We Are the World (album)

We Are the World is a 1985 album that contains USA for Africa's "We Are the World", a superstar charity recording for famine relief efforts in Ethiopia. The album was released on April 1, 1985,^[1][2][3] by Columbia Records.

We Are the World
Studio album by USA for Africa and various artists
Released	April 1, 1985
Genre	Pop rock soul R&B
Length	41:37
Label	Columbia/CBS
Producer	Quincy Jones, Various
Singles from We Are the World
"We Are the World" Released: March 7, 1985 "Tears Are Not Enough" Released: May 1, 1985

In addition to the title track, the album includes nine previously unreleased songs by donating artists, including Prince, Steve Perry, Chicago, Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band (a rendition of Jimmy Cliff's obscure "Trapped" recorded live at Meadowlands Arena on their Born in the U.S.A. Tour, which achieved considerable album-oriented rock radio airplay and topped the Mainstream Rock chart), Tina Turner and others.

The album also includes another famine relief fundraising song, "Tears Are Not Enough", which was performed by Canadian supergroup Northern Lights.

Prince and The Revolution recorded "4 the Tears in Your Eyes" for the album. A rare live version of the song, done for Live Aid, was included on Prince's The Hits/The B-Sides.

Chicago's contribution, "Good for Nothing", would be the last single released with bass player Peter Cetera's lead vocals before he left the band. It was later included on the band's comprehensive 2003 compilation, The Box.

The album was nominated for the Grammy Award for Album of the Year in 1986.

Critical reception

Professional ratings

Review scores
Source	Rating
AllMusic	[4]

The album sold over three million copies. On April 27, 1985, it reached number one on Billboard's Top Pop Albums in only two weeks, something that had last been accomplished in 1981 by the Rolling Stones album Tattoo You^[5].

Track listing

1. USA for Africa – "We Are the World" (Michael Jackson, Lionel Richie) – 7:02
2. Steve Perry – "If Only for the Moment, Girl" (Randy Goodrum, Steve Perry) – 3:44
3. The Pointer Sisters – "Just a Little Closer" (Robbie Nevil, Mark Mueller) – 3:53
4. Bruce Springsteen & The E Street Band – "Trapped" (Live at Meadowlands, August 6, 1984) (Jimmy Cliff) – 5:11
5. Northern Lights – "Tears Are Not Enough" (David Foster, Bryan Adams, Jim Vallance) – 4:21
6. Prince & The Revolution – "4 the Tears in Your Eyes" (Prince) – 2:45
7. Chicago – "Good for Nothing" (Richard Marx, Robert Lamm, David Foster) – 3:35
8. Tina Turner – "Total Control" (Martha Davis, Jeff Jourard) – 3:38
9. Kenny Rogers – "A Little More Love" (Thom Schuyler, J. Fred Knobloch) – 2:54
10. Huey Lewis and the News – "Trouble in Paradise" (Live in San Francisco on February 21, 1985) (Johnny Colla, Bill Gibson, Chris Hayes, Sean Hopper, Huey Lewis, Mario Cipollina) – 4:34

Personnel

• Executive producer: Ken Kragen
• Album supervisor: Humberto Gatica

Charts

Weekly charts Weekly chart performance for We Are the World Chart (1985) Peak position Australian Albums (Kent Music Report)[6] 6 Austrian Albums (Ö3 Austria)[7] 5 Dutch Albums (Album Top 100)[8] 1 German Albums (Offizielle Top 100)[9] 8 New Zealand Albums (RMNZ)[10] 6 Norwegian Albums (VG-lista)[11] 1 Swedish Albums (Sverigetopplistan)[12] 4 Swiss Albums (Schweizer Hitparade)[13] 1 UK Albums (OCC)[14] 31 US Billboard 200[15] 1 US Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums (Billboard)[16] 6

Year-end charts Year-end chart performance for We Are the World Chart (1985) Position Dutch Albums (Album Top 100)[17] 59 Swiss Albums (Schweizer Hitparade)[18] 10 US Billboard 200[19] 76

Certifications and sales

Certifications and sales for We Are the World

Region	Certification	Certified units/sales
Brazil	—	850,000[20]
France (SNEP)[21]	Gold	100,000[22]
New Zealand (RMNZ)[23]	Platinum	15,000^
United States (RIAA)[24]	3× Platinum	3,000,000^
^ Shipments figures based on certification alone.