Help live: 40 years later – United day music the world.
Can you believe it? This Saturday, July 13, 2025, Marks 40 incredible years Since Live Aid broke out on our screens and in our hearts. It was more than just a concert; It was a global phenomenon, uniting about 1.5 billion people around the world.
From the emblematic Wembley stadium in London to the John F. Dynamic Kennedy stadium in Philadelphia, music has become the heart rate of hope, raising more than $ 140 million (more than 114 million pounds sterling at the time!) For devastating famine in Ethiopia.
It all started with a heavy heart. At the end of 1984, Bob GeldofThe frank leader in boomtown rats was deeply affected by the raw and heartbreaking reports of the BBC from Ethiopia. Do you know, these images that stay with you?
He felt obliged to act. So, alongside Midge Ure of Ultravox, he wrote “Do they know it’s Christmas?” and brought together a constellation of British and Irish stars for Bandage. The song was not only a success; It was a revelation, raising much more than anyone imagined and triggering a much greater idea in the spirit of geldof: a concert, on a scale never seen before.
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Now imagine trying to convince the biggest names in music to drop everything and play for free – worldwide! Geldof’s approach was legendary. He was famous daring, a little bluffing and absolutely relentless.
As a production director of Live Aid aid, Andy Zweck, once shared, Geldof would call an artist, would confidently declare that giants like Queen and David Bowie were already in it, then used this “commitment” to relax in the next. It was a brilliant and high stakes game that simply worked.
IVE AID 1985 Wembley Stadium & Philadelphia – Souvenir Prin
But it was not only intelligent tactics. The burning geldof passion and the undeniable moral emergency of the crisis have really resonated. The artists felt a profound sense of responsibility to use their massive platforms for good. “Do they know it’s Christmas?” had already proven what could be achieved when everyone gathered.
Even acts as QueenWho were absolutely exhausted by the tours, finally came. Can you imagine the internal debate? Freddie Mercury, initially hesitant, would have been influenced by Brian May, who wisely stressed how sad “enough” if they woke up the day after live help and had not been part of the story.
And the story they have made. What happened that day was an unrivaled gathering of musical talents, a truly unforgettable global “juke-box” which has effortlessly mixed genres and generations.
A historic moment at Live Aid 1985 as George Michael, Bono, Paul McCartney, Freddie Mercury and other legendary artists come together for the culminating final of the concert. Held simultaneously at the Wembley stadium and the JFK stadium, Live AID was organized by Bob Geldof and collected more than $ 125 million for the relief of famine in Africa, forever redefining the power of music as a force for the world.
The unforgettable range: Live Aid stars
It is difficult to list them all without feeling a rush of nostalgia. Here is who honored these two emblematic scenes:
Stadium de Wembley, London (a really British show!):
- Coldstream Guards
- Status quo (Beginning things!)
- Style council
- Boomtown rats (with Bob Geldof himself)
- Adam Ant
- Ultravox
- Spandau
- Elvis Costello
- Nik Kershaw
- Sade
- Sting (with Phil Collins)
- Phil Collins (do your solo thing)
- Howard Jones
- Bryan Ferry (with the legendary David Gilmour)
- Paul Young (with the incredible Alison Moyet)
- U2 (Their legendary performance!)
- Strait (with Sting again)
- Queen (probably the thieves of shows!)
- David Bowie
- WHO
- Elton John (with Kiki Dee and George Michael)
- Bang!
- Paul McCartney (Later joined by Bowie, Geldof, Moyet and Pete Townshend for a really special final)
- The big Band Aid Final (“Do they know it’s Christmas?”)
Phil Collins offers a sincere performance at Live Aid 1985, one of the few artists to appear during the concerts of London and Philadelphia in a single day. Steering wheel via Concorde, its transatlantic feat has become legendary, symbolizing the world scope and the urgency of fundraising led by Bob Geldof for the relief of famine in Ethiopia.
JFK Stadium, Philadelphia (where American icons shone!):
- Bernard Watson
- Joan Baez
- HOOTERS
- The four tops
- Ocean Billy
- Black sabbath
- Run-DMC
- Rick Springfield
- Reo Speedwagon
- Crosby, Stills & Nash
- Judas priest
- Bryan Adams
- Beach boys
- George Thorogood and destroyers (with the big Bo Diddley and Albert Collins)
- Simple minds
- The contenders
- Santana (with Pat Metheny)
- Ashford & Simpson (with Penddy Pendergrass)
- Madonna (A real superstar in the making)
- Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers
- Kenny Loggins
- Cars
- Neil Young
- The power plant
- Twins Thompson (with Steve Stevens, Nile Rodgers and Madonna)
- Eric Clapton
- Phil Collins (After his famous Concorde Dash from London!)
- Led Zeppelin (A rare meeting with Phil Collins on the battery and Tony Thompson)
- Duran Duran
- Patti Labelle
- Hall and Oates (with Eddie Kendricks and David Ruffin)
- Mick Jagger (With the strength of nature, Tina Turner)
- Bob Dylan (with the legends of rock Keith Richards and Ron Wood)
- The powerful USA for Africa Final (“We are the world”)
Live aid was not only a series of concerts; It was a monumental moment which proved the incredible power of music and the human mind in the face of immense suffering. Forty years later, its heritage continues to resonate, reminding us that when we meet, everything is really possible. It’s a powerful lesson, don’t you think?
People also ask: your live help questions have answered
Which group stole the show at Live Aid?
While many have delivered memorable performances, Queen is almost universally credited with having “stolen the show” in Wembley. The presence on the electrifying stage of Freddie Mercury, the incredible vocal command and the perfectly sharpened whole of the group, in particular the famous interaction of the crowd “Ay-Oh”, have left an indelible and revitalized brand their careers.
Has Princess Diana went to live the aid?
Yes, Princess Diana And Prince Charles was indeed present at the Wembley stadium. They were seen in the Royal Box and their presence added to the immense prestige and the global appeal of the event.
Why was the queen so large at Live Aid?
The success of the Queen at Live Aid came from a combination of factors:
- Freddie Mercury’s mastery: His unrivaled charisma, his vocal power and his ability to connect and order such a massive crowd were simply astounding.
- Tight performance: Although it was given a relatively short niche, they delivered a meticulously repeated and incredibly impactful set of their greatest successes, designed for a maximum public commitment.
- Visual and sound impact: Their performance seemed fantastic, which was crucial for live television broadcasting to a world audience. They really took advantage of their moment.
Why is Live Aid 1985 so famous?
The reputation of Live Aid comes from its scale and its unprecedented impact:
- Reach Global: It was the first truly global benefits, broadcast at around 1.5 billion people in more than 100 countries.
- Star Power: It included an unrivaled range of the biggest names in music occurring simultaneously on two continents.
- Humanitarian mission: He managed to raise a large sum of money and, more importantly, raised global awareness of devastating famine in Ethiopia, inspiring immense public generosity.
- Cultural moment: It has become a decisive cultural event of the 1980s, presenting the power of music for social good.
Who was considered the best group at Live Aid?
Again, Queen is considerably considered to have offered the most impactful and “best” performance at Live Aid. While Bono d’U2 had a powerful and spontaneous moment with a fan, and David Bowie delivered a strong whole, the queen is often cited as one of the greatest live performances in the history of rock because of her energy, her precision and her emblematic Mercury program.
Why does Led Zeppelin look bad live?
The performance of the long -awaited meeting of LED Zeppelin in Live Aid is largely considered one of the biggest disappointments of the show, largely due to:
- Lack of rehearsal: The members of the group (Jimmy Page, Robert Plant, John Paul Jones) had barely repeated together, certainly not with the necessary intensity for such a high performance.
- Technical problems: Reports suggest important sound and surveillance problems on stage, which makes musicians difficult to hear themselves and each other.
- Jimmy Condition Page: There are widespread accounts that Jimmy Page was struggling with drug addiction at the time, affecting his guitar game.
- Robert Plant voice: The Plant voice would have been tense due to the recent solo tour.
- Two drummers: The decision to have two drummers (Phil Collins and Tony Thompson) who were not used to playing with Zeppelin equipment contributed to a disorderly and uncoordinated sound. Phil Collins himself later expressed his discomfort with performance.