Pop star George Michael, whose latest tour has experienced slow initial ticket sales, said recently he is retiring from touring, to seek a “quieter life” away from the public eye.

In an interview with the BBC, Michael said, “Mainly the reason is because I’m 45 and I think pop music should be about youth culture. It shouldn’t be an endurance test.”

Michael has spent the last 20 months on a 49-date world tour, followed by a 30-date stadium leg celebrating his 25th year in music. Michael is coming to North America for the first time in 17 years on June 17 for a seven-week tour, but ticket sales have thus far been sluggish considering his stature in pop music and the number of years he has been away from U.S. stages. The 22-date tour concludes August 3 in Sunrise, FL.

The singer is just one of several 1980s superstars to return to concert touring in the last two years, including The Police, Van Halen and Genesis. By comparison, ticket sales for fellow pop star Neil Diamond’s latest tour have been solid.

TFL and ATBS for ticketing professionals

To mark the end of his 25th anniversary tour, Michael will perform two special, filmed concerts on August 24 and 25 at Earls Court in London, billed as “The Final Two.” The Final Two concerts are a nod to his 1986 sold out Wembley Stadium show, “The Final” with Andrew Ridgeley when he closed the book on his former band Wham!

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