Professional ratings
Review scores
Source	Rating
AllMusic
Chicago Tribune
Encyclopedia of Popular Music
Entertainment Weekly	B−
Los Angeles Times
Q
Rolling Stone
The Rolling Stone Album Guide
Slant Magazine
The Village Voice	C+

Listen Without Prejudice Vol. 1 is the second solo studio album by the English singer George Michael, released on 3 September 1990.

The album was Michael's final album of all-new material on Columbia Records until 2004's Patience. Disappointing album sales in the US led to Michael's legal battles against Sony Music, in which he accused the corporation of not fully supporting him as an artist.

After the massive success of Michael's 1987 Faith album, the expectations for his follow-up album were also high. In September 1990, Listen Without Prejudice Vol. 1 was released, receiving mixed-to-positive reviews (with the more dance-oriented Vol. 2 ostensibly scheduled to follow in June 1991). The album was a stark departure from the previous LP, with largely acoustic instrumentation and a sombre intensity in many of the lyrics and melodies.

George Michael wanted to be taken more seriously as a songwriter, which resulted in a more thoughtful, often moody recording. The album peaked at number two on the US Billboard 200 chart. The first single released from the album was "Praying for Time", which reached number one on the Billboard Hot 100. The second single "Freedom '90" reached number 8 in the US, and in early spring 1991, "Waiting for That Day" peaked at number 27 in the US. "Mother's Pride" achieved top 40 success outside the US, but received considerable airplay in the States during the Gulf War, despite its not being released as a single.

Even though the album sold eight million copies worldwide, it was viewed as a commercial disappointment in the US, with barely two million in sales, compared to the multi-platinum success of Faith (which had been certified 7× Platinum for seven million sales the year before).

The album is largely devoted to ballads and folk-styled rock songs, although there are a few dance tracks like "Freedom" and "Soul Free". There was also a remix of "Freedom" that incorporated elements of Soul II Soul's "Back to Life", which was released as a twelve-inch single and received a good deal of club play. Like Faith, each track was produced and arranged by Michael himself.

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