George Michael: ‘Careless Whisper’ celebrates 40 years with special EP

George Michael‘s iconic hit ‘Careless Whisper’ celebrates its 40th anniversary today (18 October) with the release of a special commemorative EP.

Available now on vinyl, CD, and digitally, the EP features a previously unreleased live recording of ‘Careless Whisper’ from Michael’s performance at Madison Square Garden in New York City on 23 July 2008.

Alongside the live version, the EP includes newly mastered iterations of the original single, an extended mix, and an instrumental version. Collectors can choose from 12″ vinyl picture disc, 12″ ruby marble vinyl, 12″ white vinyl, standard 12″ vinyl, CD, and digital formats.

‘Careless Whisper’, co-written with Wham! bandmate Andrew Ridgeley, originally topped charts in 25 countries upon its 1984 release. It has since achieved 7x Platinum certification in the United States and sold over 1.5 million copies in the UK.

The song’s popularity continues in the digital age, with over 700 million views on TikTok and an average of nearly 500,000 daily views on YouTube. It has also joined the Billions Club on both YouTube and Spotify.

The release comes nearly eight years after George Michael’s untimely passing on Christmas Day 2016 at the age of 53. His death shocked fans worldwide and led to an outpouring of tributes celebrating his musical legacy and philanthropic efforts.

‘Careless Whisper’ EP track list

The ‘Careless Whisper EP’ is available now through all major music retailers and streaming platforms.