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Music concerts are one of the epochal global events held in honor of supporting charitable funds for human disasters, famines, AIDS awareness, and raging societal issues and to promote world peace. Throughout the decades, various artists and music bands have collaborated to present some of the most cherished music shows in history. Beatles lead guitarist George Harrison is known as the pioneer of charity concerts. He first organized the colossal Concert For Bangladesh with his dear friend, sitar maestro Pandit Ravi Shankar. The world’s first musical gig backed by UNICEF was held at Madison Square Gardens on 1st August 1971. An estimated $12 million in relief aid was raised collectively through ticket sales, film, and the later release of the concert album. Since then, numerous artists have raised charity funds for various catastrophic events. Let us look at some of these successful charity music shows of all time.
For the Live Aid 1985 music charity concert, held at the Wembley Stadium, London, to raise funds for the 1983-1985 famine in Ethiopia, an estimated audience of 1.9 billion watched the live broadcast with the setup of 13 satellites.
Festival Of Hope
The Festival of Hope was organized to commemorate the Hiroshima genocide through nuclear bombing. An estimated 20,000 gathered at New York’s legendary Shea Stadium in Queens to celebrate performances from various artists. The event witnessed the first-ever live stage performance of the iconic Beatles. The festival of hope and peace also raised funds to campaign for anti-war Vietnam candidates to bring political stability during the devastating Vietnam war.
Rock Against Racism Carnival
Rock against racism was one of the biggest music carnivals in history. In 1978, there was an air of discomfort and violence against immigrants in the UK. To subdue the tension between racist groups and protect the immigrants' rights, a nationwide rock concert was organized in Victoria Park, East London, on 30th April 1978. According to The Guardian, crowds poured over from all over the UK to watch Tom Robinson and the Clash live in musical action. An estimated 80,000 people were jamming to the concert in support of rooting out racism.
The Beatles' Concert For Bangladesh
In 1971 Beatles frontman, George Harrison organized the largest charity concert with the help of his friend, sitar player, Pandit Ravi Shankar. The concert's purpose for Bangladesh was to provide relief aid to 10 million refugees displaced in East Pakistan due to the Bangladesh-Liberation war and genocide. The festival was a fusion of rock and Indian music. It was held at Madison Square Garden, New York, on 1st August 1971. The 40,000-strong crowd witnessed iconic artists like Bob Dylan, Eric Clapton, Billy Preston, Leon Russell, Ringo Starr, the Badfinger, and Ali Akbar Khan live on stage. According to Beat Curry, the concert raised $250,000 in relief aid, and with the album sales later, it generated an estimated $12 million in funds backed by UNICEF.
Live Aid
Live Aid was a multi-venue, 75 musical acts-based benefit concert held live on Saturday, 13th July 1985, in front of 72,000 people in Wembley Stadium, London. According to History Channel, the musical event raised a whopping $127 million in relief funds for the 1983-1985 famine that affected Ethiopia. Around an estimated 1.9 billion people from over 150 countries tuned in to witness the musical event via live broadcast set up through 13 satellites. Bob Geldof organized the concert in the US with an impressive lineup of artists like Madonna, Mick Jagger, Tina Turner, and the Beach Boys. Princess Diana and Prince Charles at the UK venue marked their presence in the crowd, and performances included Paul McCartney, U2, David Bowie, and Freddie Mercury.
Farm Aid
The first-ever Farm Aid concert was held in 1985 to help farmers keep their agricultural land. The event was organized by Neil Young, Willie Nelson, and John Mellencamp. The show was held in Champaign, Illinois, with a massive audience presence of 80,000. An estimated $9 million was raised to pass an effective bill supporting the farmers.
Freddie Mercury Tribute Concert For Aids
Held on Easter, 20th April 1992, the Freddie Mercury concert for Aids was organized to commemorate Queen’s lead vocalist, the iconic Freddie Mercury, who passed away due to a life-threatening disease. Wembley Stadium, London, saw a packed audience of 70,000 and witnessed sensational performances by artists like Guns N Roses’, U2, Metallica, Def Leppard, and David Bowie. Live broadcast and radio stations allowed an estimated 1 billion reach globally. The Aids awareness concert raised millions in funds for Aids research and relief.
Tibetan Freedom Concert
According to Pitchfork, the Tibetan Freedom concert was a visionary event held in 1996 to raise funds for Tibetan exiles. Co-organized by Beastie Boy Adam Yauch, the musical featured numerous iconic artists, including Yoko Ono, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Biz Markie, Sonic Youth, Fugees, Race against the Machines, and many more. The live event was held at San Francisco’s Golden Gate Park among a 100,000-strong crowd, raising an estimated $800,000 for the charity cause. It continued until 2003 with various awareness activities by musicians and Tibetan activists.
America: A Tribute To Heroes
One of history's most significant live music events, America: A Tribute to Heroes, was held exactly ten days after the shocking 9/11 and Pentagon attacks. News networks like Fox, ABC, NBC, and CBS initiated it. The live event was broadcasted worldwide, featuring 21 artists and many influential celebrities joining the cause. Distributed to over 200 countries, the musical event garnered 60 million views globally. It raised an estimated $200 million as an aid for firefighters and police force personnel who were involved in the 9/11 rescue mission.
One Love Manchester
Pop singer Ariana Grande organized a benefit concert to commemorate those affected by the deadly terrorist attacks at Manchester Arena in May 2017. An impressive lineup of musical artists like Justin Bieber, Miley Cyrus, and Coldplay gathered to raise funds for the families of the Manchester terror attack victims. The concert collected an estimated $23 million with a sold-out attendance of 50,000 at the Emirates Old Trafford Cricket Ground.
The One World: Together At Home Concert
Heralded by Lady Gaga, the One World: Together at Home benefit concert was organized to support healthcare workers fighting the COVID pandemic. The event was backed by the Global Citizen organization and the WHO, and it raised an estimated $127 million to support the frontline warriors. The global broadcast saw many eminent celebrities, politicians, and musicians participate in raising awareness.
Musicians and the general public have always been instrumental in creating relief funds for various humanitarian crises across generations. The latest in line is the Live Aid concert planned for war-affected Ukraine by U2 and the Rolling Stones. It will be held at Wembley Stadium in June.
Sources: The Guardian, Beat Curry, History Channel, Pitchfork
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