George Michael told a BBC radio audience on Thursday that he plans on retiring from the music industry after the release of his upcoming album. But that doesn't mean he won't keep releasing new music.

Michael told interviewer Jo Whiley that he plans to continue releasing new tunes, but will make them available online. The music will be free, or available after a donation to charity.

"I've been very well remunerated as they say for my talents over the years, so I really don't need the public's money," said Michael. "I'd really like to have something on the Internet with charitable donation optional, where anyone can download my music for free. I'll have my favorite charities up there and people will hopefully contribute to that."

Michael said that he expects this move will lower his public profile, since few people will care about him if he's "not making money for someone." He also believes he will enjoy the process of making music much more, once he is not contractually bound to release albums on a pre-determined schedule.

"It takes the pressure off to have a collection of songs every so many years, which is what nearly killed me," said Michael.

Michael shot to fame as one half of the '80s pop duo "Wham." His first solo album, "Faith," was released in 1990 and spun off a number of hit singles.

But his profile has slumped in the United States in the years since, thanks in part to a long-running dispute with Sony/Columbia, which was his label at the time. During the '90s, he released projects on several different labels, including a 1993 set with the remaining members of Queen. He also suffered through a very public arrest in 1998, when an an undercover Beverly Hills, Calif., cop arrested him for "engaging in a lewd act" in a local park bathroom.

Michael's new CD, "Patience," reportedly still doesn't have an American distributor, but will be released in other parts of the world on March 15.