George Michael Defied Expectations After 1998 Arrest

The tributes to George Michael are pouring in, as are stories about his legacy on and off the stage. A sampling:

• Tim Teeman at the Daily Beast recounts how Michael defied expectations with his response to a 1998 arrest for lewd behavior and became an LGBT hero. He did so in "shockingly brash and unapologetic" fashion.
• "For him, every hit meant a radical revision of who he was and what he stood for," writes Rob Sheffield at Rolling Stone. Read why he was a "true pop visionary" here.
• GQ resurrects an interview from 2004 in which Michael talks about beating his addictions and depression and being outed as gay in the 1990s. Read it in full here.

• A fan of "Carpool Karaoke?" Michael was the very first participant, and you can thank him for helping make it popular. See CNN.
• Mashable collects anecdotes about his acts of kindness here.
• The Guardian explains how an early record deal dispute and that infamous arrest sullied his impression of America.
• Digital streams of his music have "gone galactic" since the news broke, and TMZ has the specifics here.
• Entertainment Weekly has "10 essential" songs, with links to videos here.
• A critic at Billboard counts down his 15 best here.
• Bustle collects his best quotes, including thoughts on his sexuality and stardom here.

Check out a 1992 video that also features David Bowie. (More George Michael stories.)