It seems you're not the only person listening to Careless Whisper on repeat today.
According to Spotify, streams of George Michael's songs have risen 3158 per cent globally in the 24 hours since news of his death at the age of 53, from reported heart failure first broke on Monday.
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The career of George Michael
From the early success of Wham! to a lucrative solo career, George Michael will go down as one of the most celebrated recording artists ever.
The singer's greatest hits albums, Ladies & Gentleman (2011) and Twenty Five (2007), also topped iTunes' albums charts in Australia and overseas, while a handful of his other work – including his 1987 solo debut Faith and his most recent offering, 2014's Symphonica – climbed to the top of Amazon's bestsellers list.
Spotify's list offered a quick snapshot of the late singer's most revered tunes.
![George Michael performing on stage during the Freddie Mercury Tribute Concert for Aids Awareness at Wembley Stadium in ...](/web/20161229151536im_/http://www.smh.com.au/content/dam/images/g/t/i/3/x/z/image.related.articleLeadwide.620x349.gti7fd.png/1482838309998.jpg)
According to the site, the top five songs streamed since Monday include solo favourites Careless Whisper, Faith and Freedom! '90, and Wake Me Up Before You Go-Go and Last Christmas, Michael's 1984 hits with Wham! bandmate Andrew Ridgeley – the latter song, perhaps with its tragic seasonal relevance, being the most streamed overall.
Ridgeley, who had largely remained out of the public spotlight since Wham! disbanded in 1986, took to Twitter overnight to offer a personal tribute, calling Michael the "finest singer/songwriter of his generation".
#GM had a voice that would transport u, he was the finest singer/songwriter of his generation & has left the best of himself 4 us. RIP GM xx pic.twitter.com/Gjcp55Chei
— Andrew Ridgeley (@ajridgeley) December 26, 2016
"Gotta have some faith in the sound...Heaven knows we sure had some fun, boy." - George Michael pic.twitter.com/Cy9fL7MYnm
— Spotify (@Spotify) December 26, 2016
George Michael Ladies & Gentlemen Best of Album No.1 Amazon, iTunes Worldwide incl UK/USA. 15 songs Top 75 iTunes. Spotify streams up 3000%
— Kevin Hughes (@Popprince) December 26, 2016
A similar spike in listens occurred following 2016's other major music deaths: David Bowie in January, and Prince in April.
![George Michael and Wham! bandmate Andrew Ridgeley in 1983.](/web/20161229151536im_/http://www.smh.com.au/content/dam/images/g/t/h/w/d/r/image.related.articleLeadNarrow.300x0.gti7fd.png/1482835138986.jpg)
According to reports following Bowie's death, Spotify was streaming at levels up "2700 per cent from what it considers normal" within just 10 minutes after the announcement was made on his official Facebook page.
Prince, meanwhile – who had famously taken his work off every streaming service besides Jay-Z's Tidal – set a record in the US with 19 albums featured on the Billboard 200 in the week following his death, the equivalent of 4.41 million copies sold.