🎶 ALBUM VAULT #226 🎶

Today I’m going through albums in the order of concerts I saw… or at least as close as my memory will let me get. 😂

So there was only one place to start.

Wham! – The Singles: Echoes from the Edge of Heaven
💿 2-Disc Blue Vinyl

My first concert ever was Wham! at Poplar Creek.

Still crazy to think about.

George Michael and Andrew Ridgeley went from school friends to one of the biggest pop acts on the planet in just a few years. George quickly became the main songwriter and producer, and you can basically hear him growing into the artist he was about to become. Wham! sold more than 30 million records worldwide before it was over.

And the hits on this collection are ridiculous.

“Wake Me Up Before You Go-Go” — #1 U.S.
“Everything She Wants” — #1 U.S.
“Freedom” — #3 U.S.
“I’m Your Man” — #3 U.S.
“The Edge of Heaven” — #10 U.S.
“Last Christmas” somehow kept growing long after Wham! ended and eventually reached #7 in the U.S.

And before America really caught on, songs like “Young Guns,” “Bad Boys” and “Club Tropicana” were already big UK hits.

The collection itself has all 11 Wham! singles, plus remixes and extras across the two records. It even reached #2 on the UK Albums Chart when it came out in 2023.

Then in 1986, they just… ended it.

No giant ugly breakup. George was ready to move into the next phase of his career, Andrew understood, and they finished Wham! with one final massive show at Wembley. Somehow they got through four insane years with their friendship still intact.

George Michael obviously went on to become one of the greatest pop artists of his generation.

But before all of that…

There was Wham!

And for me, there was Poplar Creek.

First concert.

Pretty damn good place to start.

#Wham #GeorgeMichael #AndrewRidgeley #TheSingles #WakeMeUpBeforeYouGoGo #EverythingSheWants #LastChristmas #BlueVinyl #80sMusic #AlbumVault