Looking back, a lot of the artists from the 80's have now contributed more to our world than just their music. And many from this decade and several others have followed suit.

Bob Geldof - I never was a big fan but I do know he started with The Boomtown Rats. Of course, he is also credited with the creation of Band Aid - he reacted to a news report about starving children in Ethiopia by going through his phone book and mobilised the pop world to do something about the appalling images he had seen. Jointly, with Midge Ure of Ultravox, they wrote 'Do They Know It's Christmas?' in order to raise funds. (1)
Prior to this though, Geldof's first major charity involvement took place in September 1981, when he performed as a solo artist for Amnesty International's benefit show The Secret Policeman's Other Ball. The show, and its spin-off albums and movies, raised considerable sums of money for Amnesty, and raised public consciousness about human rights. (2)

And because of Geldof's activism, he inspired other musicians as well. U2's Bono was so inspired that he too began a life in Humanitarian work. From Band Aid to www.one.org Bono is determined to stamp out poverty and the Aids pandemic.

I could go on about these two, but I figure that there is a lot more information from you that can be added.

Who else has decided to use their celebrity (IE. musicians, actors, producers etc.) in order to help and/or make a difference in our world today?


1,2 www.wikipedia.com

Well, even though she can be "high and mighty" acting sometimes...Oprah really is doing a great work in Africa...with her school for girls that she recently constructed. She seems like she genuinely cares about the welfare of these children/young people.

Geldof sure was an inspiration.  His work with Band-Aid spawned a sequel in 1989, and a third one in 2004.  I proudly own all three singles

"American Idol: Idol Gives Back" was quite a success too.  It (so far) has raised over 60 million dollars

In the 80s, you also had Farm Aid and Sport Aid.  And in the UK, there were so many charity singles, seems like one getting released per week almost

There was also U.S.A. for Africa-if memory serves, it was started by Quincy Jones and he put together an "all-star" cast for "We Are the World". Michael Jackson, Cyndi Lauper, The Pointer Sisters, Bruce Springsteen, Hall and Oates, and many, many others. If you watch the video and look at the faces, some of them are not known for being singers like Dan Ackroid. I thought it was really cool. Yeah, the song was probably over-played but we all knew that the proceeds were going to a worthy cause. Here is the full list of all the preformers on that historic recording.


    * Dan Aykroyd
    * Harry Belafonte
    * Lindsey Buckingham
    * Kim Carnes
    * Ray Charles
    * Bob Dylan
    * Sheila E.
    * Bob Geldof
    * Hall and Oates
    * James Ingram
    * Jackie Jackson
    * LaToya Jackson
    * Marlon Jackson
    * Michael Jackson
    * Randy Jackson
    * Tito Jackson
    * Al Jarreau
    * Waylon Jennings
      "Pop-Up Video" stated that he left the recording session due to a dispute over the lyrics.
    * Billy Joel
    * Cyndi Lauper
    * Huey Lewis and the News
    * Kenny Logins
    * Bette Midler
    * Willie Nelson
    * Jeffery Osborne
    * Steve Perry
    * The Pointer Sisters
    * Lionel Richie
    * Smokey Robinson
    * Kenny Rogers
    * Diana Ross
    * Paul Simon
    * Bruce Springsteen
    * Tina Turner
    * Dionne Warwick
    * Stevie Wonder
    * Michael Boddicker - Synthesizers, Programming
    * Paulinho da Costa - Percussion
    * Louis Johnson - Bass
    * Quincy Jones - Producer
    * Michael Omartian - Keyboards, Producer
    * Greg Phillinganes - Keyboards
    * John Robinson - Drums




Cat

Dave Mustaine was a key proponent of 'Rock the Vote' which led to untold millions going to the polls for the first time ever.

Dave Mustaine was a key proponent of 'Rock the Vote' which led to untold millions going to the polls for the first time ever.



Rock the Vote huh?

What is it and is it still going for '08?
;)
I know what Rock the Vote is, I asked in order to generate more replies

Well, even though she can be "high and mighty" acting sometimes...Oprah really is doing a great work in Africa...with her school for girls that she recently constructed. She seems like she genuinely cares about the welfare of these children/young people.

Oprah certainly does.
Do you know of other ventures she does as well?
I so wanted to be in the sudience the day she gave away all those cars!!! ;D

Oprah certainly does.
Do you know of other ventures she does as well?
I so wanted to be in the sudience the day she gave away all those cars!!! ;D



I'm not really sure Tam....the only one that I really know of is her new academy in Africa.  Yes...that would have been awesome to have been in her audience that day!! ;)

I think the social conscious era of music probably spanned from "We Are the World" through 1991. The second half of the '80s also tended to be a little more serious, with the revival of activist artists like Tracy Chapman. I think Born In the USA actually was the very beginning of this.

Another defining song would be "Another Day in Paradise" by Phil Collins (awareness about the plight of the homeless).

I'm not really sure Tam....the only one that I really know of is her new academy in Africa.  Yes...that would have been awesome to have been in her audience that day!! ;)

And had I spell checked I would have seen that audience is spelled with an A!! Mahaha ;D

Elton John has done alot for the AIDS cause

John has long been associated with AIDS charities after the deaths of his friends Ryan White and Freddie Mercury, raising large amounts of money and using his public profile to raise awareness of the disease. For example, in 1986 he joined with Dionne Warwick, Gladys Knight, and Stevie Wonder to record the single "That's What Friends Are For", with all profits being donated to the American Foundation for AIDS Research. The song won Elton and the others the Grammy Award for Best Pop Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal (as well as Song of the Year for its writers, Burt Bacharach and Carole Bayer Sager). In April 1990, John performed "Skyline Pigeon" at the funeral of White, a teenage hemophiliac he had befriended.

John founded the Elton John AIDS Foundation in 1992 as a charity to fund programmes for HIV/AIDS prevention, for the elimination of prejudice and discrimination against HIV/AIDS-affected individuals, and for providing services to people living with or at risk of contracting HIV/AIDS. This cause continues to be one of his personal passions. In early 2006, Elton donated the smaller of two bright-red Yamaha pianos from his Las Vegas show to auction on eBay to raise public awareness and funds for the foundation. For his AIDS charity, John has hosted annually a glamorous White Tie and Tiara Ball, to which many famous celebrities are invited.

Every year since 2004, he has opened a shop (this year in Manhattan, before in London and Atlanta), selling his second hand clothes. Called "Elton's Closet" the sale this year of 10,000 items was expected to raise $400,000

Rock the Vote huh?

What is it and is it still going for '08?
;)
I know what Rock the Vote is, I asked in order to generate more replies


Err.. ok.. it's all about getting people to vote by having musicians and other such individuals get involved in the voting process and encourage disillusioned folk to vote.

There is also Comic Relief-for years it was hosted by Robin Williams, Whoopi Goldberg, & Billy Crystal. I don't know if they those 3 are still hosting it or not.


I know with all her controversy stuff going on now, but Rosie O'Donnell has also done a lot, too.



Cat

Sting has done alot of benefits for the environmental causes and for Amnesty International

John Cougar Mellancamp and Willie Nelson have done alot with Farm Aid (to help bankrupt American farmers)

Hear 'n Aid came together in 1985 after Ronnie James Dio was inspired by "We are the World" and Live Aid to do something good. It also happened to prove that anything pop can do, metal can do better. Who can rip off lightning fast sweep arpeggios, tear through shreddy modal scales, do some sick fretboard tapping, and execute every type of harmonic better, Yngwie Malmsteen or LaToya Jackson?

The purpose of Hear 'n Aid was to raise money for starving children in Africa. A supergroup containing members of Blue Oyster Cult, Dio, Dokken, Giuffria, Iron Maiden, Journey, Judas Priest, King Kobra (?), Mötley Crüe, Night Ranger, Queensrÿche, Qüïet Rïöt, Röügh Cütt (?), Vänïllä Füdgë, W.Ä.S.P., and Y&T absolutely cannot f*ck up. Hell, even Spinal Tap was in on the act. In a brilliant move, Adrian Smith and Dave Murray of Iron Maiden laid down the rhythm tracks, while soloists Craig Goldy, Eddie Ojeda, Vivian Campbell, Brad Gillis, Neal Schon, George Lynch, Carlos Cavazo, Yngwie Malmsteen, and Buck Dharma shredded their way to food for the emaciated. Ted Nugent was left out of the solo fun, which sucks. It is unclear who played bass on the album (possibly Jimmy Bain).

^I saw something on VH1 recently (a list of the "most metal moments", I believe). They mentioned, despite doing as good as it did charity-wise, "Hear 'N Aid" was taken less seriously in the mainstream, because heavy metal was still kinda perceived as threatening in its image. I'm not a huge metal fan personally, but I thought that was unfortunate.

The Boomtown Rats actually were a very interesting and rocking band, but it was brief.  As soon as Geldof concentrated on charity, the music suffered, almost disappearing, and what there was mediocre.  Then his solo work wasn't very good or popular, although I do have one cajun-influenced CD that is interesting.  But the Rats: their first 3 albums are quite good, comparing to contemporary Elvis Costello (for instance) quite well.  Remember "I Don't Like Mondays"?  Quite astute on one of the first school shootings in the U.S.