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After all the press coverage and buildup over the past two weeks, the 25th anniversary update of “We Are The World” finally premiered Friday during the opening of the 2010 Winter Olympics. Jamie Foxx introduced the Paul Haggis-directed video for the charity song by asking viewers to “do more than just watch—reach deep into your hearts and give anything you can, as we have, for Haiti.”
Both the digital single and music video were added to iTunes Friday night, with proceeds going to Haiti earthquake relief efforts. Watch the full eight-minute-and-30-second clip—which features everyone from Pink and Justin Bieber to Barbra Streisand and Janet Jackson—below the jump.
The updated “We Are The World” was produced by Quincy Jones, Wyclef Jean and RedOne. Here’s the list of all the artists involved in the new version:
* Akon
* Bono
* India.Arie
* Patti Austin
* Tony Bennett
* Justin Bieber
* Bizzy Bone
* Ethan Bortnick
* Brandy
* Jeff Bridges
* Toni Braxton
* Zac Brown
* Kristian Bush
* Busta Rhymes
* Natalie Cole
* Harry Connick Jr.
* Kid Cudi
* Miley Cyrus
* Celine Dion
* Snoop Dogg
* Drake
* Earth Wind & Fire
* Faith Evans
* Fergie
* Melanie Fiona
* Jamie Foxx
* Sean Garrett
* Tyrese Gibson
* Josh Groban
* Anthony Hamilton
* Keri Hilson
* Julianne Hough
* Jennifer Hudson
* Enrique Iglesias
* LL Cool J
* Janet Jackson
* Michael Jackson
* Randy Jackson
* Taj Jackson
* Taryll Jackson
* TJ Jackson
* Al Jardine
* Joe Jonas
* Kevin Jonas
* Nick Jonas
* Rashida Jones
* Gladys Knight
* Adam Levine
* Jimmy Jean-Louis
* Benji Madden
* Joel Madden
* Mary Mary
* Katharine McPhee
* Jason Mraz
* Mýa
* Jennifer Nettles
* Orianthi
* Freda Payne
* P!nk
* A. R. Rahman
* Nicole Richie
* Raphael Saadiq
* Carlos Santana
* Nicole Scherzinger
* Isaac Slade
* Trey Songz
* Musiq Soulchild
* Jordin Sparks
* Barbra Streisand
* Swizz Beatz
* T-Pain
* Robin Thicke
* Rob Thomas
* Usher
* Vince Vaughn
* Lil Wayne
* Kanye West
* Will.i.am
* Ann Wilson
* Brian Wilson
* Nancy Wilson
* BeBe Winans
Across the pond in the United Kingdom, the all-star Helping Haiti charity cover of R.E.M.’s “Everybody Hurts” went on sale this week, and is expected to top the British chart this Sunday after selling over 200,000 copies during its first two days of release alone.
you put akon and trey songz twice
What is that yodel yelping at 3:16? It really needs to stop. As does the autotune.
also you forgot busta rhymes, swizz beats, ace hood, and fergie
I completely support the effort and emotion on display here, every bit for Haiti helps, but Jesus, the record industry is in shambles. The level of talent in this version compared to the original is almost laughable.
Think about how much money could be raised if each of these artists chipped in $500,000 each… That would be over $40m (my count for the number of artists might be off)
I agree Wyclef's yodeling and the autotune show helping the world as a joke.
i personally loved this!!! i agree, wyclef had a bit of a yodeling stretch, but he put a haitian flare into the song considering the fact that he is from haiti. i loved the hip hop touch in the middle, but i think they over did it on the auto tone. also they should have used other great artists of today like taylor swift, christina aguilara, rihanna, beyonce, david cook/archuleta, etc.. giving so many parts to weak singers like justin beiber or miley cyrus and the rapers wasnt awesome, but as a whole, i think it was pretty good!! especially with the haiti creole lines like nou se mond la, blah blah blah. CELINE DION ROCKED, btw.
also maybe sting, justin timberlake, britney spears, shakira, chris brown, and lady gaga, to name a few more of the poeple who should have been featured in this
Okay, I get it. Nobody likes a remake the doesn’t capture the magic of the original (Planet of the Apes, The Longest Yard, Psycho, The Stepford Wives…and on and on). But we have to stop slamming the new version of We Are The World 25 for Haiti.
When the original song came out, there was lots of flack against the artists then too. They could do more. They could just give money. They are just promoting themselves. Perhaps. But they also could be spending their evening snorting coke off a supermodel’s belly ring – they chose to do this and, frankly, I DON’T CARE what their motives are – the end result is of some benefit to others. (I have seen a famous person give a ridiculously large amount of money to charity on the condition that it remain anonymous – so you never know how people help in private)
Now to compare the two songs is unfair. You know that Michael Jackson was actually dead for the second one right? I think it was a brave decision to incorporate a rap adaptation at the end of the song. After all, it wasn’t a benefit for orphans in Sweden. I am guessing Wyclef knows better what’s hot right now around the world than Quincey Jones or Lionel Ritchie. You think more people under 40 or over 40 are downloading that song? And they sure tried to bridge numerous genres with that chick from Sugarland, the little midget Canadian boy, Josh Grobin and (be still my heart) Streisand. (but what the hell was with Tony Bennett – he sounded awful. I have seen him live and he is remarkable – I guess (”it’s just not my bag baby”)
Of course, the stories around the second one will probably never live up to the first. Stevie Wonder telling the participants that they had to get it in one take or “Ray Charles and I are driving you home.” I love that they had to turn away 50 other artists at the door – the door with the famous “check your ego here” sign. And Springsteen, driving up alone in the middle of the night and parking across the street. And – where was Prince? He was supposed to do a chorus with Michael Jackson and didn’t show up. The only story coming out of the new version was the fact that Miley Cyrus was late. Wow.
You want to see how hip your children are? I played the old version for my kids and was thrilled that they could pick most of the singers. They tested me on the new version and…not so good. Oh well. I downloaded it, and the old one and the next day went back and downloaded more from Sugarland which I would never have done. So I did my part – both for the charity they are helping and for the artists who may end up helping themselves as well.