Musical Activism: 1980s

Origins Harry Belafonte, a Caribbean American singer with a long record of civil rights activism, had become concerned with the poverty, starvation, and violence in sub-Saharan Africa and helped form the non- profit USA for Africa in The lead singer of the English band Boomtown Rats, Bob Geldof, however, was the first to rally pop artists to the cause. Harry Belafonte, a Caribbean American singer with a long record of civil rights activism, had become concerned with the poverty, starvation, and violence in sub-Saharan Africa and helped form the non- profit USA for Africa in The lead singer of the English band Boomtown Rats, Bob Geldof, however, was the first to rally pop artists to the cause.

Belafonte Belafonte was an early supporter of the Civil Rights Movement in the 1950s and '60s, and one of Martin Luther King, Jr.'s confidants.

Origins Beginning on October 23, 1984, the BBC aired reports by journalist Michael Buerk from Ethiopia where famine had killed over eight million people in the previous two years.

Band-Aid Moved to action, Geldof contacted Ultravox singer Midge Ure, and the two composed the anthem “Do They Know It’s Christmas?” to raise funds for relief. They prodded leading British artists, including Sting, U2, Phil Collins, Boy George, George Michael, and Duran Duran, to record the song as the supergroup Band-Aid in November Moved to action, Geldof contacted Ultravox singer Midge Ure, and the two composed the anthem “Do They Know It’s Christmas?” to raise funds for relief. They prodded leading British artists, including Sting, U2, Phil Collins, Boy George, George Michael, and Duran Duran, to record the song as the supergroup Band-Aid in November 1984.

Bananarama Bob Geldof Culture Club David Bowie Duran Duran Eurythmics Frankie Goes to Hollywood Heaven 17 Human League Bananarama Bob Geldof Culture Club David Bowie Duran Duran Eurythmics Frankie Goes to Hollywood Heaven 17 Human League Kool and the Gang Midge Urge Paul McCartney Paul Young Phil Collins Spandau Ballet Status Quo Sting The Style Council U2 Wham! Kool and the Gang Midge Urge Paul McCartney Paul Young Phil Collins Spandau Ballet Status Quo Sting The Style Council U2 Wham!

David Bowie Phil Collins Paul McCartney U2 Sting David Bowie Phil Collins Paul McCartney U2 Sting

Do They Know It’s Christmas Bob Geldof – He rose to prominence as the lead singer of the Irish rock band The Boomtown Rats in the late 1970s and early 1980s alongside the punk rock movement. Midge Ure – Ure enjoyed particular success in the 1970s and 1980s in bands including Slik, Thin Lizzy, Rich Kids, and Visage, and most notably as frontman of Ultravox.

Do They Know It’s Christmas TrE

USA for Africa Inspired by the British efforts, Belafonte contacted American singer Lionel Ritchie to help in a similar effort among American artists. Ritchie collaborated with Michael Jackson, already a pop icon as a result of Thriller, and producer Quincy Jones in writing the song “We Are the World.” On January 28, 1985, an eclectic group of artists gathered to record the song, including Bob Dylan, Stevie Wonder, Billy Joel, Bruce Springsteen, Kenny Rogers, Paul Simon, Cyndi Lauper, Diana Ross, and Ray Charles. Inspired by the British efforts, Belafonte contacted American singer Lionel Ritchie to help in a similar effort among American artists. Ritchie collaborated with Michael Jackson, already a pop icon as a result of Thriller, and producer Quincy Jones in writing the song “We Are the World.” On January 28, 1985, an eclectic group of artists gathered to record the song, including Bob Dylan, Stevie Wonder, Billy Joel, Bruce Springsteen, Kenny Rogers, Paul Simon, Cyndi Lauper, Diana Ross, and Ray Charles.

“We Are the World” B7Y

Midge Ure on David Bowie’s Influence

Results Sales reached $10.8 million by May 1986, with 90 percent of the proceeds going toward famine relief in Ethiopia, Tanzania, and the Sudan, and 10 percent to organizations providing relief for hunger and homelessness in the United States.

Band-Aid Video TrE

Live-Aid Geldof used the momentum of both Band-Aid and USA for Africa to organize Live Aid, a daylong concert spanning two continents, on July 13, More than 72,000 people crammed into Wembley Stadium in London, with 100,000 more in JFK Stadium in Philadelphia, while an estimated 1.9 million people in 150 nations tuned in to radio or television broadcasts.

The roster of bands included Queen, Elton John, Black Sabbath, David Bowie, Sting, the Who, Paul McCartney, U2, Madonna, Tom Petty, Tina Turner, a Led Zeppelin reunion, and Eric Clapton. Phil Collins managed to play both venues by taking the supersonic Concorde from London to Philadelphia.

The concert raised approximately $283.6 million through ticket and merchandise sales and donations, and inspired other artists to hold similar mega-concerts for charitable causes, such as Amnesty International, in subsequent years.

Queen at Live-Aid V2RQ

Farm-Aid Farm Aid started as a benefit concert held September 22, 1985, in Champaign, Illinois, to raise money for family farmers in the United States. The concert was organized by Willie Nelson, John Mellencamp and Neil Young, spurred on by Bob Dylan's comments at Live Aid earlier in that year that he hoped some of the money would help American farmers in danger of losing their farms through mortgage debt. Farm Aid started as a benefit concert held September 22, 1985, in Champaign, Illinois, to raise money for family farmers in the United States. The concert was organized by Willie Nelson, John Mellencamp and Neil Young, spurred on by Bob Dylan's comments at Live Aid earlier in that year that he hoped some of the money would help American farmers in danger of losing their farms through mortgage debt.

John Mellencamp at Farm-Aid 4Xc