The new Netflix documentary, titled The Greatest Night in Pop, takes viewers back in time to examine the creation of the iconic charity single ‘We Are the World’, which was released under the name USA For Africa in 1985. The project brought together the most successful musical artists of the era to raise funds for humanitarian aid in Africa and the United States, ultimately raising over $80 million and winning four Grammy Awards.
Director Bao Nguyen offers an in-depth look at the creation of the record, delving into the process of recording the track and exploring the talented musicians who came together to make it happen. According to Nguyen, the runaway success of Band Aid’s single ‘Do They Know It’s Christmas’ the previous year largely inspired the artists behind ‘We Are the World’. Despite featuring many of the era’s biggest names, some of the key figures behind the project are no longer alive, including Harry Belafonte and Ken Kragen.
The documentary features interviews with some of the world’s most famous musicians, including Lionel Richie, who co-wrote the track with Michael Jackson and is a producer on the film. Other interviewees include Bruce Springsteen, Dionne Warwick, Smokey Robinson, Cyndi Lauper, Huey Lewis, and Kenny Loggins. Fans of pop music can also enjoy behind-the-scenes footage from Kenny Rogers’ Lion Share Recording Studio, where the record was produced by Quincy Jones and Michael Omartian.
The star-studded single featured a roster of soloists including Lionel Richie, Stevie Wonder, Paul Simon, Kenny Rogers, James Ingram, Tina Turner, Billy Joel, Michael Jackson, Diana Ross, Willie Nelson, Al Jarreau, Bruce Springsteen, Kenny Loggins, Steve Perry, Daryl Hall, Huey Lewis, Cyndi Lauper, Bob Dylan, and Ray Charles. Belafonte, the Pointer Sisters, Bette Midler, the Jackson 5, Waylon Jennings, Smokey Robinson, and Bob Geldof were among the other musicians who contributed to the chorus. The Greatest Night in Pop was screened at the Sundance Film Festival on January 19 and is now available for streaming on Netflix
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