Over the past few decades we have seen many famous names in the music industry unitedly coming together to support a worthy cause. Often times it is as a direct result of a natural disaster, or because of a national tragedy, but sometimes it is to celebrate what the music industry has accomplished, to build anticipation for a major sporting event or to raise awareness for a worldwide issue that needs charitable funding. In all cases, the end result is often a timeless record of music’s finest and diverse artists all coming together in a joint endeavour and producing a song of hope and promise.

 

I wanted to make a thread to celebrate all the many incredible records we have been given by an “all star” cast of musicians and other celebrities from the past few decades. I’ve included mostly songs that charted somewhere in the official UK charts, but a few may not have charted in the UK.

 

This is by no means a complete list, but as you will see it is pretty comprehensive, and I’ve asked others to help with collating as many different “all star” singles that could be thought of from the past 35 years. If you can think of others not included here which you think constitutes an “all star” record, please post it here (I’ve purposely avoided including the few years we had a song from The X Factor Finalists with featured artists). Sadly if you look for these songs on streaming platforms you won’t find many of them, but YouTube is still able to allow us to rediscover the again.

 

So here are 40 of the most star-studded “all star” casts we have ever seen (soon I hope to add additional information for each song including musical credits, chart peaks and more);

 

Band Aid – Do They Know It’s Christmas? (1984)

Musical Credits: Bananarama, Big Country, Culture Club, David Bowie, Duran Duran, Frankie Goes To Hollywood, Genesis, George Michael, Heaven 17, Jody Watley, Kool & The Gang, Marilyn, Paul McCartney, Paul Weller, Paul Young, Spandau Ballet, Status Quo, Sting, The Boomtown Rats, U2, Ultravox

Charity/Cause: Famine Relief for Ethiopia

UK Chart Peak: #1

Sales: 4,661,000

 

U.S.A. For Africa – We Are The World (1985)

Musical Credits: TBC

Charity/Cause: TBC

UK Chart Peak: TBC

Sales: TBC

 

Northern Lights – Tears Are Not Enough (1985)

Musical Credits: TBC

Charity/Cause: TBC

UK Chart Peak: TBC

Sales: TBC

 

Artists United Against Apartheid – Sun City (1985)

Musical Credits: TBC

Charity/Cause: TBC

UK Chart Peak: TBC

Sales: TBC

 

Hear N’ Aid – Stars (1986)

Musical Credits: TBC

Charity/Cause: TBC

UK Chart Peak: TBC

Sales: TBC

 

Disco Aid – Give, Give, Give (1986)

Musical Credits: TBC

Charity/Cause: TBC

UK Chart Peak: TBC

Sales: TBC

 

Ferry Aid – Let It Be (1987)

Musical Credits: TBC

Charity/Cause: TBC

UK Chart Peak: TBC

Sales: TBC

 

The Christians, Holly Johnson, Paul McCartney, Gerry Marsden & Stock Aitken Waterman – Ferry 'Cross The Mersey (1989)

Musical Credits: TBC

Charity/Cause: TBC

UK Chart Peak: TBC

Sales: TBC

 

Rock Aid Armenia – Smoke On The Water (1989)

Musical Credits: TBC

Charity/Cause: TBC

UK Chart Peak: TBC

Sales: TBC

 

Band Aid II – Do They Know It’s Christmas? (1989)

Musical Credits: TBC

Charity/Cause: TBC

UK Chart Peak: TBC

Sales: TBC

 

Voices That Care – Voices That Care (1991)

Musical Credits: TBC

Charity/Cause: TBC

UK Chart Peak: TBC

Sales: TBC

 

Childliners – The Gift Of Christmas (1995)

Musical Credits: TBC

Charity/Cause: TBC

UK Chart Peak: TBC

Sales: TBC

 

Various Artists – Perfect Day (1997)

Musical Credits: TBC

Charity/Cause: TBC

UK Chart Peak: TBC

Sales: TBC

 

England United – (How Does It Feel To Be) On Top Of The World? (1998)

Musical Credits: TBC

Charity/Cause: TBC

UK Chart Peak: TBC

Sales: TBC

 

Bravo All Stars – Let The Music Heal Your Soul (1998)

Musical Credits: TBC

Charity/Cause: TBC

UK Chart Peak: TBC

Sales: TBC

 

Steps, Tina Cousins, Cleopatra, B*Witched & Billie Piper – Thank ABBA For The Music (1999)

Musical Credits: TBC

Charity/Cause: TBC

UK Chart Peak: TBC

Sales: TBC

 

Various Artists – It’s Only Rock & Roll (1999)

Musical Credits: TBC

Charity/Cause: TBC

UK Chart Peak: TBC

Sales: TBC

 

Artists Against AIDS Worldwide – What’s Going On? (2001)

Musical Credits: TBC

Charity/Cause: TBC

UK Chart Peak: TBC

Sales: TBC

 

Band Aid 20 – Do They Know It’s Christmas? (2004)

Musical Credits: TBC

Charity/Cause: TBC

UK Chart Peak: TBC

Sales: TBC

 

Hope Collective – Give And Let Live (2005)

Musical Credits: TBC

Charity/Cause: TBC

UK Chart Peak: TBC

Sales: TBC

 

Various Artists – Tears In Heaven (2005)

Musical Credits: TBC

Charity/Cause: TBC

UK Chart Peak: TBC

Sales: TBC

 

Velvet Revolver feat. Stevie Wonder & Various Artists – Across The Universe (2005)

Musical Credits: TBC

Charity/Cause: TBC

UK Chart Peak: TBC

Sales: TBC

 

Various Artists – Come Together Now (2005)

Musical Credits: TBC

Charity/Cause: TBC

UK Chart Peak: TBC

Sales: TBC

 

Artists Stand Up To Cancer – Just Stand Up (2008)

Musical Credits: TBC

Charity/Cause: TBC

UK Chart Peak: TBC

Sales: TBC

 

Young Soul Rebels – I Got Soul (2009)

Musical Credits: TBC

Charity/Cause: TBC

UK Chart Peak: TBC

Sales: TBC

 

Peter Kay’s Animated All Star Band – The Official BBC Children In Need Medley (2009)

Musical Credits: TBC

Charity/Cause: TBC

UK Chart Peak: TBC

Sales: TBC

 

Artists For Haiti – We Are The World 25 (2010)

Musical Credits: TBC

Charity/Cause: TBC

UK Chart Peak: TBC

Sales: TBC

 

Helping Haiti – Everybody Hurts (2010)

Musical Credits: TBC

Charity/Cause: TBC

UK Chart Peak: TBC

Sales: TBC

 

The Collective – Teardrop (2011)

Musical Credits: TBC

Charity/Cause: TBC

UK Chart Peak: TBC

Sales: TBC

 

The Justice Collective – He Ain’t Heavy, He’s My Brother (2013)

Musical Credits: TBC

Charity/Cause: TBC

UK Chart Peak: TBC

Sales: TBC

 

Various Artists – God Only Knows (2014)

Musical Credits: TBC

Charity/Cause: TBC

UK Chart Peak: TBC

Sales: TBC

 

Gareth Malone’s All Star Choir – Wake Me Up (2014)

Musical Credits: TBC

Charity/Cause: TBC

UK Chart Peak: TBC

Sales: TBC

 

Band Aid 30 – Do They Know It’s Christmas? (2014)

Musical Credits: TBC

Charity/Cause: TBC

UK Chart Peak: TBC

Sales: TBC

 

Various Artists – Imagine (UNICEF World Edition) (2015)

Musical Credits: TBC

Charity/Cause: TBC

UK Chart Peak: TBC

Sales: TBC

 

Various Artists – Hands (2016)

Musical Credits: TBC

Charity/Cause: TBC

UK Chart Peak: TBC

Sales: TBC

 

Black Eyed Peas feat. The World – #WheresTheLove (2016)

Musical Credits: TBC

Charity/Cause: TBC

UK Chart Peak: TBC

Sales: TBC

 

Artists For Grenfell – Bridge Over Troubled Water (2017)

Musical Credits: TBC

Charity/Cause: TBC

UK Chart Peak: TBC

Sales: TBC

 

United Voices Against Domestic Violence – You’re The Voice (2017)

Musical Credits: TBC

Charity/Cause: TBC

UK Chart Peak: TBC

Sales: TBC

 

Homeless Worldwide And Friends – He Ain’t Heavy, He’s My Brother (2019)

Musical Credits: TBC

Charity/Cause: TBC

UK Chart Peak: TBC

Sales: TBC

 

Live Lounge Allstars – Times Like These (2020)

Musical Credits: TBC

Charity/Cause: TBC

UK Chart Peak: TBC

Sales: TBC

 

 

Which songs do you have fondest memories of, and which were there ones you purchased on cassette, CD or downloaded at the time if their release?

 

Also, for those with time on their hands, a question to consider is who could possibly be the most featured artist to appear on the most “all star” singles of all time? My own guess would be Paul McCartney, but I genuinely don’t know.

 

If any songs are missing and you want them added to the poll, please PM one of the chart moderators who can do so.

Post reserved for any additional songs suggested and other related data.

Artists Against AIDS Worldwide – What’s Going On? (2001)

Band Aid 20 – Do They Know It’s Christmas? (2004)

Various Artists – Hands (2016)

Wow I don't even know/remember so many of those, especially the early ones (Northern Lights? Hear N' Aid?) I might have to re-familiarise myself with a few of them before voting. I'd be surprised if Band Aid doesn't win though!

Where is Gal Gadot's Imagine cover that practically defeated Covid19? :lol:

Edited April 27, 20205 yr by diva thin muffin

Smash Mouth >

I voted for:

 

Band Aid

Band Aid 20

Artists Stand Up To Cancer

The Childliners - Gift Of Christmas :heart:

Band Aid & Just Stand Up.

 

The latter was such a moment! All those queens on the same stage together. RiRi and Miley :lol: Nicole thinking "wtf" about Natasha's vocals. :lol:

I just voted original Band Aid & the 2014 God Only Knows.

The original Band Aid and U.S.A. For Africa, i love the U.S.A. For Africa song.

I was not aware Bravo All Stars charted in UK :o

Perfect Day is my absolute fave here.

 

I remember reading somewhere recently that it will probably never be on streaming as they require consent from every single artist/record label involved :lol:

Perfect Day is my absolute fave here.

 

I remember reading somewhere recently that it will probably never be on streaming as they require consent from every single artist/record label involved :lol:

Unless you stream Now 39 from the NowMusic app. ;)

I was not aware Bravo All Stars charted in UK :o

 

Not all of these songs did chart (although that one did scrape in at #36).

 

I don't think this list of songs is making a great case for the musical merit of songs like this... :kink: the original Band Aid and 'We Are The World' are both serviceable songs but nearly every variation on the formula since then has been a case of being for a good cause but not exactly songs you'd ever want to listen to. I did vote for a few others ('Perfect Day', Band Aids 20 and 30, the Children In Need medley which is probably my favourite besides Band Aid, and a couple of the other recent ones that are pretty naff but I have a small soft spot for / thought they were a little more substantial than the usual covers (Young Soul Rebels, The Collective and Artists For Grenfell)) but I'd still pretty happily never hear any of these songs bar Band Aid again :lol:

PKAA anything that combines scooby dog with Bob the builder is a win in my book plus bonus points for not actually being singers and still be decent

Band Aid, 'I Got Soul' and 'Just Stand Up' are the only good ones - of course the latter two didn't do well at all :')

thank abba for the music

Original Band Aid, Band Aid 20, 'Just Stand Up', Justice Collective (I have a huge soft spot for this one!) & Artists for Orlando - Hands :wub: The latter is EXTREMELY under appreciated and actually a great song! Britney sounds amaze on it :wub:

 

Out of these 5 I would rank them as:

 

'Just Stand Up'

'Hands'

Band Aid 20

Band Aid

Justice Collective

Band Aid & Just Stand Up.

 

The latter was such a moment! All those queens on the same stage together. RiRi and Miley :lol: Nicole thinking "wtf" about Natasha's vocals. :lol:

Legit, one of my all time favourite performances because of that moment. Fergie getting the biggest reaction though *_*

 

---

 

EDIT: Seeing these results, I'm very surprised to see both myself and Nick being the only ones to give Artists for Orlando - Hands, a vote. :(