The influential 80s pop hit George Michael was 'in awe of'

25 July 2025, 10:28

George Michael said there was a 1981 hit he was "in awe of". But what was it? Picture: Alamy

By Thomas Edward

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It has to be said, the man had impeccable taste.

Whenever George Michael stepped on stage, he was always dressed to the nines. For sure, it's what you'd expect from a showman like him.

From the bouffant hair and espadrilles worn during his Wham! days, to the leather-clad bad boy look when Faith ruled the airwaves, to the mature and dignified outfits he wore during the Older era.

Safe to say that George always looked immaculate, but his taste in music was equally as admirable.

Citing soul singers like Aretha Franklin and Diana Ross as primary influences, George also loved the flamboyance of rock stars like Freddie Mercury and David Bowie.

All of the above shaped George's music in some way, and helped him find his own voice eventually.

But even when he was on the top of his game and fast-becoming one of the world's biggest pop stars, he took influence from his peers too.

There was one song in particular from the 80s that stuck with George, a song that he later admitted that he was in "awe of".

The song? The Human League's 1981 synth-pop masterpiece 'Don't You Want Me'.

The Human League - Don't You Want Me (Official Music Video)

In numerous interviews throughout his career, George indicated that his music taste was more varied than people perhaps gave him credit for.

Appearing on Desert Island Discs in 2007, one of George's song choices was by grunge rockers Nirvana surprisingly.

“This record is the best-produced rock record in the history of rock, I think," he said about the band's 1991 anthem 'Smells Like Teen Spirit'.

"It’s not necessarily the greatest song – it’s a phenomenal record – obviously, it was a music industry-changing record”.

If that wasn't an indication of his vast taste, George was also a die-hard fan of The Beatles, and even Manchester's gloomy post-punk pioneers Joy Division.

He confirmed that was the case during an interview in 2010 with disc jockey Mark Goodier which was included in the Faith: Legacy Edition release.

George Michael had a more diverse music taste than he was probably given credit for. (Photo by Barry King/Alamy Stock Photo). Picture: Alamy

Goodier told George that his music taste was diverse, who then recalled the time he and his former Wham! bandmate Andrew Ridgeley first heard The Human League.

They were still at school at the time, and after hearing 'Don't You Want Me', George said he preferred their single 'Love Action'.

But, he couldn't deny the "commercial perfection" of the iconic synth-pop song claiming to be "in awe of" the track.

George went on to say that the song proved to be influential to his own songwriting and production talents, though by a happy accident.

George and Andrew were still in school when they first heard The Human League. ( The Yomiuri Shimbun via AP Images ). Picture: Alamy

"Most of what’s huge about my career is completely coincidental. It’s just luck of the draw that the music I love means I don’t have to compromise in any way to make successful records," he started.

"It’s not like I don’t love records that aren’t symmetrical and pop-y – I grew up listening to Joy Division – but I always knew that wasn’t what I was supposed to do, that wasn’t where my talent was."

"I remember sitting in Andrew Ridgeley’s bedroom when we were kids and hearing The Human League’s ‘Don’t You Want Me’, and it wasn’t that I loved it, because I much preferred ‘Love Action’," he continued. "But I said, ‘This is going to be f***ing massive.'”

The 'Careless Whisper' legend went on to reveal: “And at the time, no one would have believed The Human League would have a number one in America."

George admitted to liking 'Love Action' more than 'Don't You Want Me' after first hearing it. Picture: Alamy

'Don't You Want Me' by The Human League is the 28th biggest-selling single ever in the UK. Picture: Alamy

"This was when we were still at school, and I remember being in awe of the perfection of it – the commercial perfection of it; it could not fail."

"But it wasn’t cheesy… Maybe it was a bit cheesy, but it was still a cool record. I just knew that they’d made this perfect commercial record, and I knew which influences responded with what I could do.”

George had a point. 'Don't You Want Me' went on to top the charts in both the US and here in the UK, where it remains the 28th biggest-selling single of all time.

His revelation was no doubt music to the ears of The Human League's Phil Oakey, who likely felt the same about George's masterful work too.