When it comes to music, the UK has punched well above its weight for over half a century. The Beatles revolutionised the idea of how a pop band should sound, and cultural chameleons such as David Bowie melded the avant-garde and the mainstream in ways that still resonate today.

But the most successful British pop artist of all time isn't Bowie, or Sir Paul McCartney, or even stadium rockers Queen.

Despite strong competition from the likes of Sir Elton John and Adele, George Michael has been named the UK's most popular music artist with an incredible 20 entries in Smooth Radio's All Time Top 500 list.

George occupies the top two slots on the list of the nation's favourite 500 tunes, with his worldwide hit "Careless Whisper" voted as the No 1 favourite track for the eighth year in a row.

The first idea for Careless Whisper, with its unforgettable saxophone hook played by session musician Steve Gregory, first came to George when he was 17, and working as a DJ at the the Bel Air restaurant near Bushey in Hertfordshire.

George told how he was inspired by a girl he met at an ice rink and worked on ideas for the song for three months, humming the various parts as he took the bus to work.

The sing's final form came together when George's best friend and musical partner Andrew Ridgeley showed him a chord sequence on the white Fender Telecaster he had been given for his 18th birthday.

In his book Wham! George & Me, Andrew describes the moment when inspiration struck: "'What do you make of this?' I said working through the chords.

"He looked at me, a little surprised. 'Oh my God, Andy. That goes perfectly with an idea I've had going round and round in my head! Play it again... I carried on playing with [George] singing what would later become the haunting saxophone melody. Through an extraordinary coincidence our separate ideas complemented each other perfectly."

The pair made a basic demo of the song in 1981, and a second recording made the following year for the then princely sum of £200. But even though Careless Whisper had been part of the demo tape that won Wham! their record deal the track wasn't released commercially until it was included on the band's second album in 1984.

Released as a solo single for George in July of that year, Careless Whisper hit the number one spot two weeks later, remaining there for three weeks and going to to become the UK's fifth-best-selling single that year. The top seller, unsurprisingly, was the all-star "Do They Know It's Christmas?" by Band Aid.

But George's romantic ballad seems to have had the staying power that other big sellers of that year, such as Stevie Wonder's I Just Called to Say I Love You and the two Frankie Goes To Hollywood chart-toppers Relax and Two Tribes seem to have lacked.

George is also at No.2 in Smooth Radio's chart with A Different Corner. Smooth Radio presenter Kate Garraway said: "It's fantastic that George Michael's music and legacy shine as brightly as ever, with 'Careless Whisper' voted the No 1 song and George Michael named the most popular artist.

"It's a fitting tribute to one of the greatest artists of all time. And what makes these results even more exciting is seeing singers like Sir Elton John and Whitney Houston, and groups such as Queen and Abba, connecting with a whole new generation."

1. Careless Whisper - George Michael [1984]

2. A Different Corner - George Michael [1986]

3. Bohemian Rhapsody - Queen [1975]

4. Man in the Mirror - Michel Jackson [1988]

5. Bridge Over Troubled Water - Simon & Garfunkel [1970]

6. Billie Jean - Michael Jackson [1983]

7. Don't Let The Sun Go Down On Me - Elton John & George Michael [1991]

8. Human Nature - Michael Jackson [1983]

9. Dance With My Father - Luther Vandross [2004]

10. Running Up That Hill - Kate Bush [1985]

11. Wind Beneath My Wings - Bette Midler [1988]

12. Father Figure - George Michael [1987]

13. Always On My Mind - Elvis Presley [1972]

14. Hotel California - Eagles [1976]

15. Jesus to a Child - George Michael [1994]

16. Dancing Queen - ABBA [1976]

17. (Everything I do) I do it for you - Bryan Adams [1991]

18. Suspicious Minds - Elvis Presley [1969]

19. I Will Always Love You - Whitney Houston [1992]

20. Fastlove - George Michael [1996]