (reprise) songs are just magical. I love it. The rest of the album is decent, but nothing that stands out as much as those songs. 3.5/5 stars = 4/5 for this scale. Bangers: Freedom! 90 and Waiting For That Day Other worthwhile tracks: Cowboys and Angels, Something to Save

So glad I discovered this from George Michael. What a great sound on this album!

I'd like an explanation for why George Michael's not breakout, not best album is on the list of 1001 albums we must hear before we die. He has a great voice and I'm trying to Listen Without Prejudice or at least to withhold negative judgement. And to be honest, there's still a part of me that lives inside my critical mind who was hit with Wham! at the right time to think fairly favorably of him. And yet, there is little here outside of some gently pro-self, empowerment messaging (e.g. Freedom! '90) that's remotely progressive — and to have that delivered in such a glossy pop package doesn't do enough for me to see what's the what here. It's a fine record for what it is but what it is is also kind of unremarkable.

Freedom's a banger, the rest is poo

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

I wasn’t too excited about this but I followed the instructions and listened without prejudice. How did he know he’d have to ask listeners to do this? There are a couple of good songs early on but it’s really not my thing, the slow songs are unbearable and the whole thing tailed off massively in the second half.

No

Freedom is good. The rest was a mixed bag.

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

He was never really my style during this time of my life when the album was released. It’s got a few tunes on it that I enjoyed.

Pretty darn good

Lovely album!! 4 *

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?

This friggin rocked

i have come to really love george michael over time ... he's one of my fav pop stars and Freedom 90 literally might be one of my like 10 fav songs lol

he's a good lad isnt he

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

Incredible album. Probably his best. Really enjoyed it first time listening.

I feel like this is pretty easy listening. Four out of five stars.

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!

sooo good

It was fine. Mostly ballads. Too many ballads. Felt like I was listening to the music playing at the supermarket. But I liked Cowboys and Angels a lot.

ok

Great production and music.

I had only heard one song from this album, Freedom!'90, and it's catchy but over 6 minutes long. After listening to this and reading about it on Wikipedia, it's interesting. It sounds like Michael was trying to take a turn as a more serious artist and didn't want to promote or tour for this album, and then was mad that his label wasn't promoting it enough? Judging by the music, it just doesn't sound like there is anything that would have been a hit, and overall it's kind of somber and self-serious. I don't hate it, but there's nothing that I would go back to.

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

Not terrible but very forgettable

Damn, George Michael seems to be my guilty pleasure. I thought Freedom! was a Robbie Williams song lol. Honestly knew many of the songs already, some classics. Waiting for the Day is perhaps my favourite. Cowboys and Angels too though... A great ol' pop star!

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.

Did not enjoy 1/10

Didn't make it through but wasn't really enjoying the first half

Not bad.

Okay, this was a great surprise - I heard the initial drums and went "oh good another 80s album"... and by the end said to myself holy cow that was actually really really good! :) I know some people are really die-hard fans and I can get why, really good songwriting and a heck of a voice too! :) Happy times to be a me. :)

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”.

good voice, did really enjoy this to be fair

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

Pretty good! I obviously already knew "Freedom! '90" but I enjoyed the whole album.

God, this guy was just a massive talent. Freedom 90 is forever a bop, but the rest of this record is just gorgeous. When's volume 2 coming out?

Brilliant album

2.3 2x

One good song and the rest just was lame

I would never say “I’m going to put on a George Michael album” but maybe I should! This album was surprisingly good. Not a single bad song and a nice variety of style and pace.

I did. Do I get a cookie?

Fine album

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

I was not expecting to get so emotional listening to this album. The combination of nostalgia and the lyrics really got to me. It was as if George Michael was writing about today. In "Praying for Time" when he says "And it's hard to love, there's so much to hate, hanging on to hope, when there is no hope to speak of" might as have been written today. The album is pure perfection and I would have listened to it twice if I didn't think it would totally depress me.

Well, this is it. My 500th album. I don't know what I was expecting, but I'm mildly disappointed by how underwhelming I found this. I am aware of how prolific George Michael is considered to be, so for this to be just standard ol' pop music with very little substance was quite the surprise.

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

Really good album, i thoroughly enjoyed it, I think I like this one better than Faith

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!

Faith was George Michael’s coming of age album. This is the clumsy puberty album. Overall: 3/10

After taking a break of over a year, I return to the album generator. I paused largely because I did not want to listen to George Michael. In my head, the lowest of the low. Though all I was familiar with was Last Christmas and Careless Whisper. I was shocked to find that this is much less Pilot, and much more Prefab Sprout. In fact, a lot of this album feels like discount Paddy McAloon. To say, it’s shockingly good. I find some of the lyrics painful and the arrangements grating sometimes, but it’s nice!

Very good.

Don't like it

I’d rather listen to this without ears

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

I can't think of anything to say about this album. That's perhaps telling.

Meh. 2/5

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.

When pop was free of borders

It’s okay. He was definitely trying to make a new, more epic kind of pop record. I appreciate the big swing. But there was nothing as memorable here as the best tracks on the previous record.

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.

Beaucoup de joie à écouter cet album!

Prod infecte. Musique qui donne le goût de gaspiller son argent en achetant des trucs inutiles dans un magasin où t'haïs la face de tout le monde et que tu finis par te demander "qu'est-ce que je fous ici, moi?" et que tranquillement tu transposes ce questionnement face à ta présence sur terre. Heal the Pain est un mélange éprouvant de Eight Days a Week et You Won't See Me des Beatles qui a provoqué en moi des douleurs profondes. J'suis pas heal pantoute.

Freedom is an all timer. George pour so much emotion into this album at a time that must have been challenging for him. One of a kind talent.

Absolutely loved the album. Will probably get into more George Michael

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

George Michael is obviously talented enough to land on this list. But was this album?

I don’t think I’ve ever listened to a George Michael album before.. and after this, I can confidently say I won’t be making that mistake again. Maybe it was my mood, or maybe it was the endless parade of beige ballads, but this felt less like an album and more like a test of endurance.

I tried to follow the demand of the title of this collection. And listening without prejudice I found this to be… fine. There actually a few tracks that are good pop tunes (Freedom) but the rest are just… there. Listenable if your attention hasn’t drifted.

I liked Freedom. I wish more of the album was like it instead of soft ballads.

It’s not good. But it just faded into the background for me to the point I sort of forgot it was on at all.

Nothing remarkable

I admit it: George Michael was mainly just dance music for me. Yes, they were catchy tunes with some insightful knowledge in RnB that he adapted. Now I listened to this album of which I only knew 'Freedom' and I'm blown away by this soulful, brooding and serious music. It all comes together greatly and shows what a proper composer Michael was.

I don’t remember this one being so heavy in 1990 or any year after. Today it hits different. Praying for Time applies more today than ever given the political and social climate in the U.S. Beautifully mature and incredibly brave album.

Never been a fan, some of the Wham! era stuff was ok, but that's as far as it goes. This was just mind numbingly boring. Can only give it a 1.

I think I deserve a medal for sitting through all of that torturous crooning.

Dear George, I hope you realise that listening without any prejudice would mean an instant 5 star review. Unfortunately I am, like all humans, fatally flawed. Therefore there will be an element of judgement involved in listening and the subsequent review of your album. The saddest thing is that you will never get to read my letter to you as you died of a heart attack. I will not even hold that 'lorry driver in the toilet' incident against you, that is how unprejudiced I shall be. Loved the singles mate, didn't like some other tracks. I felt you didn't need to do a new version of Freedom, but I guess you weren't happy with the original. First you don't succeed and all that crap.. Yours sincerely, Chris

Da bleibt einfach nichts hängen.

George Michael's *Listen Without Prejudice Vol. 1* (1990) marked a clear departure, embracing a more serious, mature, and often romantic tone with introspective tracks like "Praying for Time" and the jazzy "Cowboys and Angels." Yet, despite its acoustic leanings and deliberate shift from the maximalism of *Faith*, the album still maintains a subtle continuity with its predecessor's flair, chiefly through the undeniable pop brilliance and funky urgency of songs like "Freedom! '90," which reaffirms his command of sharp production and danceable rhythm amidst the new melancholic mood.

Freedom! Not really my kind of music, and a lot of the same. 2.

Nice voice don’t mind

There's some okay songs here but pretty boring and meh.

Meh this stuff is pretty fluffy

ik dacht even dat ik in een kerk stond... beviel me niks, dat gevoel

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.

The voice of his generation. And man can he funk. In fact. Here’s what I said in an article. https://www.toppermost.co.uk/george-michael/ This is a great album. Freedom 90 is a masterpiece. This album is Essential listening.

As a teenager, I rejected the world of mainstream pop in search of an edgier and cooler alternative scene. Wham's 'Wake Me Up Before You Go Go' was one of the songs that helped cement that decision for me: it was frothy, ubiquitous and desperately uncool. I didn't really pay much mindto George Michael for the longest time after that. I mean, he had such big hits that I was aware of his work, but didn't pay active attention until nearly twenty years later when I was less concerned with teenage conceptions of 'cool'. And it was his voice that really captured me. He was a really extraordinary vocalist, and even his most inconsequential songs contain some really outstanding singing. The Netflix documentary showed what a complex, conflicted and often unhappy man he was (but also ambitious, talented, driven, loyal). I have developed an interest in his catalogue, and there is a large body of really strong work across his career. But I hadn't spent much time with this album. It suffers a bit from from the typical sins of 1990 production: overly polished, digital sheen, a touch too much crispy high frequency and hollow bass, a bit heavy on the quantisation. It's a mellow, sophisticated pop album that shows George's growing maturity. It can, however, make it a bit of a bummer sometimes. What would have the rumoured Volume 2, a supposed dance album, been like? What if the material had been mixed up a bit more? Hard to tell, given George's ill-fated legal tangling with Sony that put a kibosh on that. But that voice! While this album is not quite to my taste, I would happily listen to George Michael sing the telephone book. Three stars. ('Freedom 90' is a powerful song, and provides much of the backbone to DJ Earworm's 'No One Takes My Freedom' mashup, which is one of the best examples of that genre. Worth a listen: https://youtu.be/G7U5jpHWzeE?si=Sj7qtG4ep8GfjKsu )

Great quality, but not really for me.