Rock Records With a Cause: 40 Charity Singles

Music is a powerful force. What better way to harness that power than by using it to raise money and awareness for important causes?

This can be an especially influential move when more than one artist becomes involved, not to mention entertaining. Consider perhaps the most famous charity single of all time, 1985’s “We Are the World.” Where else would you be able to find Dionne Warwick and Willie Nelson sharing a mic? Or Bob Dylan singing within the same minute as Cyndi Lauper?

It may seem cliche, but through music, change for the better is not only possible, but it can be fun, too, as the below charity singles prove.

1. “Bangla Desh,” George Harrison (1971)

Just as the ’60s gave way to the ’70s, the country of Bangladesh experienced both a devastating cyclone and a war for liberation. George Harrison‘s friend, the Indian-Bengali musician Ravi Shankar, asked the former Beatle for whatever help he could give. Harrison responded by penning the song, “Bangla Desh,” often considered rock’s first major charity single. Three days after the song was released, Harrison hosted the Concert for Bangladesh, raising more funds and awareness for the war-torn country.

 

2. “Too Much Heaven,” The Bee Gees (1978)

In January of 1978, a benefit show titled The Music for UNICEF Concert: A Gift of Song was held at the United Nations General Assembly in New York City, where acts like Rod Stewart, John Denver, Olivia Newton-John and more performed, raising money for UNICEF world hunger programs. The Bee Gees also appeared, performing a song called “Too Much Heaven,” the proceeds from which they donated to UNICEF. According to a 2017 social media post from the band, the song has raised $11 million in royalties since then.

 

3. “Chiquita,” ABBA (1979)

ABBA was another act to appear at The Music for UNICEF Concert. Their contribution to the fund was the song “Chiquita,” donating half of all royalties. Decades later in 2014, ABBA upped it to 100%.

 

4. “That’s What Friends Are For,” Dionne Warwick, Gladys Knight, Elton John and Stevie Wonder (1982)

The ’80s were chock full of charity songs. Dionne Warwick kicked things off in 1982 with a little help from Elton John, Gladys Knight and Stevie Wonder, who all came together to record the song “That’s What Friends Are For,” written by Burt Bacharach and Carole Bayer Sager. Not only did the single help raise money for AIDS research and prevention — the corresponding epidemic had begun the year prior — but it also earned Grammys for Best Pop Performance by a Duo or Group With Vocals and Song of the Year.

 

5. “Do They Know It’s Christmas?,” Band Aid (1984)

If you thought Dionne Warwick’s band of friends was impressive, take a look at the list of people who participated in the 1984 charity single “Do They Know It’s Christmas?” which raised money for the 1983–1985 famine in Ethiopia. This project included Bono, Boy George, George Michael, Sting, Paul Weller, Phil Collins, Simon Le Bon and many more (known as Band Aid). Recorded in a single day in London, the song held the No. 1 spot in the U.K. for five weeks and sold a million copies in its first week, making it the fastest-selling single in U.K. chart history at that time.

 

6. “Last Christmas,” Wham! (1984)

George Michael had a second charity single up his sleeve in 1984 in the form of “Last Christmas” by Wham! The song went to No. 1 in multiple countries, including the U.K., with all the royalties being donated to Ethiopian famine relief programs.

 

7. “We Are the World,” U.S.A. for Africa (1985)

It’s possibly the most famous charity single of all time: 1985’s “We Are the World,” as recorded by U.S.A. for Africa. The brainchild of Michael Jackson, Lionel Richie, Quincy Jones and Michael Omartian, the song’s list of contributors reads like a who’s who of popular music, ranging from Bob Dylan to Billy Joel, Tina Turner to Willie Nelson, Ray Charles to Cyndi Lauper and many more in between. It currently holds the record for eighth best-selling single of all time, raising over $80 million for humanitarian aid in Africa.

 

8. “Everybody Wants to Rule the World,” Tears for Fears (1985)

In 1985, Tears for Fears had an enormous hit with “Everybody Wants to Rule the World.” The year after that, they figured they may as well use the song’s popularity to a charitable advantage and re-recorded it to be used as the theme for a campaign called Sport Aid, which benefitted African famine relief. This version went to No. 5 in the U.K.

 

9. “Tears Are Not Enough,” Northern Lights (1985)

About a month after “We Are the World” was recorded by Americans, “Tears Are Not Enough” was recorded by an impressive lineup of Canadian artists under the name Northern Lights. Among them: Joni Mitchell, Neil Young, Geddy Lee, Gordon Lightfoot, Bryan Adams and Burton Cummings. Within five years of its release, “Tears Are Not Enough” raised a little over $3 million for famine relief in Africa, with a portion of the proceeds being set aside for Canadian food banks.

 

10. “Sun City,” Artists United Against Apartheid (1985)

So far we’ve been examining songs written to aid famine relief, but here’s one written in protest of apartheid in South Africa. Penned by Steven Van Zandt and recorded by a group called Artists United Against Apartheid, “Sun City”‘s title was a reference to a resort that catered to white tourists. Joining Van Zandt was Ringo Starr, Lou Reed, Keith Richards, Pete Townshend, Pat Benatar, Joey Ramone and numerous others. In the end, the song raised over $1 million for anti-apartheid efforts.

 

11. “Dancing in the Street,” Mick Jagger and David Bowie (1985)

Most people know “Dancing in the Street” as the eccentric duet recorded by Mick Jagger and David Bowie in 1985, but did you know it was a charity single for Live Aid? This is why Jagger and Bowie, at the song’s top, call out to varying countries, urging them to come together for the cause: “Okay, Tokyo, South America, Australia, France, Germany, U.K., Africa!”  The accompanying music video was shown twice at the famous benefit concert in London.

 

12. “You’ll Never Walk Alone,” The Crowd (1985)

Yet another charity supergroup came together in 1985, this one called the Crowd, to record the song “You’ll Never Walk Alone” from the Broadway musical Carousel. Led by Gerry Marsden of Gerry and the Pacemakers, the single was made in order to generate funds in the wake of the Bradford City stadium fire, which took place during a football game at Valley Parade in West Yorkshire, England and claimed the lives of 56 people. Denny Laine of Wings, John Entwistle of the Who and Zak Starkey, son of Ringo Starr, all took part in the recording, among others. 

 

13. “Stars,” Various Metal Artists (1986)

What if there was a charity song like “We Are the World” but performed by all heavy metal musicians? There is: 1986’s “Stars,” recorded by a supergroup of over 40 famous figures in heavy metal. To name just a few: Ronnie James Dio, Rob Halford, Blackie Lawless, Mick Mars, Dave Murray and dozens more. “Stars” was released as a single, but it was also part of an entire charity album titled Hear ‘n Aid, which raised over $3 million for famine relief in Africa.

 

14. “Let It Be,” Ferry Aid (1987)

As the title of the supergroup suggests, Ferry Aid was created in an effort to raise money in the aftermath of the 1987 Zeebrugge Disaster, which involved the sinking of a large ferry ship called the MS Herald of Free Enterprise, an incident that killed 193 people on board. Ferry Aid was made up of mostly British musicians who gathered for a charity rendition of the Beatles‘ “Let It Be.” Among them: Mark Knopfler, Boy George, Kate Bush and, of course, the song’s original writer, Paul McCartney.

 

15. “Man in the Mirror,” Michael Jackson (1988)

Michael Jackson’s charitable work continued in the ’80s with “Man in the Mirror,” the proceeds from which were donated to Camp Ronald McDonald for Good Times, a program for children suffering from cancer. Jackson would go on to found an entire charitable organization of his own called Heal the World, also dedicated to improving the lives of children around the world.

 

16. “Ferry Across the Mersey,” Paul McCartney and Others (1989)

If we had a nickel for every time Paul McCartney was involved in a charity single somehow involving ferry boats in the ’80s, we’d have two nickels, which isn’t a lot, but it’s interesting that it happened twice. The song “Ferry Across the Mersey” was originally released by Gerry and the Pacemakers in 1964, but was then recorded again in 1989 by a group of artists all hailing from Liverpool: The Christians, Holly Johnson, Gerry Marsden of the Pacemakers and McCartney. This time, the single raised funds for those affected by the Hillsborough disaster, in which a crowd rush at a football game in Sheffield caused the deaths of 97 people, many of them Liverpool fans. 

 

17. “Sacrifice” / “Healing Hands,” Elton John (1989)

By 1989, AIDS had claimed the lives of tens of thousands of people and the numbers were continuing to increase. That year, Elton John released a double A-side single with the songs “Sacrifice” and “Healing Hands,” the royalties from which were donated equally between four AIDS charities, each with a slightly different mission: The Terrence Higgins Trust (for educating the public about the disease), The London Lighthouse (a hospice center for those with AIDS), the Jefferiss Research Wing Trust (for finding a cure) and Body Positive (for those newly infected by HIV).

 

18. “Voices That Care,” Various (1991)

We’ve now entered the ’90s portion of this list, starting off with 1991’s “Voices that Care,” recorded by a group of people under the same name. The song, which featured the likes of Little Richard, Peter Cetera of Chicago, Mark Knopfler, Michael Bolton, Kenny G and more, went to No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100, and raised over $1 million for United Service Organizations and the American Red Cross.

 

19. “Don’t Let the Sun Go Down on Me (Live),” Elton John and George Michael (1991)

Two of the most philanthropic artists of their times, Elton John and George Michael, joined forces for the 1991 release of a live version of “Don’t Let the Sun Go Down on Me.” Proceeds from the single — which grabbed the No. 1 spot in both the U.S. and U.K. — were given to 10 different charities for children, AIDS and educational programs.

 

20. “Rock and Roll,” Roger Daltrey and the Full Metal Rackets (1991)

In 1991, Roger Daltrey and the Full Metal Rackets recorded Led Zeppelin‘s “Rock and Roll” for the humanitarian campaign Rock Aid Armenia, which was designed to raise funds for those affected by the 1988 Armenian earthquake. This campaign also yielded an all-star cover of Deep Purple‘s “Smoke on the Water” and one of Marvin Gaye‘s “What’s Going On.”

 

21. “Bohemian Rhapsody,” Queen (1992)

Freddie Mercury died of AIDS in November of 1992. Two months later, Queen’s “Bohemian Rhapsody” was re-released in the U.S. with the proceeds going toward the Magic Johnson Foundation for AIDS research. At that time, the song re-entered the Billboard Hot 100 after over a decade, landing at No. 2.

 

22. “One,” U2 (1992)

U2, and Bono specifically, have long been advocates for various social causes. One such example of this arrived in the form of their 1992 single “One.” Its proceeds were donated to AIDS research, which Bono continued to talk about decades down the line. “The battle against AIDS is not a last decade issue,” he told The Irish Times in 2016. “It’s going to be the next decade issue. We need to finish the job, get new companies, new interest. It’s kind of annoying and sometimes upsetting that these global health issues can become creatures of fashion. People think AIDS is done – it’s not done.”

 

23. “Somebody to Love,” George Michael and Queen (1993)

Similar to George Michael and Elton John’s single, there was also a Michael/Queen single: a live version of “Somebody to Love” originally recorded at the 1992 Freddie Mercury Tribute Concert. The single was included on a 1993 EP called Five Live, which raised money for the AIDS/HIV organization Mercury Phoenix Trust.

 

24. “Love Can Build a Bridge,” Cher, Chrissie Hynde, Eric Clapton and Others (1995)

There have been many, many songs recorded in connection with the British charity Comic Relief, first launched in 1985. Here’s just one of them: a cover of the Judd’s “Love Can Build a Bridge” recorded by Cher, Chrissie Hynde, Eric Clapton and the Swedish singer Neneh Cherry in 1995. It topped the charts, making it Hynde’s very first U.K. No. 1 outside of the Pretenders and Clapton’s first U.K. No. 1 ever.

 

25. “Knockin’ on Heaven’s Door,” Mark Knopfler and Ted Christopher (1996)

In March of 1996, the deadliest mass shooting in British history took place at Dunblane Primary School in Scotland — 16 students and one teacher were killed, prompting major gun law reform. Later that year, the Scottish musician Ted Christopher teamed up with Mark Knopfler, who was born in Scotland, to record a rendition of Bob Dylan’s “Knockin’ on Heavens Door,” the proceeds from which went to children’s charities.

 

26. “Candle in the Wind 1997,” Elton John (1997)

Throughout her lifetime, Princess Diana of Wales was well-known for her philanthropic efforts and was an instrumental figure in fighting the stigma against HIV and AIDS — in 1987 she visited a hospital in London where, by simply shaking the hand of a man diagnosed with AIDS, she helped challenge the belief that the disease could be shared through touch. A few months after her death in August 1997, her friend Elton John released a new version of “Candle in the Wind” and donated the global proceeds to charities the Princess supported. It is, to date, the second best-selling single of all time.

 

27. “Perfect Day,” Lou Reed and Others (1997)

What began as an advertisement for the BBC turned into a No. 1 hit single that raised over £2 million for Children in Need. It was a new version of Lou Reed‘s “Perfect Day,” made in 1997, featuring Reed himself, Bono, David Bowie, Tom Jones, Emmylou Harris and more. “I have never been more impressed with a performance of one of my songs,” Reed said to the BBC then.

 

28. “It’s Only Rock n’ Roll (But I Like It),” Artists for Children’s Promise (1999)

Just before the turn of the millennium, a supergroup of musicians came together under the name Artists for Children’s Promise to record a charity song for, as that title suggests, Children’s Promise. The song was the Rolling Stones‘ “It’s Only Rock ‘n Roll (But I Like It),” featuring original writers Mick Jagger and Keith Richards, plus Jon Bon Jovi, Kid Rock, Iggy Pop, B.B. King, Joe Cocker, Jackson Browne, Ozzy Osbourne and more.

 

29. “What’s Going On,” Various (2001)

in 2001, 30 years after Marvin Gaye first released it, a new version of “What’s Going On” was released by Artists Against AIDS Worldwide. Personnel included Michael Stipe of R.E.M., Fred Durst of Limp Bizkit, Britney Spears, Alicia Keys and others, and co-produced by Bono. The single raised money for various AIDS programs around the world.

 

30. “Tears in Heaven,” Various (2005)

Ozzy and Sharon Osbourne spearheaded an all-star project in 2005, in which a myriad of artists came together to record a new version of Eric Clapton’s “Tears in Heaven.” This included Slash, Duff McKagan, Steven Tyler, Elton John, Phil Collins, Ringo Starr, Scott Weiland, Rod Stewart and more. Sales from the single went toward the Disasters Emergency Committee, which at the time was helping tsunami victims in Southeast Asia.

 

31. “The Saints Are Coming,” Green Day and U2 (2006)

U2 and Green Day linked up in 2006 to record a cover of “The Saints Are Coming,” originally written by the Scottish punk rock band Skids. The newer version — which earned a Grammy nomination for Best Rock Performance by a Duo or Group With Vocal — helped raised money for the Edge‘s charity Music Rising, an organization that was founded to aid musicians, schools and churches in the Gulf Region. “New Orleans has always been a special city to us, being a hotbed of music and creativity, and it’s hard to believe parts of the Gulf region still remain devastated,” Green Day said in a statement then, referring to the damage done by Hurricane Katrina. “We feel that it’s important to continue to raise awareness.”

 

32. “Sing,” Annie Lennox and Others (2007)

Annie Lennox personally invited 23 fellow female artists to join her on a song called “Sing” in 2004, including Melissa Etheridge, Madonna, Gladys Knight, Bonnie Raitt and more. Not only did the single raise awareness and money for the AIDS pandemic in South Africa, it also was the catalyst for Lennox’s founding of the SING campaign, her own non-profit organization dedicated to the same cause.

 

33. “Nobody’s Child,” The Traveling Wilburys (2007)

One of the most famous supergroups in all of rock history, the Traveling Wilburys put their collective star power to good use in 1990 when they released a cover of “Nobody’s Child” as a charity single. Proceeds went to the Romanian Angel Appeal Foundation, an organization founded by George Harrison’s wife Olivia with the support of all three of the other former Beatles’ wives: Linda McCartney, Yoko Ono and Barbara Bach. “The issue of children affected by AIDS in Romania has always been so overwhelming that the only way to address it was to think that if we could improve the life of just one child, our efforts would be rewarded,” Olivia Harrison said in 1993.

 

34. “We Are the World 25 for Haiti,” Various (2010)

A quarter of a century after the original came “We Are the World 25 for Haiti,” once again produced by Quincy Jones and Lionel Richie and recorded in a marathon session. There was a mixture of older and newer artists, from Carlos Santana, Tony Bennett and Al Jardine of the Beach Boys, to Justin Bieber, Miley Cyrus and Adam Levine. This time, money and awareness was raised for those affected by a catastrophic earthquake in Haiti that killed tens of thousands and left millions more affected.

 

35. “Everybody Hurts,” Helping Haiti (2010)

Another charity single for Haiti arrived in 2010 in the form of an R.E.M. cover. Among those who contributed to the recording of “Everybody Hurts” was Jon Bon Jovi, Rod Stewart, James Blunt, Robbie Williams and more. Interestingly, this wound up being Bon Jovi’s very first time appearing at the No. 1 spot for U.K. singles.

 

36. “You Can’t Always Get What You Want,” Various (2016)

Here’s something a little different, unfortunately prompted by a terrible tragedy. In June of  2016, British politician Jo Cox, who served as a Member of Parliament for a little over a year, was murdered by a man with far-right views and ties to neo-Nazi ideology. A few months later, several of Cox’s former MP colleagues got together in a studio, along with musicians like Suzi Quatro, KT Tunstall, David Gray and more, to record a charity cover of the Rolling Stones’ “You Can’t Always Get What You Want.”

 

37. “Bridge Over Troubled Water,” Artists for Grenfell (2017)

In June of 2017, a fire broke out in the 24-story Grenfell Tower, a block of apartments in London. The fire lasted days and ultimately claimed the lives of 72 people, making it the worst residential fire in the U.K. since World War II. Simon Cowell organized a charity single in the fire’s aftermath, featuring Nile Rodgers, Pete Townshend, Roger Daltrey and more, who all gathered to record a cover of Simon & Garfunkel‘s “Bridge Over Troubled Water.”

 

38. “Merry Christmas,” Elton John and Ed Sheeran (2021)

They say Christmas time is the season of giving. In 2021, Elton John and Ed Sheeran collaborated on a yuletide tune, “Merry Christmas,” which benefitted both the Ed Sheeran Suffolk Music Foundation and the Elton John AIDS Foundation.

 

39. “Hey Hey Rise Up,” Pink Floyd (2022)

Pink Floyd‘s 2022 song “Hey Hey Rise Up” was notable for a few reasons. Firstly, it featured vocals from the Ukrainian musician Andriy Khlyvnyuk, and all of the proceeds went to the Ukraine Humanitarian Relief Fund as the country battled Russian invasion. But also, it was the first song recorded under the name Pink Floyd in nearly a decade. “We, like so many, have been feeling the fury and the frustration of this vile act of an independent, peaceful democratic country being invaded and having its people murdered by one of the world’s major powers,” David Gilmour, who has a Ukrainian daughter-in-law and grandchildren, said in a statement then.

 

40. “Going Home” Mark Knopfler and Others (2024)

What if you took as many living guitar legends as possible and had them all play on one song? That’s exactly what Mark Knopfler did with his 2024 charity single “Going Home,” which benefitted the Teenage Cancer Trust and Teen Cancer America. On the recording were over 60 musicians, including but not limited to: Jeff Beck, Tony Iommi, Alex Lifeson, Tom Morello, Joe Walsh and so many more. “I really had no idea that it was going to be like this,” Knopfler said in a news release. “I think what we’ve had is an embarrassment of riches, really.”