More than 40 music stars recorded the charity single "We Are the World" on 28 January 1985, selling over seven million copies and raising more than $80 million for famine relief in Ethiopia. The song was penned by Lionel Richie and Michael Jackson and produced by Quincy Jones, cementing its place as an iconic call for aid.
Since that launch, USA for Africa has raised over $100 million through broader fundraising, channeling aid into poverty alleviation, hunger relief and long‑term development across Africa and the United States.
In the two years following the single, the organisation partnered with InterAction, a U.S. NGO consortium, to focus on recovery and development. Later, it shifted emphasis toward strengthening local capacity, supporting African NGOs, farmer groups, women and youth associations.
To mark the 40th anniversary, USA for Africa announced a remastered release of the 1985 recording in Spatial Audio and high‑resolution formats, accompanied by an enhanced music video, renewing access to a historic fundraiser.