“We Are the World” is a 1985 charity single by the supergroup USA for Africa, written by Michael Jackson and Lionel Richie and produced by Quincy Jones to raise money for famine relief in Africa. It became one of the best‑selling singles in history and helped raise tens of millions of dollars for humanitarian aid.

What is “We Are the World”?

  • The we are the world song is a pop charity anthem recorded on January 28, 1985, in Los Angeles by more than 45 major artists, including Lionel Richie, Michael Jackson, Bruce Springsteen, Stevie Wonder, Tina Turner, and Diana Ross.
  • It was released on March 7, 1985, under the name USA for Africa and was intended specifically to support relief efforts during the Ethiopian famine of the mid‑1980s.

Why was it created?

  • The project was inspired by the earlier British–Irish charity single “Do They Know It’s Christmas?”, which raised funds for famine relief and showed how star‑studded songs could mobilize global attention.
  • Activist Harry Belafonte wanted a similar effort led by prominent American—and especially Black—artists, which led to the formation of USA for Africa and the commissioning of the we are the world song from Jackson and Richie.

Recording night: “The Greatest Night in Pop”

  • The entire vocal recording was famously done in one marathon overnight session after the 1985 American Music Awards, with a sign at the studio door telling stars to “check your egos at the door.”
  • The session has become legendary in music history and was the subject of the 2024 Netflix documentary “The Greatest Night in Pop,” which revisits the chaos, coordination, and emotion behind the song’s creation.

Impact, charts, and awards

  • The single sold about 800,000 copies in its first three days, eventually surpassing 7–20 million copies worldwide and ranking among the best‑selling singles ever.
  • It spent four weeks at number one on the Billboard Hot 100, was certified quadruple platinum in the U.S., and won multiple Grammy Awards, including record and song of the year.

Legacy, remakes, and today’s context

  • Funds from the we are the world song are credited with raising more than 60 million dollars for famine relief and related humanitarian projects in Africa, and royalties still support USA for Africa’s work on issues like climate and medical aid.
  • The song has been revisited several times, including an official 35th‑anniversary video shared in 2020 and new critical and nostalgic discussions on YouTube, Reddit, and in documentaries that debate its musical merits, cultural impact, and perceived “cheesiness” in a more ironic modern era.

TL;DR: The we are the world song is a star‑packed 1985 charity single by USA for Africa, written by Michael Jackson and Lionel Richie, that topped charts worldwide and raised tens of millions for African famine relief—and it continues to spark documentaries, forum nostalgia, and critical debate as a defining pop‑charity moment.

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