A charity record (also known as a charity single) is a release of a song for a specific charitable cause.
Ex-Beatle George Harrison’s “Bangla Desh” single in 1971 is commonly acknowledged as the first ever purpose-made charity single – in this case to help fund relief efforts following the 1970 Bhola cyclone and the Bangladesh Liberation War. The money raised was donated to UNICEF, as were takings from Harrison’s all-star charity concert (again, the first of its kind) held at Madison Square Garden, New York, and its spin-off live album and concert film. This is one way of using artistic talent as art for charity.
Some of the other early charity records came from the January 1979 Music for UNICEF Concert, with the likes of ABBA’s “Chiquitita” and the Bee Gees’ “Too Much Heaven” released as singles, all the royalties from which went to UNICEF. Band Aid’s “Do They Know It’s Christmas?” in November 1984 began the revolution of the charity record, which would be popularised throughout the 1980s.
In the United States, charity records reached their peak with USA for Africa’s “We Are the World” in 1985, but then essentially died out afterwards. In the United Kingdom, however, charity singles (especially Comic Relief), have become annual hits.
Purpose-made “charity singles” however were not the first charity records. As early as 1956, The Lord’s Taveners released a 78 rpm disc which contained six tracks donated by popular artists at the time. This was made with the gratitude of The Decca Record Company and the entire profits of the record together with the royalties and fees from artists, publishers, etc., were donated to The National Playing Fields Association. This was the first charity record to make the UK charts and reached Number 2. Due to its success, it was followed by a second compilation in 1957.
Notable Charity Singles
1970s
Release Date Title Artists Charity/Cause
Jul 1971 “Bangla Desh” George Harrison UNICEF fund for Bangladesh refugees
Feb 1975 “Santa Never Made It Into Darwin” Bill and Boyd Rebuilding Darwin after Cyclone Tracy devastation
1980s
Release Date Title Artists Charity/Cause
Nov 1984 “Do They Know It’s Christmas?” Band Aid famine in Ethiopia
Dec 1984 “Last Christmas”/”Everything She Wants” Wham! Ethiopian Famine appeal
Mar 1985 “Tears Are Not Enough” Northern Lights famine in Ethiopia
Mar 1985 “We Are the World” USA for Africa famine in Ethiopia
Jun 1985 “One Big Family” Heart of Nashville famine in Ethiopia and Africa
Oct 1985 “Sun City” Artists United Against Apartheid protests/boycotts against apartheid
Nov 1985 “That’s What Friends Are For” Dionne Warwick, Stevie Wonder, Gladys Knight and Elton John American Foundation for AIDS Research
May 1986 “Everybody Wants to Run the World” Tears For Fears Sport Aid
May 1986 “Hands Across America” Voices of America Hands Across America
Dec 1987 “Rockin’ Around The Christmas Tree” Mel & Kim (Mel Smith and Kim Wilde) Comic Relief
Feb 1988 “Man In The Mirror” Michael Jackson Michael Jackson Burn Center, Childhelp, United Negro College Fund
Jul 1988 “Another Part of Me” Michael Jackson Michael Jackson Burn Center, Childhelp
1990s
Release Date Title Artists Charity/Cause
Apr 1990 “Use It Up and Wear It Out” Pat and Mick Capital Radio 1990 Help a London Child
Nov 1991 “Don’t Let the Sun Go Down on Me” George Michael, Elton John 10 charities for AIDS, children and education
Mar 1992 “One” U2 Proceeds going towards AIDS research
Apr 1992 “(I Want To Be) Elected” Smear Campaign (Bruce Dickinson, Rowan Atkinson, Angus Deayton) Comic Relief
Nov 1992 “Heal The World” Michael Jackson Heal the World Foundation
Nov 1995 “Earth Song” Michael Jackson Heal the World Foundation, Environmental Awareness
Sep 1997 “Candle in the Wind 1997″/”Something About The Way You Look Tonight” Elton John Diana, Princess of Wales Memorial Fund
12/1/1999 “It’s Only Rock ‘n Roll (But I Like It)” Various Artists Children’s Promise
2000s
Release Date Title Artists Charity/Cause
Dec 2000 “Never Had a Dream Come True” S Club 7 Children In Need
Dec 2000 “If That Were Me” Melanie C Homeless charity
Sep 2001 “The Star-Spangled Banner” Whitney Houston 9/11 charities
Oct 2001 “What’s Going On” All Star Tribute Artists Against AIDS Worldwide and 9/11 victims
Nov 2001 “Have You Ever” S Club 7 Children In Need
Dec 2001 “Cry” Michael Jackson 9/11 Relief
Nov 2002 “Don’t Let Me Down” Will Young Children In Need
Mar 2004 “Macushla” Bernie Nolan Stllbirth and Neo – Natal Death Society
Dec 2004 “We are the world (Cantonese)” Various Chinese Artists 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake
Feb 2005 “Grief Never Grows Old” One World Project 2004 Asian tsunami relief
Sep 2006 “Guitarists 4 the Kids” Various Artists World Vision Canada
Oct 2007 “Sing” Annie Lennox in collaboration with Madonna and 22 other artists HIV/AIDS organization Treatment Action Campaign
Sep 2008 “Just Stand Up” Mariah Carey, Beyoncé, Mary J. Blige, Rihanna, Fergie, Sheryl Crow, Melissa Etheridge, Natasha Bedingfield, Miley Cyrus, Leona Lewis, Carrie Underwood, Keyshia Cole, LeAnn Rimes, Ashanti, Ciara Stand Up to Cancer
October/November 2008 “Hero” The X Factor Finalists Help for Heroes
Nov 2008 “Follow My Lead” Justin Timberlake, featuring Esmee Denters Shriners Hospitals for Children
Aug 2009 “Send It On” Demi Lovato, Jonas Brothers, Miley Cyrus, Selena Gomez Disney’s Friends for Change
2010s
Release Date Title Artists Charity/Cause
Jan 2010 “Oh Africa” Akon, Keri Hilson Konfidence
Jan 2010 “Together Again” Evanescence 2010 Haiti earthquake relief (United Nations Foundation)
Feb 2010 “We Are the World 25 for Haiti” 70+ artists, including Michael Jackson 2010 Haiti earthquake relief
Feb 2010 “Make a Wave” Demi Lovato and Joe Jonas Disney’s Friends for Change
Mar 2010 “(People of Haiti) 1Radio For Haiti” artists, including all DJ’s from 1radio.org 2010 Haiti earthquake relief (Haiti Hospital Appeal)
Aug 2010 “A Charity Record” Undiscovered Country, Be Black, Sammy Paul, Ellee Ven, Daniel Fern, etc. RAINN
Apr 2011 “Anata ga Iru Kara” Mai Kuraki 2011 Tōhoku earthquake and tsunami relief
Apr 2011 “Ashita e (Live Version)” Misia 2011 Tōhoku earthquake and tsunami relief
Sep 2012 “Ronan” Taylor Swift Stand Up to Cancer
May 2014 “Crystallize” Kylie Minogue One Note Against Cancer
Apr 2015 “Fly” Avril Lavigne Special Olympics
Oct 2015 “I Was Me” Imagine Dragons One4 Project
Dec 2015 “Love Song to the Earth” Paul McCartney, Colbie Caillat, Sean Paul, Natasha Bedingfield, Q’orianka Kilcher, Jon Bon Jovi, Sheryl Crow, Fergie, Leona Lewis, Johnny Rzeznik, Angelique Kidjo, Nicole Scherzinger, Kelsea Ballerini, Krewella, Victoria Justice and others Friends of the Earth and the UN Foundation
Mar 2016 “This Is For My Girls” Zendaya, Missy Elliott, Kelly Rowland, Janelle Monáe, Kelly Clarkson, Chloe & Halle, Jadagrace, Lea Michele Let Girls Learn
Jun 2016 “What the World Needs Now Is Love” Sara Bareilles, Roger Bart, Kristen Bell, Wayne Brady, Matthew Broderick, Michael Cerveris, Gloria Estefan, Sutton Foster, Renée Elise Goldsberry, Joel Grey, Sean Hayes, Heather Headley, Megan Hilty, Bill Irwin, Carole King, Jane Krakowski, Nathan Lane, Zachary Levi, Andrea Martin, Audra McDonald, Idina Menzel, Lin-Manuel Miranda, Brian Stokes Mitchell, Jessie Mueller, Rosie O’Donnell, Kelli O’Hara, Sarah Jessica Parker, Rosie Perez, Bernadette Peters, Billy Porter, Chita Rivera, Lillias White, Marissa Jaret Winokur and BD Wong LGBT Center of Florida
Jul 2016 “Hands” Justin Tranter, Julia Michaels, BloodPop, Britney Spears, Selena Gomez, Mark Ronson, Jennifer Lopez, Gwen Stefani, Kacey Musgraves, Jason Derulo, Meghan Trainor, Juanes, Pink, Mary J. Blige, Halsey, Troye Sivan, Ty Herndon, Dan Reynolds, Adam Lambert, Trans Chorus of Los Angeles, MNEK, Alex Newell, Mary Lambert, Prince Royce, Jussie Smollett, Nate Ruess, RuPaul GLAAD
Jun 2017 “Bridge over Troubled Water” “Artists for Grenfell”: Angel, Anne-Marie, Bastille, Brian May, Carl Barât, Craig David, Deno, Donae’o, Dua Lipa, Ella Eyre, Ella Henderson, Emeli Sandé, Fleur East, Gareth Malone’s All Star Choir, Geri Halliwell, Gregory Porter, James Arthur, James Blunt, Jessie J, Jessie Ware, John Newman, Jon McClure, Jorja Smith, Kelly Jones, Labrinth, Leona Lewis, Liam Payne, London Community Gospel Choir, Louis Tomlinson, Louisa Johnson, Matt Goss, Matt Terry, Mr Eazi, Nathan Skyes, Nile Rodgers, Omar, Paloma Faith, Pixie Lott, Ray BLK, RAYE, Rita Ora, Robbie Williams, Shakka, Stormzy, The Who, Tokio Myers, Tom Grennan, Tony Hadley, Tulisa, WSTRN Victims of the Grenfell Tower fire in North Kensington, London
[wiki] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charity_record
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