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Acharity record,charity album, orcharity single is a recording with most or all proceeds raised going to a dedicated foundation or charity. In 1956, The Lord's Taveners released a 78 rpm disc which contained six tracks donated by popular artists at the time.[citation needed] The record was released by The Decca Record Company and the entire profits of the record together with the royalties and fees from artists, publishers, etc., were donated to TheNational Playing Fields Association. This was the first charity record to make the UK charts and reached Number 2.[citation needed] Due to its success, it was followed by a second compilation in 1957.
George Harrison's "Bangla Desh" single in 1971 is commonly regarded as the first successful international charity single;[1] it was recorded to help fund relief efforts following the1970 Bhola cyclone and theBangladesh Liberation War. The money raised was donated toUNICEF, as were takings from Harrison'sConcert for Bangladesh (again, the first of its kind)[citation needed] held atMadison Square Garden, New York, and its spin-off live album and concert film. This is one way of using artistic talent asart for charity.
Some of the other early charity records came from the January 1979Music for UNICEF Concert, with the likes ofABBA's "Chiquitita" and theBee Gees' "Too Much Heaven" released as singles, all the royalties from which went to UNICEF.Band Aid's "Do They Know It's Christmas?" in November 1984 began the revolution of the charity record, which would be popularised throughout the 1980s.[citation needed]
In theUnited States, charity records reached their peak withUSA for Africa's "We Are the World" in 1985,[citation needed] but then essentially died out afterwards.[citation needed] In theUnited Kingdom, however, charity singles (especiallyComic Relief), have become annual hits.[citation needed]
 | This list of songs or music-related items isincomplete; you can help byadding missing items.(October 2021) |
| Release Date | Title | Artists | Charity/Cause | Highest Chart Position |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| July 1971 | "Bangla Desh" | George Harrison | UNICEF fund forBangladesh refugees | 10 (UK), 23 (US), 2 (Switzerland), 3 (Norway), 7 (Netherlands) |
| February 1975 | "Santa Never Made It into Darwin" | Bill and Boyd | RebuildingDarwin afterCyclone Tracy devastation | 2 (Australia) |
| Release Date | Title | Artists | Charity/Cause | Highest Chart Position |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| March 1983 | "I Was Only 19" | Redgum | Vietnam Veterans Assoc of Australia | 1 (Australia) |
| November 1984 | "Do They Know It's Christmas?" | Band Aid | famine inEthiopia through theBand Aid Trust | 1 (UK), 1 (Australia), 1 (Netherlands) |
| December 1984 | "Last Christmas"/"Everything She Wants" | Wham! | EthiopianFamine appeal (not originally a charity record, but George Michael acceded to give royalties to theBand Aid Trust) | 2 (UK), 2 (Netherlands) |
| March 1985 | "Tears Are Not Enough" | Northern Lights | famine inEthiopia | 1 (Canada) |
| March 1985 | "Starvation/Tam Tam Pour L'Ethiopie" | Starvation/Tam Tam Pour L'Ethiopie | famine inEthiopia | 33 (UK) |
| March 1985 | "Show some Concern" | The Concerned | famine inEthiopia | 1 (Ireland) |
| March 1985 | "We Are the World" | USA for Africa | famine inEthiopia and Sudan | 1 (US), 1 (UK), 1 (Australia), 1 (Netherlands) |
| May 1985 | "Stars" | Hear 'n Aid | famine inEthiopia | 26 (UK) 1 (Norway) |
| June 1985 | "One Big Family" | Heart of Nashville | famine inEthiopia andAfrica | 61 (US Country) |
| June 1985 | "You'll Never Walk Alone" | The Crowd | Bradford City stadium fire | 1 (UK), 1 (Ireland), 30 (Netherlands) |
| June 1985 | "Ben" | Marti Webb | Ben Hardwick Memorial Fund | 5 (UK) |
| August 1985 | "Dancing in the Street" | David Bowie andMick Jagger | Famine inEthiopia through theBand Aid Trust | 1 (UK), 1 (AUS), 1 (IRE), 7 (US) |
| October 1985 | "Sun City" | Artists United Against Apartheid | protests/boycotts againstapartheid | 38 (US), 21 (UK), 4 (AUS) |
| October 1985 | "Tomorrow Will Be Better" | Various Chinese Artists | World Vision International | |
| November 1985 | "Almost Seems (Too Late to Turn)" | Clannad | Children in Need | 80 (UK) |
| November 1985 | "That's What Friends Are For" | Dionne Warwick,Stevie Wonder,Gladys Knight andElton John | American Foundation forAIDS Research (AmFAR) | 1 (US), 16 (UK), 1 (Australia), 13 (Netherlands) |
| April 1986 | "Living Doll" | Cliff Richard and the cast ofThe Young Ones | Comic Relief | 1 (UK), 1 (Australia), 1 (Netherlands) |
| May 1986 | "Everybody Wants to Run the World" | Tears For Fears | Sport Aid | 5 (UK) |
| May 1986 | "Hands Across America" | Voices of America | Hands Across America | 65 (US) |
| May 1986 | "Filling The World With Love (让世界充满爱)"[2][3] | Feng Guo (郭峰) & many other Chinese artists | Concert of 100 Singers: Dedicated to the "International Year of Peace" (百名歌星演唱会：献给国际和平年)[3][4] | NA (CN) |
| November 1986 | "O' My Father Had A Rabbit" | Ray Moore | Children In Need | 24 (UK) |
| March 1987 | "Amor & Paz" (Amor E A Paz) | AUA (Artistas Unidos da América) | famine and poverty around the world | 3 (US), 2 (Portugal) |
| March 1987 | "Let It Be" | Ferry Aid | Herald of Free Enterprise disaster atZeebrugge | 1 (UK), 4 (Netherlands) |
| November 1987 | "Bog Eyed Jog" | Ray Moore | Children In Need | 61 (UK) |
| November 1987 | "The Wishing Well" | G.O.S.H. | Great Ormond Street Hospital Wishing Well Appeal | 22 (UK) |
| December 1987 | "Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree" | Mel & Kim (Mel Smith andKim Wilde) | Comic Relief | 3 (UK) |
| February 1988 | "Man in the Mirror" | Michael Jackson | Michael Jackson Burn Center,Childhelp,United Negro College Fund.[5] | 1 (USA), 1 (UK R&B), 13 (Netherlands), 2 (UK) 2009 |
| April 1988 | "Let's All Chant" | Pat and Mick | Capital Radio 1988 Help a London Child Appeal | 11 (UK) |
| May 1988 | "With a Little Help from My Friends" | Wet Wet Wet | ChildLine | 1 (UK) |
| May 1988 | "You're Not Alone" | Australian Olympians | Australian Olympic Federation for the 1988 Summer Olympics | 18 (Australia) |
| July 1988 | "Another Part of Me" | Michael Jackson | Michael Jackson Burn Center,Childhelp | 1 (US R&B), 8 (Netherlands) |
| August 1988 | "Running All Over the World" | Status Quo | Sport Aid | 17 (UK) |
| November 1988 | "Children in Need" | Spirit of Play withPaul McCartney | Children In Need | 72 (UK) |
| February 1989 | "Help!" | Bananarama &La na nee nee noo noo (French and Saunders withKathy Burke) | Comic Relief | 3 (UK), 24 (Netherlands) |
| February 1989 | "Pour toi Arménie" | Charles Aznavour & many other French artists | Earthquake inArmenia | 1 (FR) |
| March 1989 | "I Haven't Stopped Dancing Yet" version | Pat and Mick | Capital Radio 1989 Help a London Child Appeal | 9 (UK) |
| April 1989 | "Ferry Cross the Mersey" | The Christians,Holly Johnson,Paul McCartney,Gerry Marsden,Stock Aitken Waterman | Hillsborough disaster | 1 (UK), 21 (Netherlands) |
| November 1989 | "If You Want To Help" | BBC Children in Need Choir | Children In Need | 78 (UK) |
| November 1989 | "It Takes Two" | Bruno Brookes andLiz Kershaw featuringJive Bunny andLondonbeat | Children In Need | 53 (UK) |
| December 1989 | "Do They Know It's Christmas?" | Band Aid II | famine inEthiopia | 1 (UK), 20 (Netherlands) |
| Release Date | Title | Artists | Charity/Cause | Highest Chart Position |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| April 1990 | "Use It Up and Wear It Out" | Pat and Mick | Capital Radio 1990 Help a London Child | 22 (UK) |
| June 1990 | "Sacrifice/Healing Hands" | Elton John | Aids Charities | 1 (UK) |
| June 1990 | "You've Got a Friend" | Big Fun,Sonia, featuringGary Barnacle on saxophone | ChildLine | 14 (UK) |
| July 1990 | "Nobody's Child" | Traveling Wilburys | Romanian Angel Appeal | 44 (UK) |
| November 1990 | "Let's Dance" | Bruno andLiz and the Radio 1 DJ Possee | Children in Need | 54 (UK) |
| November 1990 | "Rap Against Rape" | Jocks & CO | Rape Crisis Center | 16 (Ire) |
| February 1991 | "Voices that Care" | Voices that Care | To boost the morale of U.S. troops involved inOperation Desert Storm | 11 (US) |
| March 1991 | "The Stonk" | Hale and Pace (backing band includesDavid Gilmour) | Comic Relief | 1 (UK) |
| August 1991 | "Stop the War in Croatia" | Tomislav Ivčić and children | Children in Croatia | 7 (Australia) |
| November 1991 | "Don't Let the Sun Go Down on Me" | George Michael,Elton John | 10 charities forAIDS,children andeducation | 1 (UK), 1 (US), 1 (Netherlands) |
| December 1991 | "Bohemian Rhapsody" | Queen | Terrance Higgins Trust | 1 (UK) |
| March 1992 | "One" | U2 | Proceeds going towardsAIDS research | 7 (UK), 1 (Ireland), 10 (US), 4 (Australia) |
| April 1992 | "(I Want To Be) Elected" | Smear Campaign (Bruce Dickinson,Rowan Atkinson,Angus Deayton) | Comic Relief | 9 (UK) |
| September 1992 | "Suicide Is Painless" | Manic Street Preachers | The Spastics Society (nowSCOPE) | 7 (UK) |
| November 1992 | "Heal the World" | Michael Jackson | Heal the World Foundation | 1 (Spain), 2 (UK), 2 (Ire), 2 (Aus), 4 (Netherlands) |
| February 1993 | "Stick It Out" | Right Said Fred and friends | Comic Relief | 4 (UK) |
| May 1993 | Five Live | George Michael,Queen andLisa Stansfield | Mercury Phoenix Trust | 1 (UK) |
| April 1994 | "Watch Your House for Ireland" | Coca-Cola Republic of Ireland national football team | GOAL charity | 1 (Ireland) |
| May 1994 | "Absolutely Fabulous" | Pet Shop Boys withJennifer Saunders andJoanna Lumley (of the television seriesAbsolutely Fabulous) | Comic Relief | 6 (UK), 2 (Australia) |
| August 1994 | "Love Can Build a Bridge" | Children for Rwanda | Save the Children | 57 (UK) |
| March 1995 | "Love Can Build a Bridge" | Cher,Chrissie Hynde,Neneh Cherry andEric Clapton | Comic Relief | 1 (UK), 41 (Netherlands) |
| November 1995 | "You Better Believe It (Children in Need)" | Patsy Palmer andSid Owen | Children in Need | 60 (UK) |
| November 1995 | "Come Together" | Smokin' Mojo Filters | War Child | 19 (UK) |
| November 1995 | "Earth Song" | Michael Jackson | Heal the World Foundation, Environmental Awareness | 1 (UK), 1 (Spain), 1 (Sweden), 3 (Netherlands) |
| November 1995 | "The Gift of Christmas" | Childliners | ChildLine | 9 (UK) |
| November 1996 | "When Children Rule The World" | Red Hill Children | Children in Need | 40 (UK) |
| December 1996 | "Knockin' on Heaven's Door/Throw These Guns Away" | Ted Christopher (aka Dunblane),Mark Knopfler | Aid of victims of theDunblane massacre | 1 (UK) |
| December 1996 | "Goodbye Girl" | Shane O'Donoghue andPaul Harrington | 2FM Christmas Appeal | 14 (Ireland) |
| March 1997 | "Mama"/"Who Do You Think You Are"1 | The Spice Girls | Comic Relief | 1 (UK), 13 (Australia), 3 (Netherlands) |
| September 1997 | "Candle in the Wind 1997"/"Something About The Way You Look Tonight" | Elton John | Diana, Princess of Wales Memorial Fund | 1 (US), 1 (UK), 1 (Australia), 1 (Netherlands) |
| October 1997 | "Perfect Day" | Various Artists, see specific article for full list | Children in Need | 1 (UK), 6 (Netherlands) |
| November 1998 | "Especially for You" | Denise van Outen andJohnny Vaughan featuringSteps | Children in Need | 3 (UK) |
| March 1999 | "When the Going Gets Tough, the Tough Get Going" | Boyzone | Comic Relief | 1 (UK) |
| November 1999 | "Talking in Your Sleep/Love Me" | Martine McCutcheon | Children in Need | 6 (UK) |
| December 1999 | "The Millennium Prayer" | Cliff Richard | Children's Promise | 1 (UK) |
| December 1999 | "It's Only Rock 'n Roll (But I Like It)" | Various Artists | Children's Promise | 14 (UK) |
| Release Date | Title | Artists | Charity/Cause | Highest Chart Position |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January 2020 | "My Way" | Margaret Mackie and Jamie Lee Morley | The Alzheimer's Society andDementia UK | 2 (Scot) |
| April 2020 | "You Taught Me What Love Is" | Beth Porch | NHS Charities Together andGreat Ormond Street Hospital for Children NHS Foundation Trust | 25 (UK) |
| April 2020 | "Thank You Baked Potato" | Matt Lucas | The FeedNHS Campaign | 34 (UK) |
| April 2020 | "You'll Never Walk Alone" | Michael Ball,Captain Tom Moore, The NHS Voices of Care Choir | NHS Charities Together | 1 (UK) |
| April 2020 | "Times Like These" | Live Lounge Allstars | COVID-19 Solidarity Response Fund,Children in Need,Comic Relief | 1 (UK) |
| May 2020 | "Stuck with U" | Ariana Grande,Justin Bieber | First Responders Children's Foundation | 4 (UK) 1 (US) |
| May 2020 | "Savage (Remix)" | Megan Thee Stallion featuringBeyoncé | Bread of Life | 1 (US) 3 (UK) |
| June 2020 | "Black Parade" | Beyoncé | BeyGOOD's Black Business Impact Fund, administered by the National Urban League[12] | 37 (US) 49 (UK) |
| June 2020 | "Dreams" | Irish Women in Harmony | Safe Ireland | 15 (Ireland) |
| July 2020 | "You Are My Sunshine" | Gareth Malone,London Symphony Orchestra and participants in theGreat British Home Chorus initiative | NHS Charities Together.[13] | 57 (UK) |
| November 2020 | "Four Notes – Paul's Tune" | Paul Harvey andBBC Philharmonic | Alzheimer's Society and Music for Dementia | 32 (UK) |
| November 2020 | "Stop Crying Your Heart Out" | BBC Radio 2 Allstars | Children In Need | 7 (UK) |
| December 2020 | "Don't Stop Me Eatin'" | LadBaby | in aid ofThe Trussell Trust. | 1 (UK) |
| December 2020 | "Holy" | Justin Bieber andThe Lewisham and Greenwich Choir | NHS Charities Together | 41 (UK) |
| March 2021 | "Midnight Blue (Love Streaming)" | B.I | World Vision, to support children in crisis across the globe.[14] | 14 (South Korea)[15] |
| May 2021 | "Anywhere Away from Here" | Rag'n'Bone Man,Pink andThe Lewisham and Greenwich Choir | Lewisham and Greenwich NHS Trust, NHS Charities Together | 9 (UK) |
| June 2021 | "Waterfall" | B.I | To the emergency relief of "Basic for Girls", conducted by the International Relief Development (NGO)World Vision. The "Basic for Girls" project aims to improve the poor environment, such as the construction of women's restrooms for women's human rights in Zambia, Africa, and support for sanitary napkins.[16] | 6 (South Korea)[17] |
| November 2021 | "Everywhere" | Niall Horan andAnne-Marie | Children In Need | 23 (UK) 49 (Ireland) |
| December 2021 | "Merry Christmas" | Ed Sheeran andElton John | AIDS Healthcare Foundation | 1 (UK) |
| December 2021 | "Sausage Rolls for Everyone" | LadBaby featuringEd Sheeran andElton John | in aid ofThe Trussell Trust. | 1 (UK) |
| April 2022 | "Hey, Hey, Rise Up!" | Pink Floyd featuringAndriy Khlyvnyuk | in aid of Stand Up For Ukraine. | 49 (UK) |
| December 2022 | "Food Aid" | LadBaby | in aid ofThe Trussell Trust andBand Aid Trust. | 1 (UK) |
| March 2023 | "People Help the People" | Artiesten voor 12-12 | Syria Turkey 1212 | 1 (Belgium) |
| December 2023 | "I Wish It Could Be Christmas Everyday" | Creator Universe | The Trussell Trust | 29 (UK) |
| March 2024 | "Going Home (Theme fromLocal Hero)" | Mark Knopfler's Guitar Heroes | Teenage Cancer Trust and Teen Cancer America | 18 (UK) 32 (NZ) |
| December 2024 | "Do They Know It's Christmas?" | Band Aid 40 | Crisis inEthiopia | 8 (UK) |
| December 2024 | "Freezing This Christmas" | Sir Starmer and the Granny Harmers | Elderly Charities | 37 (UK) |
