George Michael (22,943 views)

[BAZanine]

Georgios Kyriacos Panayiotou (25 June 1963 - 25 December 2016)
Associated Acts: Wham! (1981 - 1986, 1988, 1991)
Years Active: 1981 - 2016
Voice Type: Tenless Carespnor
Vocal Range: C♯2 - A5

SPOILER: Click to show

{Vocal Summary by Baronessa }Indisputable pop icon, the voice of Christmas and a father figure for the LGBTQ+ community. There's something about the energy of George Michael's voice that becomes a pure expression of freedom. The twangy smoothness, which comes through every one of his vocal performances, is enough to make you want to conquer the world.

Michael's voice is, in a word, catchy. And it would be an understatement to say that his voice, in fact, caught on. Whether it be in the gems of songwriting George himself bestowed upon the radio during his time on Earth or in their imitations, it is too soon to tell the full extent to which they will be stuck in our heads, though the shell shock felt throughout pop culture in the wake of his passing foretell that it will be a long time.

Significant High Notes:

A5 ("Nikita")
G♯5 ("Bad Boys", "I Want Your Sex, Pt. 1")
F♯5 ("Everything She Wants", "I'm Your Man", "If You Were There", "Love Machine")
F5 ("Bad Boys", "Careless Whisper" live China 1985, "Come On!", "Where Did Your Heart Go?")
E5 ("Battlestations", "Club Tropicana", "Freedom", "I Knew You Were Waiting (For Me)", "If You Were There", "Look at Your Hands", "A Ray of Sunshine", "Wake Me Up Before You Go-Go", "Wham Rap! (Enjoy What You Do?)", "Wrap Her Up")
E♭5 ("Fantasy", "Happy", "Love Machine")
D5 ("Blue" live China 1985, "Careless Whisper", "Freedom", "Freedom! '90", "I Can't Make You Love Me", "I'm Your Man", "Last Christmas", "Nikita", "Round Here", "Somebody to Love" live Freddie Mercury Tribute Concert 1992, "Soul Free", "Young Guns (Go for It!)")
C♯5 ("Amazing", "Fastlove, Pt. 2", "I Knew You Were Waiting (For Me)", "Battlestations", "Monkey", "Spinning the Wheel", "Wrap Her Up")
C5 ("Come On!", "Credit Card Baby", "Do You Really Want to Know", "The Edge of Heaven", "Every Breath You Take" live Amazon Rainforest Benefit 1993, "Everything She Wants", "Freeek! '04", "John and Elvis Are Dead", "Like a Baby", "Nothing Looks the Same in the Light", "One More Try", "Precious Box", "A Ray of Sunshine", "Through", "Tonight" live Rock in Rio 1991, "Too Funky", "Wake Me Up Before You Go-Go", "Where Did Your Heart Go?")
B4 ("American Angel", "Club Tropicana", "Fantasy", "Flawless (Go to the City)", "Heal the Pain", "Heartbeat", "If You Were My Woman", "If You Were There", "Last Christmas", "Monkey", "Mother's Pride", "Praying for Time" live Abbey Road 2004, "Round Here", "Roxanne", "Shoot the Dog", "Spinning the Wheel", "Star People", "You Know That I Want To")
B♭4 ("Amazing", "Cars and Trains", "Crazy Man Dance", "December Song (I Dreamed of Christmas)", "Do You Really Want to Know", "Fastlove, Pt. 1", "Fastlove, Pt. 2", "Father Figure", "Freedom", "Freedom! '90", "Hard Day", "I Want Your Sex, Pt. 1", "If You Were My Woman", "Killer / Papa Was a Rollin' Stone" live Wembley Arena 1993, "Kissing a Fool", "Love Machine", "My Baby Just Cares for Me", "My Mother Had a Brother", "Outside", "Please Send Me Someone (Anselmo's Song)", "They Won't Go When I Go", "To Be Forgiven", "Where Did Your Heart Go?", "You Know That I Want To")
A4 ("Bad Boys", "Blue" live China 1985, "Careless Whisper", "Credit Card Baby", "Don't Let the Sun Go Down on Me" live, "The Edge of Heaven", "Everything She Wants", "Fantasy", "Flawless (Go to the City)", "Freedom! '90", "Heal the Pain", "Heartbeat", "I Want Your Sex, Pt. 2", "I'm Your Man", "If You Were There", "Last Christmas", "Like a Baby", "Look at Your Hands", "Moment With You", "Monkey", "One More Try", "A Ray of Sunshine", "Roxanne", "Star People", "Somebody to Love" live Freddie Mercury Tribute Concert 1992, "Something to Save", "Soul Free", "Waiting for That Day", "Waiting (Reprise)", "Wake Me Up Before You Go-Go", "Wham Rap! (Enjoy What You Do?)", "Wrap Her Up", "Young Guns (Go for It!)")
G♯4 ("Always", "As", "Battlestations", "Club Tropicana", "Come On!", "Crazy Man Dance", "A Different Corner", "Do You Really Want to Know", "Faith", "Fantasy", "Fastlove, Pt. 1", "Fastlove, Pt. 2", "Father Figure", "Freeek! '04", "Happy", "I Knew You Were Waiting (For Me)", "I Want Your Sex, Pt. 1", "If You Were My Woman", "Killer / Papa Was a Rollin' Stone" live Wembley Arena 1993, "Kissing a Fool", "Mother's Pride", "My Mother Had a Brother", "Secret Love", "Spinning the Wheel", "Star People", "They Won't Go When I Go", "Tonight" live Rock in Rio 1991, "Where or When")
G4 ("'39" live Freddie Mercury Tribute Concert 1992, "Blue" live China 1985, "Brother, Can You Spare a Dime?", "Careless Whisper", "Cars and Trains", "Come On!", "December Song (I Dreamed of Christmas)", "Don't Let the Sun Go Down on Me" live, "The Edge of Heaven", "Every Breath You Take" live Amazon Rainforest Benefit 1993, "Father Figure", "Feeling Good", "Freedom", "Freedom! '90", "Heartbeat", "I Can't Make You Love Me", "I Want Your Sex, Pt. 2", "John and Elvis Are Dead", "Moment With You", "Move On", "Nothing Looks the Same in the Light", "Older", "One More Try", "Outside", "Praying for Time", "Precious Box", "Round Here", "Somebody to Love" live Freddie Mercury Tribute Concert 1992, "Someone Saved My Life Tonight" live AIDS Concert 1994, "Something to Save", "These Are the Days of Our Lives" live Freddie Mercury Tribute Concert 1992, "Through", "To Be Forgiven", "Tonight" live Rock in Rio 1991, "Too Funky", "Waiting for That Day", "Wild Is the Wind")

Significant Low Notes:

D3 ("American Angel", "Careless Whisper", "Desafinado", "Feeling Good", "Flawless (Go to the City)", "Hand to Mouth", "Heal the Pain", "I Can't Make You Love Me", "I'm Your Man", "It Doesn't Really Matter", "My Baby Just Cares for Me", "Round Here", "Something to Save", "To Be Forgiven", "Waiting (Reprise)", "White Light", "You Have Been Loved")
C♯3 ("Battlestations", "A Different Corner", "December Song (I Dreamed of Christmas)", "Everything She Wants", "Father Figure", "Jesus to a Child", "Let Her Down Easy", "Monkey", "Please Send Me Someone (Anselmo's Song)", "Secret Love", "The Strangest Thing")
C3 ("Blue" live China 1985, "Careless Whisper" live, "Cars and Trains", "Cowboys and Angels", "Desafinado", "Do You Really Want to Know", "The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face", "Freedom! '90", "It Doesn't Really Matter", "Kissing a Fool", "A Last Request (I Want Your Sex)", "Move On", "One More Try", "Patience", "They Won't Go When I Go", "To Be Forgiven", "Waiting for That Day", "Waiting (Reprise)", "Wake Me Up Before You Go-Go", "Where Did Your Heart Go?", "Young Guns (Go for It!)")
B2 ("Battlestations", "Brother, Can You Spare a Dime?", "Faith", "Flawless (Go to the City)", "Miss Sarajevo", "Older", "Spinning the Wheel", "Through", "Wild Is the Wind")
B♭2 ("Amazing", "Cowboys and Angels", "Crazy Man Dance", "December Song (I Dreamed of Christmas)", "Fastlove, Pt. 1", "Fastlove, Pt. 2", "Happy", "Hard Day", "I Want Your Sex, Pt. 1", "If You Were My Woman", "Kissing a Fool", "My Mother Had a Brother", "Patience", "Praying for Time", "Precious Box", "Spinning the Wheel", "They Won't Go When I Go")
A2 ("American Angel", "The Edge of Heaven", "Feeling Good", "Hand to Mouth", "I Can't Make You Love Me", "Kissing a Fool" live, "A Last Request (I Want Your Sex)", "Miss Sarajevo", "Move On", "Praying for Time" live Abbey Road 2004, "Shoot the Dog", "Something to Save", "Soul Free", "Too Funky", "You Have Been Loved", "You Know That I Want To")
G♯2 ("As", "You've Changed")
G2 ("Cars and Trains", "Flawless (Go to the City)", "Freedom! '90", "Look at Your Hands", "Moment With You", "Move On", "Outside", "Precious Box", "A Ray of Sunshine", "Round Here", "This Is How (We Want You to Get High)")
F♯2 ("American Angel", "Everything She Wants", "Free", "Hard Day", "My Mother Had a Brother", "Please Send Me Someone (Anselmo's Song)", "White Light")
F2 ("Cars and Trains", "Freeek! '04", "I Want Your Sex, Pt. 1", "Outside", "This Is How (We Want You to Get High)")
E2 ("A Ray of Sunshine", "Shoot the Dog")
C♯2 ("December Song (I Dreamed of Christmas)")

…………………………………………………………………….
*Blue marks clear falsetto notes.
*Italics mark non-melodic notes.
*Boldface marks notes that are considered impressive in relation to this person's vocal capabilities.
*Underlines mark notes obscured in the mix of the song.
*Dates on this thread are listed with the format DD/MM/YYYY.

Best Vocal Performances:

1. One More Try
2. Careless Whisper
3. Father Figure
4. Kissing a Fool
5. A Different Corner
6. Wake Me Up Before You Go-Go
7. Freedom '90
8. They Won't Go When I Go
9. Everything She Wants
10. Mother's Pride

SPOILER: Click to show

{Questionable Notes}G♯6 ("Love Machine"^[1c])
B5 ("A Ray of Sunshine"^[1a])
B♭5 ("The Edge of Heaven"^[1b])
A5 ("Look at Your Hands"^[1a])
G♯5 ("If You Were There"^[1b], "Love Machine"^[1b])
G5 ("Wrap Her Up"^[1b])
D5 ("Shoot the Dog"^[3a])
C5 ("I Want Your Sex, Pt. 2"^[3a])
B4 ("Faith"^[3a])

C3 ("I'm Your Man"^[2a])
G2 ("The Edge of Heaven"^[2a])

.......................................................
[1] Questionable representativeness.
a. Brief exclamations.
b. Brief woos.
c. Brief trills in high range.

[2] Questionable identity.
a. Notes that may or may not exist.

[3] Questionable legitimacy.
a. Possibly pitch-shifted.

SPOILER: Click to show

{Notewatched Discography & Album Ranges}With Wham!:
Fantastic (1983) (E2 - C3 - E3 - A4 - G♯5)
Make It Big (1984) (F♯2 - C5 - F♯5)
Music from the Edge of Heaven (1986) (A2 - C♯5 - E5 - F5 - F♯5)
+ Various live performances

Solo:
Faith (1987) (F2 - F♯2 - A4 - G♯5)
Listen Without Prejudice Vol. 1 (1990) (G2 - B♭2 - B♭4 - D5)
Older (1996) (F♯2 - G♯4 - C♯5)
Songs from the Last Century (1999) (G♯2 - A4 - B4)
Patience (2004) (E2 - A4 - D5)
+ Singles
+ Various live performances

[Aardvark]

Is this thread classifying George Michael as a tenor? I definitely don’t think he has a bright enough timbre or high enough tessitura to justify that classification tbh.

[luxiouskorsay]

Outside has pretty good G2 in the beggining and a belted G4 in the chorus

[BAZanine]

Aug 9, 2021 15:35:52 GMT Aardvark said:

Is this thread classifying George Michael as a tenor? I definitely don’t think he has a bright enough timbre or high enough tessitura to justify that classification tbh.

At the risk of people getting annoyed over a voice type discussion, there is next to nothing about George's voice to me that would indicate anything other than a tenor. His low range is extensive but I mean other than that nothing about his very bright and at times feminine-sounding tone lends itself to being a baritone imo.

[kaji]

Aug 9, 2021 15:35:52 GMT Aardvark said:

Is this thread classifying George Michael as a tenor? I definitely don’t think he has a bright enough timbre or high enough tessitura to justify that classification tbh.

Huh? Very bright timbre. Are we listening to the same voice lolll? 

Aug 9, 2021 15:35:52 GMT Aardvark said:

Is this thread classifying George Michael as a tenor? I definitely don’t think he has a bright enough timbre or high enough tessitura to justify that classification tbh.

Huh? Very bright timbre. Are we listening to the same voice lolll? 

[Aardvark]

Aug 9, 2021 17:31:45 GMT BAZanine said:

Aug 9, 2021 15:35:52 GMT Aardvark said:

Is this thread classifying George Michael as a tenor? I definitely don’t think he has a bright enough timbre or high enough tessitura to justify that classification tbh.

At the risk of people getting annoyed over a voice type discussion, there is next to nothing about George's voice to me that would indicate anything other than a tenor. His low range is extensive but I mean other than that nothing about his very bright and at times feminine-sounding tone lends itself to being a baritone imo.

To me, his timbre is very similar to that of a Daryl Hall type. Hall would most certainly be a baritone so I liken it to that. I understand the justification of him as a tenor I suppose, he just happens to be one of the few tenors who struggles to sing consistently in the upper fourth octave. I’ll concede that by pure tone he can be considered a tenor, but by range and tessitura he most likely is not.

[Karen’s Kickassarole]

I want whatever he’s on

[Gatr]

Regardless of his actual placement, that pun is awful

[Henny Macc]

Aug 10, 2021 22:40:25 GMT Gatr said:

Regardless of his actual placement, that pun is awful

Agreed. Glad we're focusing on the important things here.

[luxiouskorsay]

Aug 10, 2021 23:23:19 GMT Henny Macc said:

Aug 10, 2021 22:40:25 GMT Gatr said:

Regardless of his actual placement, that pun is awful

Agreed. Glad we're focusing on the important things here.

finally

[Karen’s Kickassarole]

Aug 11, 2021 0:21:11 GMT luxiouskorsay said:

Aug 10, 2021 23:23:19 GMT Henny Macc said:

Agreed. Glad we're focusing on the important things here.

finally

Cursed beyond belief

[kaji]

I'd call those two bolds (E5 and F#5) mix, not 'falsetto'. It sure is done in M2 but still a pretty clear mixed voice.

[Smitty.]

i could probably see the argument for the E5 but that F#5 is not mixed lol

[kaji]

How so? M2 laryngeal vibratory mechanism imitating a high belt like tone. Literally the definition of what 'mix' is. He softens it on the lower notes but other than that it's no different from what singers like Chaka Khan or Aretha Franklin are doing at times (the later sounding more disconnected later on to me tbh).

[Baronessa]

Can you give us a definition of what falsetto is in that same vein?

[BAZanine]

This is a certified

Aug 9, 2021 10:39:05 GMT BAZanine said:

D5 ("Blue")

moment

[Dark Star]

That 'Best Performances' list is lacking severely in the "Praying For Time" factor.

[apollo]

Aug 9, 2021 18:49:02 GMT kaji said:

Aug 9, 2021 17:31:45 GMT BAZanine said:

At the risk of people getting annoyed over a voice type discussion, there is next to nothing about George's voice to me that would indicate anything other than a tenor. His low range is extensive but I mean other than that nothing about his very bright and at times feminine-sounding tone lends itself to being a baritone imo.

Yeah, I heard a few of his albums and he sounds outright feminine or androgynous to me at times. Even in the lower range it's a quite bright voice. When I first heard 'Kissing a Fool' on a radio, I thought it was a female singer... 

Lyric Baritones, have very light, bright and agile voices, especially when they are younger then 40. Not all Baritones have a heavier or deeper sound. The sound of a Lyric Baritone can often be the closest in tone, to the sound of a Lyric Tenor, because they are both lyrical voice types. Spinto, Dramatic and Heldentenors will most often have deeper and heavier voices then Lyric Baritones, because these voices are dramatic voices. In opera Lyric Baritones are expected to sing coloratura passages, because they have light voices. Heavier voiced and dramatic Tenors don't sing any coloratura passages, because their voices have too much weight and depth. 
Lyric Baritones have more soothing and earthy voices, which I think fits the description of George Michael's voice, his range also corresponds more with a Baritone. 

Lyric Baritone:


Dramatic Spinto Tenor:

[BAZanine]

Well, you see, uh

George Michael is not a classical singer and shouldn't be held to a similar metric on that front. For instance, range plays much less pivotal a role in determining voice type in pop singers than it would in a classical role where the notes they have to hit are literally written out for them. There are some if not many on this forum who argue that giving pop singers voice types is a rather pointless and arbitrary endeavor which is completely understandable, but I and the remainder of people who still use voice types on the forum adhere to a system of designation that is not at all one-to-one with the classical system (as per why you won't see 'lyric', 'coloratura', and so on thrown around). Given that pop singers do completely different things with their voices, we thusly have completely different standards to gauge their voices by, which is why the mass majority of people here who acknowledge pop voice types would agree that George Michael is a tenor, Johnny Cash is not a bass, what have you.

[kaji]

Aug 13, 2021 15:14:24 GMT Baronessa said:

Can you give us a definition of what falsetto is in that same vein?

Generally speaking the term 'falsetto' in the modern vocal pedagogy field typically refers to the M2 mechanism register that is not mix, with a higher open glottal quotient which essentially means lesser closure. Some call it 'head with air'.

A lot of teachers also utilise the terms head voice and falsetto interchangeably as they are produced similarly. Eg. what might be considered 'falsetto' by some - for example Philip Bailey's high notes (of the Earth, Wind & Fire fame) would be more akin to what a soprano might utilise in classical repertoire (head voice) except the acoustic coupling he's using. In fact, a lot of the notes he's doing ('Devotion' in 1975 live for example) would be closer to the description of what a mix is. What I'm basically saying - same register, different way of coordinating it.

There is also a conversation of what some call a 'disconnected' head register (or 'falsetto') but that has more to do with your technique and development than actually not being able to connect it. That being said, even 'full head voice' (Maria Callas' fifth octave in opera - or Patti Labelle wherever) will not be naturally 'connected'. Learned skill.

There is another M2 coordination that will feel entirely different (almost like a whole different mechanism) from your lower head voice but it is possible to learn to connect it in such a way that it'd all feel like one register. Ingo Titze refers to the 'full head voice' or the lower, almost mixy head voice that is quite dense as 'the whoop timbre register' (which is a reference to the formant coupling used in it - F1/H1), and he refers to the higher coordination which is more floaty but still when trained sounds (and is) head voice as 'the flute register'. I believe it's party where the 'disconnected' vs 'connected' upper register names came from.

As for my personal opinion on the term - I don't use the term falsetto... anywhere. Hate its etymology and history. And view it as somewhat inessential term that creates more confusion than anything else. And apologies, for late reply. Didn't see it. 

Aug 24, 2021 12:18:03 GMT apollo said:

Aug 9, 2021 18:49:02 GMT kaji said:

Yeah, I heard a few of his albums and he sounds outright feminine or androgynous to me at times. Even in the lower range it's a quite bright voice. When I first heard 'Kissing a Fool' on a radio, I thought it was a female singer... 

Lyric Baritones, have very light, bright and agile voices, especially when they are younger then 40. Not all Baritones have a heavier or deeper sound. The sound of a Lyric Baritone can often be the closest in tone, to the sound of a Lyric Tenor, because they are both lyrical voice types. Spinto, Dramatic and Heldentenors will most often have deeper and heavier voices then Lyric Baritones, because these voices are dramatic voices. In opera Lyric Baritones are expected to sing coloratura passages, because they have light voices. Heavier voiced and dramatic Tenors don't sing any coloratura passages, because their voices have too much weight and depth. 
Lyric Baritones have more soothing and earthy voices, which I think fits the description of George Michael's voice, his range also corresponds more with a Baritone. 

Lyric Baritone:


Dramatic Spinto Tenor:

I find it interesting that you wanna compare a very underdeveloped voice such as Hampson to one of the greatest spinto tenors of the twentieth century. Igor Gorin is a far better example of what an actual operatic lyrical baritone sounds like. And on top of that you try to compare their voices to a voice such as George who sings in a completely different style and quite frankly sounds like nothing but a somewhat androgynous high male voice. Using the classical vocal fach system for contemporary vocalists is completely pointless, especially when used without consideration of how the voice is produced in various genres. 

You also mention that supposedly lirico baritones sound close to lyric tenors and that is pure misconception and quite frankly misinformation. Lyrical baritones will usually sound the closest in timbre (when the voice is developed properly) to dramatic tenors. Compare Robert Merrill (lyric baritone) to Sergio Franchi (spinto-drammatico tenor). The timbre is almost exactly the same in fact. The main difference are the zona di passaggi along with the technique. 

[halloweenjack95]

Aug 10, 2021 0:54:53 GMT Aardvark said:

Aug 9, 2021 17:31:45 GMT BAZanine said:

At the risk of people getting annoyed over a voice type discussion, there is next to nothing about George's voice to me that would indicate anything other than a tenor. His low range is extensive but I mean other than that nothing about his very bright and at times feminine-sounding tone lends itself to being a baritone imo.

I suppose, he just happens to be one of the few tenors who struggles to sing consistently in the upper fourth octave. I’ll concede that by pure tone he can be considered a tenor, but by range and tessitura he most likely is not.

Did he really struggled tho? I'd agree with that statement from 1996 on. And even there his tone was still consistent and as pleasing as in his prime.
But if you listen to Wham (Heartbeat, everything she wants) or Faith & LWP I cant hear him struggle with the fourth upper Range.

[Aardvark]

I should note, I have since reconsidered my initial assessment that George Michael is a baritone and concede that he is a tenor. It was a rather uninformed claim that has started quite a bit of controversy, so I apologize and take full responsibility.

[rebaru]

I will never forgive you for that voice type.

[leafylemontree]

He is a bass, close thread.

[Deleted]

Sept 11, 2021 16:55:45 GMT leafylemontree said:

He is a bass, close thread.

A basso profundo, more specifically.