George Michael received the most fan votes among the 2023 nominees for induction to the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame.
Support for Michael was anything but a “Careless Whisper” as the late British pop idol garnered 1,040,072 votes from fans who could either vote online once daily or in-person at the official complex in Cleveland. He was followed by Cyndi Lauper (928,113 votes), Warren Zevon (634,130), Iron Maiden (449,682), and Soundgarden (427,040), but perhaps more impressively, his competition also included performers like Willie Nelson, Kate Bush, A Tribe Called Quest, Rage Against the Machine, and The White Stripes. According to Ultimate Classic Rock, the “Faith” singer had held the lead since March.
While the fan vote doesn’t ensure induction, all but one of the five fan-vote winners has received been inducted since the public poll began. The five highest vote-getters will be listed together on a single fan ballot that gets tallied with the ballots from official voting members. Inductees for the Class of 2023 are expected to be announced in May with a ceremony following in the fall.
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Recently, a biopic was in development centered on the pop star with Theo James (The White Lotus) circling the lead role, but Michael’s estate clarified that they had not given the production their endorsement. Elsewhere, Michael’s largely autobiographical documentary George Michael Freedom Uncut was released in 2022.
