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We Are the World - History | | We Are the World - History: Encyclopedia II - We Are the World - History | | Harry Belafonte initiated the idea for a fundraising effort. His manager, Ken Kragen, suggested the multi-artist approach, inspired by the success of the British supergroup Band Aid and their 1984 fundraising single "Do They Know It's Christmas?".
The performers gathered at A&M Recording Studios in Hollywood, California, on January 28, 1985. Kragen selected the night of the American Music Awards to ensure as many artists as possible could attend. Jones famously advised them, in his written invitation, to "check your egos at the do ...
See also:We Are the World, We Are the World - History, We Are the World - Lyrics, We Are the World - Spoofs, We Are the World - Cover versions, We Are the World - Musicians at the original recording session, We Are the World - Lead vocalists, We Are the World - Complete list of vocalists, We Are the World - Instrumentalists | | | We Are the World, We Are the World - Complete list of vocalists, We Are the World - Cover versions, We Are the World - History, We Are the World - Instrumentalists, We Are the World - Lead vocalists, We Are the World - Lyrics, We Are the World - Musicians at the original recording session, We Are the World - Spoofs | | |
| | | We Are the World: Encyclopedia II - We Are the World - History
We Are the World - History
Harry Belafonte initiated the idea for a fundraising effort. His manager, Ken Kragen, suggested the multi-artist approach, inspired by the success of the British supergroup Band Aid and their 1984 fundraising single "Do They Know It's Christmas?".
The performers gathered at A&M Recording Studios in Hollywood, California, on January 28, 1985. Kragen selected the night of the American Music Awards to ensure as many artists as possible could attend. Jones famously advised them, in his written invitation, to "check your egos at the door." In all, 45 musicians attended the recording session, including Bob Geldof, who had arranged the Band Aid effort in the United Kingdom. Lead vocals were rotated among 21 of the performers, including Lionel Richie, Michael Jackson, Tina Turner, Billy Joel, Bob Dylan and Bruce Springsteen.
Columbia Records donated their manufacturing and distribution costs to the effort. "We Are the World" hit stores on Tuesday, March 7, 1985, and all 800,000 copies sold out before the end of the weekend. It debuted on the Billboard Hot 100 chart at #21. On April 5 (Good Friday in that year), more than 5,000 radio stations played the song at the same time. It became the United States' #1 single on April 13 and held the position for 4 weeks.
The song went on to win 1985 Grammys for Song of the Year, Record of the Year and Best Pop Performance by a Duo or Group.
Ultimately, the single sold 7.5 million copies in the US. It was released on an album, USA for Africa: We Are the World, which sold over 3 million copies. In addition to "We Are the World," the album included songs by Prince, Springsteen, Turner and other artists. It also included another famine relief fundraising song, "Tears Are Not Enough", which was performed by Canadian supergroup Northern Lights.
Including revenues from the single, the album, the video and related merchandise, "We Are the World" raised about $50 million for famine relief.
Other related archives1984, 1985, 2005, A&M Recording Studios, Al Jarreau, American Music Awards, April 13, April 5, Band Aid, Best Pop Performance by a Duo or Group, Bette Midler, Billboard, Billy Joel, Bob Dylan, Bob Geldof, Bruce Springsteen, Canadian, Columbia Records, Cyndi Lauper, Dan Aykroyd, Daryl Hall, Diana Ross, Dionne Warwick, Do They Know It's Christmas?, Ethiopia, Good Friday, Grammys, Harry Belafonte, Hollywood, California, Huey Lewis, Huey Lewis and the News, Jackie Jackson, James Ingram, January 18, January 24, January 28, Jeffrey Osborne, John Oates, Kenny Loggins, Kenny Rogers, Kim Carnes, LaToya Jackson, Lindsey Buckingham, Lionel Richie, March 7, Marlon Jackson, Married . . . with children, Matthew, Michael Jackson, New York City, Northern Lights, Paul Simon, Pop-Up Video, Prince, Quincy Jones, Radio Bart, Randy Jackson, Ray Charles, Record of the Year, Saturday Night Live, Sheila E., Simpsons, Smokey Robinson, Song of the Year, South Asian tsunami, Steve Burguiere, Steve Perry, Stevie Wonder, Tears Are Not Enough, The Pointer Sisters, Tina Turner, Tito Jackson, USA for Africa, USA for Indonesia, VH-1, WQHT-FM, Waylon Jennings, Willie Nelson, bass, charity single, drums, famine relief, keyboards, parody, percussion, programming, radio stations, supergroup, synthesizers
 Adapted from the Wikipedia article "History", under the G.N U Free Docmentation License. Please also see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki |
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