Live Aid: The Music That United the World and Awakened Conscience!
Did you know that exactly 40 years ago, on July 13, 1985, the world stopped to listen to music that changed history? Yes, you read that right! Live Aid was not just a concert, but a global movement that awakened humanity’s conscience and showed that music can be a more powerful weapon than any politics.
How did it all start? It all began when Irish musician Bob Geldof, shocked by the images of famine in Ethiopia, decided not to sit idly by. He teamed up with Scottish musician Midge Ure and together they gathered the most famous British and world musicians to record the song “Do They Know It’s Christmas?” The song exploded on the charts and awakened global awareness.
A Global Spectacle Live Aid was a dual concert held simultaneously in London at Wembley Stadium and in Philadelphia. Legends like Queen, David Bowie, U2, Led Zeppelin, Elton John, Madonna, and many others took the stage. Phil Collins even performed at both venues, first in London, then flew to America! The audience sang and cried, and estimates say that between 1.5 to 1.9 billion people worldwide watched the concert.
Yugoslav Contribution Yugoslavia was not left out. With Geldof’s blessing, the Ju Rok Mission was founded, and musicians from all republics contributed. The song “Milion godina” was performed live at Marakana stadium in front of over 20,000 people, and the recording was shown during the Live Aid broadcast in London. All proceeds of 1.5 million dollars were donated to UNICEF.
Why is Live Aid Important? This event was not just a concert. It was a moment when music transcended itself. When riffs and choruses became cries for help. When the TV became a window into someone else’s suffering and a chance for change. When millions around the world realized they could be part of the solution.
40 Years Later Today, four decades later, Live Aid still inspires. It shows that music can be a powerful tool for change. That empathy is not dead. That people can still be music.
If you ever thought music couldn’t change the world, Live Aid is here to prove you wrong. Now, go check out YouTube, listen to “Do They Know It’s Christmas?” or “We Are The World” and remember we are all part of something bigger. And if you have a favorite Live Aid story or think it’s time for a new one, let’s joke around in the comments. Music is here to bring us together, right?
Source: Blic, B92, In4s
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