Older is the third studio album by the English singer-songwriter George Michael, released on 13 May 1996 in Europe by Virgin Records and Aegean Records one day later in the United States. The American release was the first album released by DreamWorks Records. It was Michael's first studio album since 1990's Listen Without Prejudice Vol. 1 – the five-and-a-half-year gap was due to the legal battle that Michael experienced with his former record company Sony Music. Michael dedicated three years to the recording of Older, and the album found him exploring new musical territories in a more serious fashion compared to his previous work. At the time of release, the album was a huge commercial hit, particularly in Europe, but was received in America with lukewarm critical approval.[1] In the UK, the album was particularly notable for producing a record six top three hit singles in a two-year span.[2] The high sales of the album presaged a re-issue of the album under the name of Older & Upper 18 months after its original release