It was 1984, and news of the devastating famine in Ethiopia was weighing heavily on the minds of anyone with a heart.
If the reaction to Band Aid's charity hit ‘Do They Know It's Christmas’ that December proved anything, it’s that people genuinely cared.
The single raised a whopping 8 million pounds for famine relief upon its initial release in the UK.
Inspired by this, American singer and activist Harry Belafonte wanted to show the United States’ solidarity with the cause, and help boost more donations to the pot, with another charity song.
He recruited the help of the legendary Quincy Jones and the King of Pop, Michael Jackson, who would go on to co-write the proposed track with Lionel Richie.
What ensued in 1985 was the record-breaking collaboration, USA for Africa’s ‘We Are the World’.
More than 40 of America’s biggest names in music gathered in the booth to create the hit track. Stevie Wonder, Diana Ross, Ray Charles, Bruce Springsteen, Billy Joel, and Bob Dylan, just to name a few.
They had set aside any potential differences and rivalries to change lives and make music history.
The song sold more than 20 million copies, became the first record to go multi-Platinum - four times - and helped raise more than $60 million for famine relief.
Sure, some called it sappy, but nobody could deny the impact ‘We Are the World’ had.
It was a true reminder of the unifying power of music and its ability to foster a sense of humanity.
Will the world ever see a collaboration like it again?
