Charity supergroup
To raise funds or awareness for charities or causes which they support, musicians may sometimes form groups often known as charity supergroups. While all-star membership in these groups may suggest that they are supergroups, they are usually together only for a single album, show, or single. Also, the primary objective of these groups are not record sales or profit for the musicians, but a more humanitarian goal such as supporting a non-profit organization. Some of the most notable charity supergroups include 1984's Band Aid, featuring Bono, Phil Collins and Sting, which recorded "Do They Know Its Christmas?" to support famine relief in Ethiopia, and 1985's USA for Africa, which featured such stars as Michael Jackson and Lionel Richie, which recorded "We are the World". However, the concept dates back to at least 1971 when George Harrison and Ravi Shankar organized The Concert for Bangladesh, and a subsequent album and film, to support UNICEF relief efforts in that country.
List of Notable Charity Supergroups
Founded | Band/project name | Project co-ordinator(s) | Notes |
---|---|---|---|
1971 | The Concert for Bangladesh |
concert to raise awareness of refugee problems in Bangladesh, raised funds to benefit UNICEF relief fund, released a film of the concert and an album, The Concert for Bangla Desh | |
1979 | Rockestra |
recorded "Let It Be", "Lucille", "Rockestra Theme", and "So Glad to See You Here" at the Concerts for the People of Kampuchea, to benefit people of Cambodia suffering from Pol Pot's regime; released as a promotional EP and film | |
1983 | ARMS Charity Concert |
concert at Royal Albert Hall to support multiple sclerosis research | |
1984 | Band Aid | recorded "Do They Know It's Christmas?" charity single for famine relief in Ethiopia | |
1985 | Deep End |
|
recorded "Deep End Live!" |
1985 | Northern Lights | recorded the charity single "Tears Are Not Enough" for famine relief in Ethiopia | |
1985 | USA for Africa | recorded "We Are the World" charity single for famine relief in Ethiopia | |
1985 | Hermanos | recorded "Cantaré,_cantarás" charity single for famine relief in Ethiopia | |
1985 | YU Rock Misija (Yugoslav Rock Mission) |
|
recorded "Za Milion Godina (For Million Years)" contribution of the former Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia to the famous Bob Geldof's Band Aid famine relief campaign |
1985 | Hear 'n Aid | recorded the charity single and album "Stars" for famine relief in Africa | |
1985 | Artists United Against Apartheid | recorded the song and album "Sun City" to protest apartheid in South Africa | |
1985/1986 | Dionne and Friends | Recorded the song "That's What Friends Are For" as a charity single for the United Kingdom in 1985 and the United States in 1986 for American Foundation for AIDS Research. | |
1986 | Dance Aid | Recorded the song "Give Give Give" as a charity single for the United Kingdom in 1986. | |
1987 | Ferry Aid |
|
Recorded the song "Let it Be" as a charity single following the Zeebrugge disaster |
1989 | Band Aid II | re-recording of "Do They Know It's Christmas?" charity single, also for famine relief in Ethiopia | |
1991 | Voices That Care | recording of "Voices That Care" charity single, also for U.S. troops involved in Operation Desert Storm, as well as supporting the International Red Cross organization | |
2001 | Artists Against Aids Worldwide | recorded several cover versions of "What's Going On" to benefit AIDS programs in Africa and other impoverished regions, with a portion of the proceeds going to the American Red Cross' September 11 fund | |
2004 | Band Aid 20 | re-recording of "Do They Know It's Christmas?" 20th anniversary charity single, for famine relief in Ethiopia | |
2005 | The North American Hallowe'en Prevention Initiative (NAHPI) | an all star cast of rock artists recorded a satire of the song "Do They Know It's Christmas" named Do They Know It's Hallowe'en?, all proceeds being donated to UNICEF. | |
2005 | One World Project | recorded the charity single "Grief Never Grows Old" to benefit 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami relief | |
2008 | SU2C Stand Up 2 Cancer telethon | recorded the charity single "Just Stand Up" to benefit the Stand Up To Cancer telethon. | |
2010 | Artists for Haiti | Recorded "We Are the World 25 for Haiti", a remake of the original "We Are the World", to benefit the people of Haiti after the 2010 earthquake. | |
2010 | Young Artists for Haiti | Canadian singers and musicians who recorded K'naan's song "Wavin' Flag" to benefit the people of Haiti after the 2010 earthquake. | |
2011 | WhoCares | Raising funds to support the rebuilding of a music school in Gyumri, Armenia.[1][2] | |
2011 | BackBone |
|
Singers and Musicians on The Celebrity Apprentice 4, all proceeds from their songs go to their respective charities that they chose on the show.[3] |
In popular culture
In the Simpsons episode "Radio Bart," a charity supergroup, including Krusty the Clown and guest star Sting, perform "We're Sending Our Love Down the Well."
An episode of Futurama had Bender playing with Beck in a mock concert named "Bend-Aid".