Name: Fantastic by Wham!
Brand: Wham!
SKU: 5099745009022
Price: 9.9 USD
Availability: OnlineOnly
Rating: 1.5 (77 reviews)

ALBUM

Fantastic is the misguided 1983 debut release from the U.K. duo Wham. With Fantastic, George Michael and partner Andrew Ridgeley introduced themselves as leather jacket-clad, street-smart "rebels." This approach proved wildly popular in the U.K., where Fantastic was a Top Ten hit, but the album went largely unnoticed in the States. While Fantastic showcases the ability of the young (20 at the time of the album's release) George Michael to craft engaging, hook-filled melodies, much of the material on Fantastic suffers from the duo's pretentious, tough-guy posturing. The empty funk of the U.K. hits "Bad Boys," "Young Guns (Go for It)," and the embarrassing "Wham Rap" barely registers, and Michael's smart-aleck, self-conscious lyrics are often unintentionally hilarious. Although Michael eventually became well-known as a reasonably successful emulator of R&B trends, neither these tunes nor Fantastic's stupefying remake of the Miracles' "Love Machine" give any indication of his abilities. At best, Fantastic can be viewed as a testament to George Michael's maturity. "Nothing Looks the Same in the Light" and "Club Tropicana," two of Fantastic's best tunes, lean toward the lush, adult pop of Michael's later solo work. Fortunately, Michael and Ridgeley would later ditch the superficial, leather-jacketed approach for the more sophisticated pop of later Wham releases like "Everything She Wants" and "Freedom" (both from 1984's Make It Big) and "The Edge of Heaven" (from 1986's Music From the Edge of Heaven), finding major U.S. success in the process. Fantastic isn't a good album, but it's oddly entertaining. It's certainly interesting hearing the difference between the frothy Fantastic and Michael's later, "serious" solo work like Listen Without Prejudice and Older. And Fantastic is also good for a few chuckles. Unfortunately, that probably wasn't George Michael's intention. But even he might get a good laugh out of it. ~ William Cooper

1. Bad Boys

by Wham!

Primary Artist: Wham!; Main Performer
Performer: Wham!; Performer
Composer: George Michael
G. Michael; Composer
Lyricist: George Michael
G. Michael; Composer

2. A Ray of Sunshine

by Wham!

Primary Artist: Wham!; Main Performer
Background Vocals: George Michael; Performer
Bass: Dion Estes; Performer
Drums: Trevor Morell
Andy Duncan; Performer
Guitar: Andrew Ridgeley
Robert Ahwai; Performer
Horn: David Baptiste
Colin Graham; Performer
Horn Section: Guy Barker
Chris Hunter; Performer
Keyboard: Tommy Eyre; Performer
Percussion: Tony Moroni; Performer
Performer: Wham!
George Michael; Performer
Vocals: George Michael; Performer
Arranger: George Michael; Composer
Composer: George Michael
G. Michael; Composer
Lyricist: George Michael
G. Michael; Composer
Engineer: Tony Taverner; Production
Producer: George Michael
Steve Brown; Production

3. Love Machine

by Wham!

Bass: Dion Estes; Performer
Primary Artist: Wham!; Main Performer
Drums: Trevor Morrell; Performer
Guitar: Robert Ahwai; Performer
Horn: Raoul .
Colin .
Baps; Performer
Horn Section: Raoul .
Colin .
Baps; Performer
Keyboard: Tommy Eyre; Performer
Percussion: Louis Jardin; Performer
Performer: Wham!
George Michael; Performer
Vocals: George Michael; Performer
Arranger: George Michael; Composer
Composer: George Michael
Warren Moore
William Griffin
W.griffin
W.moore; Composer
Lyricist: Warren Moore
William Griffin
George Michael
W.griffin
W.moore; Composer
Engineer: Tony Taverner; Production
Producer: Steve Brown
George Michael; Production

4. Wham Rap! (Enjoy What You Do?)

by Wham!

Bass: John Mackenzie; Performer
Primary Artist: Wham!; Main Performer
Drums: Andy Duncan
Trevor Morell; Performer
Guitar: Andrew Ridgeley; Performer
Horn: Chris Hunter
Guy Barker; Performer
Horn Section: Guy Barker
Chris Hunter; Performer
Keyboard: Bob Carter; Performer
Percussion: Andy Duncan; Performer
Performer: George Michael
Wham!; Performer
Vocals: George Michael; Performer
Arranger: George Michael; Composer
Composer: George Michael
Andrew Ridgeley
A. Ridgely
G. Michael; Composer
Lyricist: George Michael
Andrew Ridgeley
A. Ridgely
G. Michael; Composer
Engineer: Tony Taverner; Production
Producer: Bob Carter; Production

5. A Ray of Sunshine (Instrumental Remix)

by Wham!

Background Vocals: George Michael; Performer
Primary Artist: Wham!; Main Performer
Bass: Dion Estes; Performer
Drums: Trevor Morell; Performer
Guitar: Andrew Ridgeley
Robert Ahwai; Performer
Keyboard: Tommy Eyre; Performer
Percussion: Tony Moroni; Performer
Performer: Wham!; Performer
Vocals: George Michael; Performer
Arranger: George Michael; Composer
Composer: George Michael; Composer
Lyricist: George Michael; Composer
Producer: George Michael
Steve Brown; Production

6. Love Machine (Instrumental Remix)

by Wham!

Primary Artist: Wham!; Main Performer
Background Vocals: Tony Jackson
George Chandler
George Michael
Jimmy Chambers; Performer
Bass: Dion Estes; Performer
Drums: Trevor Morell
Trevor Morrell; Performer
Guitar: Robert Ahwai
Andrew Ridgeley; Performer
Horn: Raoul .
Colin .
Baps; Performer
Horn Section: Raoul .
Baps
Colin .; Performer
Keyboard: Tommy Eyre; Performer
Percussion: Louis Jardin; Performer
Performer: George Michael
Wham!; Performer
Vocals: George Michael; Performer
Arranger: Linton Ace
George Michael; Composer
Composer: W. Griffin
W. Moore; Composer
Lyricist: W. Griffin
W. Moore; Composer
Engineer: Tony Taverner; Production
Producer: George Michael
Steve Brown; Production

7. Club Tropicana

by Wham!

Bass: Dion Estes; Performer
Primary Artist: Wham!; Main Performer
Drums: Trevor Morell; Performer
Guitar: Andrew Ridgeley; Performer
Horn: Roddy Lorimer
Ian Ritchie; Performer
Horn Section: Roddy Lorimer
Ian Ritchie; Performer
Keyboard: Tommy Eyre; Performer
Percussion: Andy Duncan; Performer
Performer: Wham!
George Michael; Performer
Vocals: George Michael; Performer
Arranger: George Michael
Ritchie .
Michael .; Composer
Composer: Andrew Ridgeley
George Michael
Andrew Ridgely; Composer
Lyricist: Andrew Ridgeley
George Michael
Andrew Ridgely; Composer
Engineer: Tony Taverner; Production
Producer: George Michael
Steve Brown; Production

8. Nothing Looks the Same In the Light

by Wham!

Drums: Trevor Morell; Performer
Primary Artist: Wham!; Main Performer
Performer: Wham!
George Michael; Performer
Vocals: George Michael; Performer
Arranger: George Michael; Composer
Composer: George Michael
G. Michael; Composer
Lyricist: George Michael
G. Michael; Composer
Engineer: Tony Taverner; Production
Producer: George Michael
Steve Brown; Production

9. Come On!

by Wham!

Background Vocals: Stevie Langer
Sylvia Mason
Katie Kassoon; Performer
Primary Artist: Wham!; Main Performer
Bass: Dion Estes; Performer
Drums: Graham Broad; Performer
Guitar: Andrew Ridgeley
Robert Ahwai; Performer
Horn: Colin .
Baps
Raoul .; Performer
Horn Section: Raoul .
Colin .
Baps; Performer
Keyboard: Tommy Eyre; Performer
Percussion: Tony Moroni; Performer
Performer: Wham!
George Michael; Performer
Arranger: George Michael; Composer
Composer: George Michael
G. Michael; Composer
Lyricist: George Michael
G. Michael; Composer
Engineer: Tony Taverner; Production
Producer: George Michael
Steve Brown; Production

10. Young Guns (Go for It!)

by Wham!

Background Vocals: Dee C. Lee
Linda Hayes
Josie James
S. Holliman; Performer
Primary Artist: Wham!; Main Performer
Bass: Brad Lang; Performer
Drums: Graham Broad; Performer
Guitar: Andy Ridgeley
Robert Ahwai; Performer
Horn: Andy Mackintosh
B. Ezard
J. Healey; Performer
Horn Section: B. Ezard
J. Healey
A Mackkintosh; Performer
Keyboard: Anne Dudley; Performer
Performer: Wham!
George Michael; Performer
Vocals: George Michael; Performer
Arranger: George Michael; Composer
Composer: George Michael; Composer
Lyricist: George Michael; Composer
Engineer: Tony Taverner; Production
Producer: George Michael
Steve Brown; Production

11. Nothing Looks the Same In the Light (Instrumental Remix)

by Wham!

Primary Artist: Wham!; Main Performer
Background Vocals: George Michael; Performer
Bass: Dion Estes; Performer
Drums: Trevor Morell; Performer
Guitar: Andrew Ridgeley
Robert Ahwai; Performer
Horn: Raoul .
Colin .
Baps; Performer
Horn Section: Raoul .
Colin .
Baps; Performer
Keyboard: Tommy Eyre; Performer
Percussion: Tony Moroni; Performer
Performer: Wham!; Performer
Vocals: George Michael; Performer
Composer: George Michael
G. Michael; Composer
Lyricist: George Michael
G. Michael; Composer
Producer: George Michael
Steve Brown; Production

Technical Specifications

Volume

1 volume only

Tracks

11 tracks available

Type

ALBUM

Format

Digital Media

Duration

52 minutes and 41 seconds

Explicit

None

Coverart

Available and up to 606x606 px

Booklet

Not available

Max Quality

CD Quality (Lossless)

16bit / 44.1 kHz

Stereo

Audio Extension

Lossless: FLAC, M4A, WAV, WV, AIFF

Lossy: AAC, MP3, M4A, MP4, OGA, OGG, OPUS, WMA

Archive Format

Available in these formats: ZIP, TAR, RAR

Lyrics

All tracks have lyrics

Synchronized Lyrics

8/11 tracks have synced lyrics

Genres

Pop/Rock, Electronic, R&B, Soul, Dance, Disco, Alternative, New Wave, Adult Contemporary, Adult Alternative

Label

Epic

Music Distribution Service

Sony

Country

United Kingdom

Language

English (United States)

Popularity

Release Date

Dec 31, 1982

Track Preview

Available

Delivery Charge

Free

Delivery Method

Digital download link via Email or Personal Dashboard on this site

UPC

5099745009022

Shopping cart

Empty cart

Notification

Fantastic

1. Bad Boys

2. A Ray of Sunshine

3. Love Machine

4. Wham Rap! (Enjoy What You Do?)

5. A Ray of Sunshine (Instrumental Remix)

6. Love Machine (Instrumental Remix)

7. Club Tropicana

8. Nothing Looks the Same In the Light

9. Come On!

10. Young Guns (Go for It!)

11. Nothing Looks the Same In the Light (Instrumental Remix)

Technical Specifications

Empty cart

Fantastic

Product information

Release options

1. Bad Boys

2. A Ray of Sunshine

3. Love Machine

4. Wham Rap! (Enjoy What You Do?)

5. A Ray of Sunshine (Instrumental Remix)

6. Love Machine (Instrumental Remix)

7. Club Tropicana

8. Nothing Looks the Same In the Light

9. Come On!

10. Young Guns (Go for It!)

11. Nothing Looks the Same In the Light (Instrumental Remix)

Technical Specifications