Wham!’s chart-topping career is to be celebrated with the brand-new 40th anniversary singles collection, ‘Echoes From The Edge Of Heaven’.
Formed in 1981, the duo – starring school friends Andrew Ridgeley and George Michael – became one of the most globally successful pop acts of the 1980s, selling more than thirty million records worldwide.
Over the course of four years, they released 11 singles, five of which (Wake Me Up Before You Go-Go, Freedom, Last Christmas, I’m Your Man and The Edge Of Heaven) went on to top the UK charts, with Wake Me Up Before You Go-Go, Careless Whisper and Everything She Wants – all from their second album ‘Make It Big’ (1984), also hitting No. 1 in the US.
Between their debut, 1982’s Young Guns (Go For It), and 1986’s The Edge Of Heaven, the pair became the first western group to perform in China, where two rapturously received concerts broke countless cultural barriers, before their last concert – ‘Wham! The Final’, on June 28, 1986 – saw them depart in front of seventy-two thousand people at Wembley Stadium.
The concert also included performances by their friend Elton John.
Revisiting their legacy, ‘Echoes From The Edge Of Heaven’ is due July 7 on 2LP coloured vinyl, 2LP black vinyl, CD and digital. Also available is a deluxe vinyl singles 7″ box set/10CD box set, featuring all the singles plus additional content.
‘Wham! The Singles: Echoes From The Edge Of Heaven’ is available to pre-order now.
The release coincides with the premiere of the new Netflix documentary film ‘Wham!’, which offers unprecedented access to both George and Andrew’s personal archive including remarkable and never-before-seen footage, alongside rare, candid and previously unheard interviews.
“In 1982, the best of friends and still teenagers – George Michael and Andrew Ridgeley as Wham! set out to conquer the world,” reads a press release. “By June of 1986 they played their very last gig at Wembley Stadium having done exactly that.
“Now for the very first time, told in their own words, the amazing story of how in four years they dominated the charts around the world with timeless and classic pop songs.”
Produced by John Battsek and Simon Halfon, and directed by Chris Smith, ‘Wham!’ will premiere on July 5.
