Andrew Ridgeley's Financial Rhythm: A Deep Dive into His Impressive Net Worth

Andrew Ridgeley is a renowned British singer, songwriter, and record producer. The 60-year-old star gained prominence primarily for his contributions during the 1980s as part of the iconic musical duo Wham!

What is Andrew Ridgeley's Net Worth?

Andrew Ridgeley, the English singer, songwriter, and producer, has a net worth of $40 million. He is famous for being one part of the '80s sensation, Wham!, alongside his friend George Michael. Wham! sold over 35 million records globally. 

Starting in 1981, Wham! became a huge success worldwide. Their first album, "Fantastic," topped the UK charts in 1983 and had many popular songs. Their catchy tunes, cool music videos, and lively performances made them a hit. 

Andrew Ridgeley Career Highlights

Following the dissolution of The Executive, a brief musical venture involving Andrew Ridgeley, his brother Paul, and Michael, the duo of Michael and Ridgeley came together to form Wham! in 1981. In this collaboration, Michael took on the role of lead vocalist, primary songwriter, and keyboard player, while Ridgeley contributed by co-writing songs, playing the guitar, and providing backing vocals. 

Their journey began by presenting a homemade demo tape, recorded in Ridgeley's living room in just ten minutes, to various record labels. Eventually, they inked a deal with Innervision Records (distributed by CBS Records). After releasing one album under this label, the duo switched to Epic Records/CBS. 

Wham!

Between 1982 and 1986, Wham! became a huge success worldwide, selling over 35 million records. They made their first appearance in the U.S. on Dick Clark's American Bandstand, and they're the only British act from the '80s to have three No. 1 singles in both the UK and the US.  

In 1984, Andrew Ridgeley had surgery on his nose to help him breathe better. There was some confusion in the media about why he had bandages on his face. Their manager made up a story that Ridgeley got hurt in a nightclub, but it turned out to be from the surgery.  

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During the same year, Wham! competed with Duran Duran to be the biggest pop act in Britain. To get more attention, their manager planned a big publicity stunt - they went to China, becoming the first Western pop group to perform there. 

In 1985, Ridgeley performed at the Live Aid charity concert, but he also gained a reputation in the tabloids as a wild party-goer, earning nicknames like "Animal Andy" and "Randy Andy." There were reports of him causing trouble at events.  

The following year, their song "The Edge of Heaven" became their last No. 1 single in the UK. As George Michael wanted to explore a different music direction, the duo had a final concert called "The Final" at Wembley Stadium in 1986, marking the end of Wham! 

After Wham! 

Right after the band broke up, Andrew Ridgeley moved to Monaco to try car racing in Formula Three. But that didn't work out well, so he headed to Los Angeles to try acting. Eventually, in 1990, he came back to Britain for good.  

CBS Records, which had a deal for solo albums from both Michael and Ridgeley after Wham!, released Ridgeley's solo album called "Son of Albert" in 1990. His brother Paul played drums on it. 

The album's first single, "Shake," did okay in Australia and the UK, but the album didn't sell well or get good reviews. Because of this, CBS didn't go for a second album. Andrew was pretty disappointed about how it all turned out.  

In 1991, Ridgeley joined Michael on stage in Rio de Janeiro for a few songs during his concert. Since 1991, Andrew has mostly avoided being in the spotlight. However, in 2005, he appeared in a documentary about George Michael's life and also was on a BBC 2 program in 1994.  

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In 2005, there were talks of a Wham! reunion for Live 8, but Andrew reportedly backed out at the last minute. In 2012, Michael said there was no truth to rumors about a reunion for the group's 30th anniversary.  

In 2019, Ridgeley had a small role in the movie "Last Christmas," which featured a lot of Wham! songs. 

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