Faith is the debut solo studio album by the English singer-songwriter George Michael, released on 30 October 1987

Faith peaked at number one on the UK Albums Chart and US Billboard 200. It stayed for 51 non-consecutive weeks inside the Billboard 200 top 10, including 12 weeks at number one. It was also the first album by a white solo artist to hit number one on the Billboard Top Black Albums chart. Faith spawned four number one singles on the Billboard Hot 100: "Faith", "Father Figure", "One More Try", and "Monkey", making Michael the only British male solo artist to have four number one hits from one album on the Billboard Hot 100. Michael embarked on the Faith Tour to promote Faith in February 1988, opening at Tokyo's Budokan arena, before going on to dates in Australia, Europe and North America.

Faith is one of the best-selling albums of all time, having sold over 25 million copies worldwide, and was certified Diamond by the Recording Industry Association of America in 1996. The album won several awards, including Album of the Year at the 31st Grammy Awards. Michael won three awards at the 1989 American Music Awards: Favorite Pop/Rock Male Artist, Favorite Soul/R&B Male Artist and Favorite Soul/R&B Album. He was also honoured with the MTV Video Vanguard Award. Often ranked as one of the best albums of the 1980s, Faith was ranked number 151 on Rolling Stone list of the 500 Greatest Albums of All Time in 2020.

Background

By 1986, George Michael had spent five years as the lead singer of the popular duo Wham! and had grown tired of accusations that the group, which featured his best friend Andrew Ridgeley, was nothing more than a teenybopper group despite the serious subject matter that was included on albums such as Fantastic and Make It Big. After the success of Make It Big, Michael had grown weary of continuing the group, and expressed to Ridgeley the desire that they should split up. A decision was made that the group would dissolve following the end of a tenure at Wembley Stadium for what was titled the Final. Following the split, Michael began to work on songs that would eventually make his first solo album, which would be titled Faith. Michael was inspired by his contemporaries Michael Jackson and Prince: "I absolutely wanted to be in the same stratosphere as [Jackson and Prince], definitely. I'd gone from, a couple of years before, being perfectly happy with being on Top of the Pops, to thinking, 'I can do what Michael Jackson can do.' I mean, he'd just done Thriller for fucks sake! I wouldn't have the guts now. I wanted to be in that vein but, mostly, I wanted to make music as good as theirs."

Recording

The album took over a year to make. The first songs to be put together for the album were "I Want Your Sex (Part 1)" and "Look at Your Hands" (working title "Betcha Don't Like It"), recorded in August and September 1986 respectively, at Sarm West Studios in London. Both songs were originally intended for singer David Austin before Michael kept them for his own album. However, it wasn't until February 1987—after six months of little activity—that recording had properly started, this time at the Puk Studios facility, located near Randers, Denmark. The lack of press activity there proved it to be a comfortable environment for Michael to work in without harassment. Songs were usually written by Michael bit by bit in the studio, often with the aid of technology such as drum machines to help create basic rhythms; he would then develop ideas further from there. Rather than using a live rhythm section (as was the case on Wham!'s Make It Big), each instrument was overdubbed in the main studio. Michael would use session musicians to help realise his musical ideas, otherwise he'd try playing a lot (if not, all) of the parts himself, as was the case on "I Want Your Sex (Part 1)", "Hard Day" and "Monkey". The recording sessions at Puk, however, ended in early June shortly after the recording of the title track, "Faith", owing to Michael beginning to suffer from a bout of cabin fever, according to engineer Chris Porter.

The title track began with an organ fanfare that was actually the music to Wham!'s "Freedom" played as if in a cathedral. After this, the song featured a rockabilly sound similar to Bo Diddley while Michael added his own style with his vocals.

Release

thumb|Michael during a [[The Faith Tour|Faith Tour concert in 1988. The album propelled him to solo stardom and one of the most successful English acts of the 1980s.]]

10 weeks after its release, Faith reached number one on the US Billboard 200. Its early, and successive, success on the chart was said to be partly sustained—with help from plenty of press appearances and promotions—by its strong single releases. After "I Want Your Sex" helped propel Faith to its debut atop the chart, the second single "Faith" aided the album's continuing sales dominance. It also reached number one on the UK Albums Chart, although it stayed at the top spot for only one week. Faith stayed for 51 non-consecutive weeks inside the Billboard 200 top 10, including 12 weeks at number one. It was also the first album by a white solo artist to hit number one on the Billboard Top Black Albums chart. The singer's first solo video compilation, it contained six music videos from the album—"I Want Your Sex", "Faith", "Father Figure", "One More Try", "Monkey", and "Kissing a Fool". These videos were later released on the 1999 video compilation Ladies & Gentlemen: The Best of George Michael. While on tour, new singles from the album continued to be released. In June, Michael interrupted the tour to sing three songs at Wembley Stadium's Nelson Mandela 70th Birthday Tribute.

Critical reception

Faith was met with widespread acclaim from music critics. Mark Coleman of Rolling Stone praised Michael for emerging as "one of pop music’s leading artisans, a painstaking craftsman who combines a graceful knack for vocal hooks with an uncanny ability to ransack the past for musical ideas and still sound fresh" and dubbed Michael the "Elton John of the 1980s". Coleman also claimed that Faith is "a concept album of sorts" incorporating "disco groove [varying] from urban thump to slow tropical heat wave", praising it for being "grounded in a passion and personal commitment". Writing for BBC Music, Ian Wade praised Faith for being a "classic of its era" and "one of the more listenable major releases of the 80s." He also regarded the album being responsible for turning Michael into a "proper international superstar, confirming his rightful place at pop's top table."

Reviewing the reissue of Faith for the Metro in 2011, Arwa Haider claimed: "Faith still bursts with self-belief, designer vanity, classic songs and imagery, right from the opening title track which begins with a funeral church organ rendition of Wham!'s hit, "Freedom", before clicking into jaunty rock 'n' roll. It's easy to hear why Faith achieved multi-million status, although the masterful ballads ("Father Figure", "One More Try") have stood the test of time better than Michael's funk-pop." Following the 30th anniversary of the release of the single "Faith", Nate Hertweck wrote in a Grammy Awards review that the song "change[d] everything".

In 1989, Faith was ranked at number 84 on Rolling Stones list of the Greatest Albums of the 80s. In 2003, the album was ranked at number 480 on Rolling Stones list of the 500 Greatest Albums of All Time, while in 2012, the album ranked eight places higher at number 472 on an updated list by the magazine. In a 2020 revised list, it moved up to 151. Faith was ranked 79th in a 2005 survey held by British television's Channel 4 to determine the 100 Greatest Albums of All Time. In 2006, Q magazine placed the album at number 24 in its list of 40 Best Albums of the '80s. Slant Magazine listed the album at number 62 on its list of Best Albums of the 1980s.

2011 remastered release

The 2011 re-release received universal acclaim from music critics according to Metacritic. A remastered edition of Faith was released on 31 January 2011 in the UK and on 1 February 2011 in the US. It is available in several formats: Limited Edition Collectors Box Set, Two-CD and DVD Special Edition, Two-CD Edition and iTunes LP. The box set release features: the remastered album on CD, an additional CD of remastered 12" versions and B-sides; a DVD featuring a TV special from 1987, a hardbound book that includes an exclusive interview with George Michael, sleeve notes, rare photos and memorabilia; a vinyl album replica of the original LP; and a memorabilia envelope that includes five art prints, reproduction poster, tickets and tour pass from the Faith tour sourced from Michael's personal archive. All this is housed in a 12 x 12 numbered, black and gold-foiled slipcase with original artwork overlay. The first 2,000 copies were also provided with a hand-numbered lithograph attached (taped) outside the box set.

Accolades

Billboard Year-End Number One Awards

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| 1988 || Faith || Top Pop Albums ||

Grammy Awards

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| style="width:35px; text-align:center;" rowspan="2"|1989 || Faith<br /><small>(performed and produced by George Michael)</small> || Album of the Year ||

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| "Father Figure"<br /><small>(performed by George Michael)</small> ||Best Pop Vocal Performance – Male||

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American Music Awards

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| style="width:35px; text-align:center;" rowspan="4"|1989<br /> || rowspan="2"| Faith || Favorite Soul/R&B Album ||

|-

| Favorite Pop/Rock Album ||

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| rowspan="2"| George Michael || Favorite Soul/R&B Male Artist ||

|-

| Favorite Pop/Rock Male Artist ||

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MTV Video Music Awards

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| style="width:35px; text-align:center;" rowspan="3"|1988<br /> || "Father Figure"<br /><small>(Directors: Andy Morahan and George Michael)</small> || Best Direction in a Video ||

|-

| "Father Figure" <br /><small>(Director of Photography: Peter Mackay)</small> || Best Cinematography in a Video ||

|-

| "Faith" <br /><small>(Art Director: Bryan Jones)</small> || Best Art Direction in a Video ||

|-

| style="width:35px; text-align:center;"|1989<br /> || George Michael || Video Vanguard Award ||

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Brit Awards

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| style="width:35px; text-align:center;" rowspan="2"|1988<br /> || Faith || Best British Album ||

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| George Michael || Best British Male Artist ||

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Ivor Novello Awards

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| style="width:35px; text-align:center;"|1989 || Faith || International Hit of the Year ||

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Japan Gold Disc Awards

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| style="width:35px; text-align:center;"| 1988 || Faith || The Best International Pop Solo Album of the Year ||

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Track listing

All tracks are written and produced by George Michael; "Look at Your Hands" co-written with David Austin.

;Standard edition

Note:

  • In the liner notes, "I Want Your Sex" is listed as "I Want Your Sex (Monogamy Mix)", with the parts titled "Rhythm One: Lust" and "Rhythm Two: Brass in Love", respectively. However, on the album, the start of "Rhythm One" is slightly different from how the corresponding section starts on the actual "Monogamy Mix" as featured on the previous single release: on the album, the song starts with a synthesized bass and electronic effects, while the drums and programmed percussion come in some seconds later; on the single, the song starts only with drums and percussion.

VHS video compilation

  1. <li value=10>"A Last Request (I Want Your Sex Part 3)" – 3:48</li>

Disc two

  1. "Faith" (instrumental) – 3:16
  2. "Fantasy" – 5:02
  3. "Hard Day" (Shep Pettibone mix) – 9:04
  4. "I Believe (When I Fall in Love It Will Be Forever)" (Stevie Wonder, Yvonne Wright) (live) – 7:03
  5. "Kissing a Fool" (instrumental) – 4:35
  6. "Love's in Need of Love Today" (live at Wembley Arena, 1 Apr '87) (Wonder) – 4:43
  7. "Monkey" (7" edit version) – 4:48
  8. "Monkey" (a capella & beats) – 7:27
  9. "Monkey" (Jam & Lewis remix) – 8:10

Note:

  • "I Believe (When I Fall in Love It Will Be Forever)" is a live track although it is not mentioned anywhere on the CD.

2011 remaster DVD

  1. George Michael and Jonathan Ross Have Words (1987)
  2. Music Money Love Faith (February 1988)
  3. "I Want Your Sex" – music video (re-synched with re-mastered audio)
  4. "I Want Your Sex" (uncensored version) – music video
  5. "Faith" – music video
  6. "Father Figure" – music video
  7. "One More Try" – music video
  8. "Monkey" – music video
  9. "Kissing a Fool" – music video

Personnel

Personnel taken from Faith liner notes, and Sound on Sound.

  • George Michael – vocals, LinnDrum programming, keyboards ("Father Figure", "I Want Your Sex" (Parts 1 & 2), "Hand to Mouth"), all instruments ("Hard Day", "Monkey"), bass ("Hand to Mouth", "Kissing a Fool"), guitar ("I Want Your Sex (Part 2)"), drums ("Look at Your Hands"), handclaps and finger-snaps ("Faith"), arranger, producer
  • Hugh Burns – guitar ("Faith", "Father Figure", "Hand to Mouth", "Kissing a Fool")
  • Roddy Matthews – guitar ("Monkey")
  • Lee Fothergill – guitar ("Kissing a Fool")
  • Robert Ahwai – guitar ("Monkey")
  • J.J. Belle – guitar ("Look at Your Hands")
  • Chris Cameron – keyboards ("I Want Your Sex (Part 2)", "One More Try"), cathedral organ ("Faith"), piano ("Kissing a Fool")
  • Shirley Lewis – backing vocals ("Father Figure")
  • Betsy Cook – additional keyboards ("Father Figure")
  • Danny Schogger – keyboards ("Look at Your Hands"), additional keyboards ("I Want Your Sex (Part 2)")
  • Deon Estus – bass guitar ("Faith", "I Want Your Sex (Part 2)", "One More Try", "Look at Your Hands")
  • Ian Thomas – drums ("Kissing a Fool")
  • Andy Duncan – percussion ("Hand to Mouth")
  • Steve Sidwell, Paul Spong, Rick Taylor – horns ("I Want Your Sex (Part 2)", "Kissing a Fool")
  • John Altman, Mark Chandler, Malcolm Griffiths, Jamie Talbot, Steve Waterman – horns ("Kissing a Fool")

;Technical

  • Chris Porter – engineer
  • Paul Gomersall – assistant engineer
  • Paul Wright – assistant engineer
  • Shep Pettibone – remix, additional production
  • Steve Peck – remix engineer

Charts

Weekly charts

{|class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center"

|-

!scope="col"|Chart (1987–2011)

!scope="col"|Peak<br />position

|-

!scope="row"|Australian Albums (Kent Music Report)

|3

|-

|-

|-

|-

|-

!scope="row"|Canadian Albums (The Record)

|1

|-

|-

!scope="row"|European Albums (Top 100)

|1

|-

!scope="row"|Finnish Albums (Suomen virallinen lista)

|4

|-

!scope="row"|French Albums (SNEP)

|5

|-

|-

!scope="row"|Japanese Albums (Oricon)

|11

|-

|-

|-

!scope="row"|Spanish Albums (PROMUSICAE)

|1

|-

|-

|-

|-

|-

|-

!scope="row"|Zimbabwean Albums (ZIMA)

| 1

|}

{|class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center"

|-

!scope="col"|Chart (2026)

!scope="col"|Peak<br />position

|-

|-

|-

! scope="row"| German Pop Albums (Offizielle Top 100)

| 2

|-

|-

! scope="row"| Italian Albums (FIMI)

| 74

|-

|-

|}

Year-end charts

{|class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center"

|-

!scope="col"|Chart (1987)

!scope="col"|Position

|-

!scope="row"|Australian Albums (Kent Music Report)

|73

|-

!scope="row"|Canada Top Albums/CDs (RPM)

|65

|-

!scope="row"|Dutch Albums (MegaCharts)

|25

|-

!scope="row"|French Albums (SNEP)

|7

|-

!scope="row"|German Albums (Offizielle Top 100)

|14

|-

!scope="row"|Norwegian Christmas Period Albums (VG-lista)

|4

|-

!scope="row"|UK Albums (OCC)

|25

|}

{|class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center"

|-

!scope="col"|Chart (1988)

!scope="col"|Position

|-

!scope="row"|Australian Albums (ARIA)

|11

|-

!scope="row"|Austrian Albums (Ö3 Austria)

|8

|-

!scope="row"|Canada Top Albums/CDs (RPM)

|2

|-

!scope="row"|Dutch Albums (MegaCharts)

|14

|-

!scope="row"|Spanish Albums (PROMUSICAE)

|12

|-

!scope="row"|Norwegian Winter Period Albums (VG-lista)

|14

|-

!scope="row"|Swiss Albums Chart

|12

|-

!scope="row"|UK Albums (OCC)

|37

|-

!scope="row"|US Billboard 200

|1

|-

!scope="row"|US Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums (Billboard)

|78

|-

!scope="row"|US Billboard 200

|43

|}

Decade-end charts

{|class="wikitable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center"

|-

!scope="col"|Chart (1990–1999)

!scope="col"|Position

|-

!scope="row"|Austrian Albums (Ö3 Austria)

|43

|}

All-time charts

{|class="wikitable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center"

|-

!scope="col"|Chart

!scope="col"|Position

|-

!scope="row"|US Billboard 200

|81

|}

Certifications and sales