We Are The World 80spopsoulmichael jacksonamerican
"We Are the World" is a song and charity single originally recorded by the supergroup USA for Africa in 1985. It was written by Michael Jackson and Lionel Richie, and co-produced by Quincy Jones and Michael Omartian for the album We Are the World. Following Band Aid's "Do They Know It's Christmas?" project in the UK, an idea for the creation of an American benefit single for African famine relief came from activist Harry Belafonte, who, along with fundraiser Ken Kragen, was instrumental in bringing the vision to reality. Read more on Last.fm.
USA for Africa (United Support of Artists for Africa), was the name under which forty-five U.S. artists, led by Lionel Ritchie, Michael Jackson, and Quincy Jones, recorded the hit single "We Are the World" in 1985. The song was a US and UK Number One for the collective in April of that year. The artists also won the Grammy Award for Record of the Year.
The considerable profits from the enterprise went to the USA for Africa Foundation, which used them for the relief of famine and disease in Africa; critics, however, claim that this money went directly to the (often military) governments of the affected countries rather than the people.
A recording of the live performance was released with the Live Aid DVD set released on November 8 2004.
* Dan Aykroyd
* Harry Belafonte
* Lindsey Buckingham
* Kim Carnes
* Ray Charles
* Mario Cipollina (Huey Lewis & The News)
* Johnny Colla (Huey Lewis & The News)
* Bob Dylan
* Sheila E.
* Bob Geldof
* Bill Gibson (Huey Lewis & The News)
* Hall & Oates
* Sean Hopper (Huey Lewis & The News)
* James Ingram
* Paul Gallacher
* Jermaine Jackson
* Jackie Jackson
* LaToya Jackson
* Marlon Jackson
* Michael Jackson
* Randy Jackson
* Tito Jackson
* Al Jarreau
* Waylon Jennings
* Billy Joel
* Cyndi Lauper
* Huey Lewis
* Kenny Loggins
* Bette Midler
* Willie Nelson
* Jeffrey Osborne
* Steve Perry
* The Pointer Sisters
* Kenny Rogers
* Diana Ross
* Lionel Richie
* Smokey Robinson
* Paul Simon
* Bruce Springsteen
* Tina Turner
* Dionne Warwick
* Stevie Wonder Read more on Last.fm. User-contributed text is available under the Creative Commons By-SA License; additional terms may apply.