Older

Older was released on 13 May 1996 by Virgin and Aegean in Europe and, a day later, by DreamWorks in the US, where it was the label's first album. It was Michael's first studio album in five and a half years, a gap caused by the legal battle with Sony, and he spent two years recording it. The sound is more organic than before, with brass and strings and a jazz flavor, and Michael was inspired by the Brazilian composer Antonio Carlos Jobim. Jon Douglas co-wrote Spinning the Wheel with Michael and co-wrote and produced Fastlove. The album is dedicated to Jobim and to Anselmo Feleppa. Michael told Oprah Winfrey it was a tribute to Feleppa.

In the UK it debuted at number one with 281,000 copies in its first week, was certified six-times platinum and sold more than 1.8 million copies. All six of its singles reached the British top three, a record for one album. They were Jesus to a Child, Fastlove, Spinning the Wheel, Older, Star People '97 and You Have Been Loved. In the US it peaked at number six. Paul Moody of NME gave it 9 out of 10, while David Browne of Entertainment Weekly called it tentative and bland. In 1996 Michael was named Best British Male at the MTV Europe Awards and the Brits, and he won the Ivor Novello Songwriter of the Year award for a third time. A remastered, expanded edition in September 2022 reached number two in the UK.