United In Song

We Are The World /United In Song is one of those rare projects that offer the opportunity to discover and appreciate world music while also giving to the global community. We (really) Are The World and this special collection demonstrates the amazing potential when we unite for the good of all.

World Music Superstars Are United In Song:
Michael Franti & Spearhead, Aurelio Martinez with Youssou N’Dour, Angelique Kidjo, LeRoy Bell, Lila Downs, Sierra Leone’s Refugee All Stars, Razia Said, Abigail Washburn & the Shanghai Restoration Project, Luisa Maita, G. Love & Special Sauce are among the featured artists.

Through United In Song, United Support of Artists for Africa provided a forum for musicians to change the world. The recording features contributions from the world music community’s top performers coming together in the spirit of global unity and peace. This commemorated the 25th anniversary of We Are The World with re-release of the historic recording featured on the digital album We Are The World / United In Song

We Are The World, United Support of Artists for Africa (USA for Africa) re-released the 1985 historic recording of the song as the lead track on the upcoming digital compilation We Are The World / United In Song worldwide on December 7, 2010. Once again, USA for Africa has assembled a stellar line-up of international artists to contribute songs to the project with proceeds from this effort going to assist Africa and Africans with the current challenges facing the continent. The collection of songs onWe Are The World / United in Song was compiled by Executive Producers Suzie Weston and Alexia Baum. It will be distributed worldwide by Independent Online Distribution Alliance (IODA) and available to hundreds of digital storefronts across the globe including major digital music services iTunes¨, Amazon, eMusic, and Rhapsody in the U.S.

We Are The World/United In Song is dedicated to the 40 plus artists and musicians, who paved the way 25 years ago for this new release, with special thanks to Michael Jackson, Lionel Richie and Quincy Jones “producer extraordinaire,” whose musical and creative talents have made We Are The World the anthem it has become today. The global artists featured on United In Song represent the next generation of musicians to use their talents to inform and ignite action. Each song presented speaks to an issue or cause valued and supported by the respective artists.

“The re-release of the original We Are The World to a whole new generation is truly the best way to commemorate the monumental influence of the song and celebrate the generosity of the talented artists who participated in the project,” said Marcia Thomas, Executive Director, United Support of Artists for Africa. “The song and its message still resonate 25 years later through the artists featured on United In Song. They carry the torch into the 21st Century with the same spirit born out of the original recording.”

We Are The World / United In Song features a collection of world music’s most compelling artists. The compilation is a celebration of diversity and an example that music truly is the universal language. Each artist has a story to tell — from the Abigail Washburn & the Shanghai Restoration Project song about the aftermath of China’s devastating 2008 earthquake to Razia Said’s haunting version of the slash and burn method of agriculture affecting the lands of Madagascar. Both Angelique Kidjo and Luisa Maita weigh in on issues facing young women while tracks by Michael Franti & Spearhead, Aurelio Martinez w/ Youssou N’Dour and G. Love & Special Sauce deliver a message of world unity and peace. This compilation gives the listener a global experience that is both enlightening and uplifting.

Twenty-five years ago the music industry and the world came together in an unprecedented outpouring of generosity in response to the tragic famine wreaking havoc in Africa at the time. The biggest names in music “checked their egos at the door” to create what was and still is a worldwide phenomenon. The recording of the original We Are The World sold more than 7 million units worldwide and USA For Africa received more than 63 million dollars in aid which has been used to assist Africa and Africans affected by the famine and other critical issues. The song became the “people’s anthem” and continues to be revered and loved globally.

Proceeds from We Are The World / United In Song will add to USA for Africa’s ongoing commitment to the region with more outreach aimed at the continent and Africa-focused programs around the world, including food, security, clean water, malaria, AIDS, the plight of women and children, and the environment.