#38: George Michael
Year They Came Out of the Closet: 1998
George Michael, an iconic figure of the MTV era, came out as gay in 1998 and became a staunch advocate for LGBT rights and supporter of HIV/AIDS charities. Despite his immense talent, his personal life made headlines in the late 1990s and early 2000s due to drug use and legal troubles, including a 1998 arrest for public lewdness and later drug-related offenses.

This period marked a downturn, yet he chronicled his struggles and successes in the 2005 documentary A Different Story. After a triumphant recovery, Michael performed his final concert in London in 2012. Tragically, he was found dead at his home in Goring-on-Thames, Oxfordshire, on December 25, 2016.