Rock-Music Causes

Band Aid.

British pop performer Bob Geldof of the 1970s group Boomtown Rats single-handedly started a craze for "charity rock" in the mid 1980s. In 1984 Geldof became concerned about the plight of famine-ravaged Africa and decided to organize a relief project. Under the umbrella name of Band Aid, a group of well-known performers—including Bono of U2, Sting, George Michael, Boy George, Paul Young, and Simon LeBon—recorded "Do They Know It's Christmas?" Released during the 1984 holiday season, the song struck chords of sympathy and guilt with its chilling lyrics describing a draught-ravaged continent "where nothing ever grows" and "no rain or rivers flow." As Bono screamed, "Tonight thank God it's them instead of you," British and American Christmas shoppers dug into their pockets. The song went to number one in England and climbed as high as number thirteen in America, selling 3 million copies. The Band Aid single and a...

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