The dance-pop duo Wham! held the mid-1980s in a vice grip. With their inescapable charm, head-turning moves, and irresistible songs, the group took hold of the masses and refused to let go. Hit after hit, including classics like “Wake Me Up Before You Go-Go,” “Everything She Wants,” and “Freedom,” skyrocketed up the charts and secured the act’s place at the top along with them.
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Behind the Name
The English duo – made up of childhood friends and schoolmates George Michael and Andrew Ridgeley – officially formed Wham! in 1981 after having performed together in various other short-lived groups. Wham!’s assertive name was apparently born in a dance club, a scene the two friends frequented together and often drew inspiration from.
“We were in a club, dancing, and we were doing this formation dance and having a laugh,” Michael explained in an early interview. He said it was Ridgeley who originally came up with the moniker at that moment.
“Andy started shouting something about wham bam, and all this, you know,” he shared. “And we thought that would be a good name for a group.” They immediately disregarded it, however, believing they could think of something else. “Then we threw it out the window,” Michael detailed. “We thought no, we’ve got to think of something better than that.”
The two would eventually revisit the name, which would stick. “It seemed right for what we were doing,” Michael added. They were right to keep the name. In their short time together, the duo released a number of attention-grabbing hits that immediately meet ears and hearts with a WHAM!
Wham! Today
Today, Wham! is no more. It’s been that way since 1986 when the duo formally called it quits with a farewell gig at Wembley Stadium. Their final show marked the beginning of what would become the late Michael’s hit-riddled solo career with Ridgeley going on to pursue his own solo endeavors in music.
However, the young duo will be together again, flashing across screens in a forthcoming Netflix documentary about the band. Tilted WHAM!, the documentary will tell the duo’s journey to the top through never-before-seen archival footage, photos, and unheard interviews from Michael and Ridgeley. WHAM! is set to release on Netflix on July 5.
(Photo by Michael Putland/Getty Images)
