Live Aid: 40 Years of Music and Humanitarian Impact

London, England – This month marks the 40th anniversary of Live Aid, a massive concert that united the world to combat famine in Ethiopia. On July 13, 1985, music legends such as Queen, U2, Madonna, and David Bowie performed on stages in London and Philadelphia. The event reached an estimated 2 billion television viewers.

Live Aid was created by musicians Bob Geldof and Midge Ure to raise awareness and funds for the famine in Ethiopia showcased by media reports in 1984. They organized the concert after being moved by indelible images of suffering shared on television.

“There’s no question in Washington some people felt we shouldn’t provide aid,” said Peter McPherson, former USAID administrator, in a new CNN documentary about the event. Geldof and Ure aimed to turn that perception around and mobilize music fans across the globe.

Viewers contributed over $100 million during the concert, drawn in by performances like Queen’s “Radio Ga Ga.” The massive outpouring of support kicked off a series of humanitarian efforts that continued over the decades.

This legacy is explored in a recent docuseries titled LIVE AID: When Rock ‘N’ Roll Took on the World which premiered on July 13. The documentary features interviews with Geldof, Ure, and other key figures, detailing the impact and outreach of Live Aid.

The docuseries highlights how artists became advocates for change, urging governments to address global poverty. Ure reflected on the event saying, “We were showing governments the way and embarrassing them into having to do something.”

The anniversary also coincides with a new Broadway-style musical, Just for One Day: The Live Aid Musical, which opened in London’s West End. A portion of its profits will support the Band Aid Trust’s ongoing humanitarian efforts.

In an interview, musician Howard Jones recalled his emotional performance at Wembley Stadium and the collective hope Live Aid inspired. “It was a most amazing feeling of being supported by this huge population,” he said.

As discussions about international aid continue, the significance of Live Aid remains potent. Bob Ferguson from Oxfam America emphasized that the impact of the concert is crucial in today’s context. “So many humanitarian aid projects are essential, and I wouldn’t have interest in that if it wasn’t for my early understandings starting with Live Aid,” Ferguson said.

Advocacy efforts sparked by Live Aid have influenced initiatives like Obama’s Power Africa and George W. Bush’s PEPFAR program, continuing the mission to address global crises.