We Are the World by USA for Africa: meaning, release, credits and chart history

We Are the World is a charity single by USA for Africa, released in 1985. It was written by Lionel Richie and Michael Jackson and produced by Quincy Jones and Michael Omartian. The song was created to raise funds for famine relief in Ethiopia during 1983–1985, which killed about one million people. It was released on March 7, 1985, in both 7-inch and 12-inch formats. The single is categorized as pop music and gospel music. It was the only track released from the album We Are the World. The song reached number one on the U.S. R&B singles chart, the Hot Adult Contemporary Tracks chart, and the Billboard Hot 100. It debuted at number 21 on the Hot 100 and rose to number one in four weeks. It was the only number one single on the Hot 100 for several artists including Bob Dylan, Bruce Springsteen, and Harry Belafonte. The song received mixed reviews; American journalist Greil Marcus described it as sounding like a Pepsi jingle. The song sold over 20 million physical copies and is the eighth-best-selling single of all time. The project was initiated by Harry Belafonte, who planned to donate proceeds to United Support of Artists for Africa (USA for Africa). Ken Kragen, an entertainment manager, helped organize the recording session, which brought together artists such as Stevie Wonder, Paul Simon, Cyndi Lauper, Bruce Springsteen, and Tina Turner. The song was released by Epic Records, Columbia Records, and Sony Music. The lyrics are sung from a first-person viewpoint, allowing listeners to internalize the message through the repeated phrase 'we'. The song's theme is global unity in response to humanitarian crisis, with a mood of collective responsibility and hope. The writing process took place the night before the first recording session on January 28, 1985. Quincy Jones took time off from his work on The Color Purple to produce the song. The song was released as a single and became a chart success worldwide. The song's success was notable for its rapid rise to number one on the Hot 100, which took only four weeks, half the usual time for a single to reach the top.

We Are the World at a glance

• Artist: USA for Africa
• Album: We Are the World
• Release date: March 7, 1985
• Genre: pop music, gospel music, charity record

What the song is about

The song expresses a call for global unity in response to a humanitarian crisis. It emphasizes collective responsibility and hope, with a mood of shared purpose and solidarity.

How it was made