George Michael is best For a lot of rock and rollers, pop music has always seemed like a dirty word. The true heart behind any great rock act is about making something that’s gritty and authentic, and the pop charts may as well have been reserved for the pin-up stars who didn’t have much going on behind the bubblegum tunes they would churn out every few years. George Michael was always a different brand of pop star, and as far as he was concerned, it didn’t get any more pop than what The Beatles did.
Granted, The Beatles didn’t see themselves as a pop act when they first got together. They were far more interested in playing the rock and roll of the day, like Chuck Berry and Little Richard, and once the rest of the world got attuned to what they were doing, they fell into being pop stars almost by accident.
If they were going to be at the top of the hit parade, though, they were going to have a few surprises in store as well. From the opening chords of ‘A Hard Day’s Night’ to the psychedelic freakouts scattered all across Revolver, the Fab Four aimed to shock the world every time they came out of the studio, whether that meant complex chords or toying with what constituted a pop hit.
No matter how catchy a tune they cranked out, it would be hard to classify something like ‘A Day in the Life’ or ‘I Am the Walrus’ as pop, considering most of their construction is as avant-garde as it got back in the 1960s. But while Michael was raised listening to the biggest hit songs of his time, he always gravitated towards artists slightly left of centre as well.
You have to remember that this was a musician who worshipped acts like Joy Division and Roxy Music, and despite their reputation as history’s favourite band, Michael embraced The Beatles wholeheartedly. Even when listening to his output, his willingness to experiment on Faith or go outside his comfort zone on Listen Without Prejudice came partly because of what The Beatles had laid down first.
George Michael once remarked that “the strongest force in pop music is the freedom to be yourself.” He believed that pop music’s power lies in its ability to connect deeply with people through authenticity and personal expression. Throughout his career, Michael championed individuality, both musically and personally, often defying industry expectations to stay true to his own identity. His work, from Wham! to his solo career, showcased his talent for blending commercial appeal with deeply personal and introspective themes. For Michael, pop music was about more than entertainment—it was a vehicle for truth, self-expression, and emotional connection with listeners.
Looking back on his musical influences, Michael credited The Beatles for expanding the limits of what pop music could be, saying, “I wish I could say that I grew up with them, but I was too young, and my parents’ only Beatles record was Let It Be. But like so many others, I found them for myself many years later.
There are even a handful of tunes that Michael unashamedly credits to the work of The Beatles. On Listen Without Prejudice, the crooner features two songs as tributes to his idols, with ‘Praying For Time’ and ‘Heal The Pain’ being his personal odes to both Lennon and McCartney, respectively.
But, really, is there any real way to quantify the impact that The Beatles have on the world? Outside of being one of the most celebrated acts in pop music, their songs are so influential that they are practically written into the DNA of the modern age of pop.
