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These Photos of George Michael Show The Performer's Undeniable Star Power & Sex Appeal

The world lost an artist this Christmas. Performer George Michael died at his home in Oxfordshire, England on Sunday, reportedly due to heart failure, at the age of 53. Michael was a truly special performer — from his early years with Wham! to his iconic solo work of the Faith era to his sensational tours of the early 2000's. While his personal struggles with addiction and his tangles with the law often threatened to overshadow his art, in photos of George Michael, the camera made clear that the performer was undeniably a star.

His music was electric and his presence indisputably sexy. In the music video for "Faith," he swivels his hips like a latter day Elvis. In the music video for "Freedom," which, sidenote, may be the greatest music video of all time, Michael's chiseled features are no less gorgeous than those of his costars, Linda Evangelista, Christy Turlington, Naomi Campbell, and Cindy Crawford. Whether he was wearing bleached hair and knit sweaters on a Wham! album cover or a leather jacket and cross earring in a '90s performance, George Michael looked gooooood. And he made us feel good, too. On that note, feast your eyes on some parting shots of this pop icon looking fierce, fun, and seriously fine.

It doesn't get more '80s than the cover of Wham!'s second album, which reached #1 on the U.S. singles charts.

Except for maybe the cover of Wham!'s second album.

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It would be impossible to beat this look of fingerless yellow gloves from the "Wake Me Up Before You Go Go" music video.

Gone were the pastels for Michael's debut solo album. Black leather and pierced ear required, shirt optional.

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And in the album art for the "Freedom" single, off the album Listen Without Prejudice, it's all about that those lips and that jaw and those eyes. No wonder the greatest supermodels of the era were willing to get naked for him.

Michael's Best of album brought with it some interesting facial hair.

Even when attending court proceedings for his legal troubles (which ranged from drug possession to public sex, Michael didn't break his rock star character,

And in his later performances, he was still a forceful presence. The artist will live on for his anthemic music, his unabashed sexuality, and his perpetual swagger.