Song

Careless Whisper

George Michael · Make It Big · 1984

low confidence

editorial meaning/overview is present + related listening context is present. Why?

The headline number is a modeled annual revenue range because a specific artist-side split is not available yet.

Modeled artist-side range $450K-$1.4M/year
Gross track revenue Not separated on this page
Ownership context High-level only
Platform signals Listening links only
Last updated May 3, 2026
Careless Whisper by George Michael

Short Answer

How much money does Careless Whisper make?

Careless Whisper by George Michael earns an estimated $450K-$1.4M/year per year from streaming, licensing, and long-tail catalog replay value.

Takeaway: Careless Whisper keeps earning because it still shows up in long-tail streaming, playlist rotation, and broader catalog memory.

This song remains commercially durable because its melody, sax lead, and emotional directness make it instantly recognizable and highly replayable.

Did You Know?

  • Currently ranks around the top 39% of tracked songs by modeled artist-side earnings
  • Released in 1984 and still shows earnings power roughly 42 years later
  • Ranks #1 among 2 tracked songs for George Michael
  • 1 tracks on the linked album page
  • External listening links available
  • low confidence estimate

Why It Still Works

  • Catalog streaming remains the largest recurring revenue driver.
  • Strong cultural memory keeps the song active across playlists and rediscovery.
  • Sync and retrospective use help renew audience demand.

Careless Whisper sits in the top 39% of tracked songs on the site by modeled artist-side earnings.

The song still reads as an evergreen catalog asset roughly 42 years after release.

Last updated: May 3, 2026

How It Compares

Careless Whisper is compared against nearby songs in the catalog based on artist overlap, era, genre, and modeled earnings range.

Song Artist Estimated yearly midpoint
Careless Whisper
current page
George Michael $925,000
Faith
same artist · same genre
George Michael $650,000
No One
same genre · similar earnings band
Alicia Keys $975,000
What's Love Got to Do with It
same era · similar earnings band
Tina Turner $1,050,000

Listen

Preview audio is not available for this song right now.

Amazon Music

More Questions About Careless Whisper

How much did Careless Whisper make in total?

Careless Whisper does not have a public lifetime total, so this page stays focused on modeled annual earnings instead of claiming an audited career total.

How much does Careless Whisper make per stream?

Careless Whisper does not have a single public per-stream rate because payouts vary by platform, territory, subscription tier, and contract structure. The estimate here is modeled from aggregate streaming, licensing, and catalog behavior instead.

Who owns Careless Whisper?

Careless Whisper by George Michael is modeled from the best available catalog and platform signals, but the exact master and publishing splits are not fully public.

Show ownership and assumptions

Careless Whisper by George Michael is modeled from the best available catalog and platform signals, but the exact master and publishing splits are not fully public.

Supporting Revenue Context

Catalog streaming remains the largest recurring revenue driver.
Strong cultural memory keeps the song active across playlists and rediscovery.
Sync and retrospective use help renew audience demand.
Lifetime estimateThe strongest catalog songs can continue to earn for many years if they remain easy to place, easy to remember, and easy to replay.

Modeled top-line estimate

The headline number is a modeled annual revenue range because a specific artist-side split is not available yet.

  • Gross track revenue is not shown separately here, so the page emphasizes the best available directional estimate.
  • Ownership context is incomplete here, so the estimate should be treated as directional rather than contract-precise.
  • All figures are annual modeled ranges based on streaming behavior, cultural replay value, sync potential, and available ownership information, not public royalty statements.

Read the full site methodology.

More Context

Related Albums

  • Faith · George Michael · 1987
  • 25 · Adele · 2015
  • 21 · Adele · 2011

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