Following the unexpected passing of George Michael on December 25, the late singer-songwriter and Wham! made their Billboard Artist 100 debuts this week at No. 8 and No. 24, respectively. Three of Michael's classics also appear on the Hot 100 chart, with "Careless Whisper" at No. 33, "Last Christmas" at No. 41, and "Faith" at No. 47.
The Billboard Artist 100 takes into account "artist activity" across their charts, including the Hot 100, Album Sales, and the Social 50, blending data that measures album and track sales, radio airplay, and streaming. According to Billboard, almost half of George Michael's and Wham!'s chart points were digital song sales.
George Michael passed away "peacefully at home" on Christmas Day, according to a statement from his publicist. The beloved musician held an impressive track record, having experienced great success as one half of the duo Wham! and through his solo career as well. Most notably, his debut solo album Faith received a Grammy for Album of the Year after its release in 1987. It was reported prior to his death that George Michael was working on new material alongside Naughty Boy.
