Rocktrospectiva: The Formidable "Music From The Edge Of Heaven" Turns 40

Released on 21 June 1986 in Japan and 27 June in the USA, "Music From The Edge Of Heaven" was  the third and final studio album by the English pop duo Wham!. The album spawned the singles "Last Christmas", "I'm Your Man", "A Different Corner", "The Edge Of Heaven" & "Where Did Your Heart Go?".

Between 1982 and 1985, the pop duo Wham! had released two studio albums, and enjoyed a string of success, with three of their singles reaching number one on the UK singles chart. With the known desire of George Michael to move into a more adult market, Wham! announced in early 1986 that Michael and his musical partner Andrew Ridgeley would go their separate ways after a farewell single, album, and a concert.

Issued just one day before the duo’s farewell concert at London’s Wembley Stadium, the record arrived at a pivotal moment as one of the biggest pop acts of the 1980s prepared to end its run at the height of its success. Forty years on, Music From The Edge Of Heaven provided a capture of a band in transition, with George Michael already looking beyond the duo towards a more mature solo career. The album featured four tracks recorded specifically for the farewell project: The Edge Of Heaven, Battlestations, Wham! Rap ’86 and Where Did Your Heart Go?. Several of those songs also appeared on The Final, 

A notable inclusions was "A Different Corner," a song credited to George Michael alone and widely regarded as an early indicator of the direction he would pursue as a solo artist. The album version featured an introduction unavailable on most other releases. Another curiosity was a specially edited version of "I'm Your Man," adapted from the Extended Stimulation Mix and featuring a newly recorded spoken bridge.

Another highlight was "Blue (Live In China)," captured during the duo's historic 1985 visit to China. That performance became particularly significant because it represented the only appearance of the recording on CD. Completing the collection was the Pudding Mix version of Last Christmas, a track that has since become one of the most enduring festive recordings in popular music.

Wham! had already achieved extraordinary commercial success. Formed in 1981 the duo emerged from the British pop explosion of the early MTV era and became one of the defining acts of the decade. Their debut album Fantastic topped the UK chart in 1983, while 1984’s Make It Big transformed them into global superstars. Wham! sold more than 30 million records worldwide and became one of the most recognisable British pop exports of the 1980s. The group also made history beyond the charts. In April 1985, Wham! became the first Western pop group to perform in China, an event widely viewed as a significant cultural moment during a period of increasing engagement between China and the West. Material from those performances would later find its way onto Music From The Edge Of Heaven through Blue (Live In China).

By early 1986, plans were already in place for a farewell single, farewell album and farewell concert. Michael later described the split as an effort to leave while the group was still at its commercial peak. That farewell culminated on 28 June 1986 when 72,000 fans attended The Final at Wembley Stadium. Supported by guests including Elton John and Simon Le Bon, the concert closed one of the most successful chapters in British pop history. Just days later, The Final compilation album was released in Europe, while Music From The Edge Of Heaven remained the principal farewell album for North American audiences.

 

Music From The Edge Of Heaven Track List: 

 

Hot Side: 

 

1. The Edge Of Heaven

2. Battlestations

3. I'm Your Man

4. Wham! Rap '86

 

Cool Side

 

5. A Different Corner

6. Blue /Live In China)

7. Where Did Your Heart Go?

8. Last Christmas (Pudding Mix)