. Jun. 2026. 352p. ISBN 9798897101177. $29.95. MUSIC COPY ISBN Born Giorgios Kyriacos Panayiotou, George Michael (1968–2016) was a singer-songwriter, record producer, solo artist, and a pop music icon of the ’80s and ’90s. According to Sanghera ( Empireworld: How British Imperialism Has Shaped the Globe), Michael has never been recognized for his cultural significance to the same extent as John Lennon, David Bowie, and Bob Dylan.