View source for Live Aid

{{short description|1985 benefit concert}}
{{For|the 2005 benefit concerts|Live 8}}
{{Use British English|date=July 2021}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=March 2024}}
{{Infobox music festival
|name = Live Aid
|image = Official Live Aid poster.jpeg
|caption = Official Live Aid poster featuring artwork by [[Peter Blake (artist)|Peter Blake]]
|location =
* [[Wembley Stadium (1923)|Wembley Stadium]]<br>[[London]], England, United Kingdom
* [[John F. Kennedy Stadium]]<br>[[Philadelphia, Pennsylvania]], United States
|years_active =
|attendance = 72,000 (London)<br />89,484 (Philadelphia)
|founders = [[Bob Geldof]]<br />[[Midge Ure]]
|dates = {{start date and age|df=yes|1985|7|13}}
|genre = [[Rock music|Rock]], [[Pop music|pop]]
|website =
}}
'''Live Aid''' was a two-venue [[benefit concert]] and music-based fundraising initiative held on Saturday 13 July 1985. The event was organised by [[Bob Geldof]] and [[Midge Ure]] to raise further funds for relief of the [[1983–1985 famine in Ethiopia]], a movement that started with the release of the successful charity single "[[Do They Know It's Christmas?]]" in December 1984. Billed as the "global jukebox", Live Aid was held simultaneously at [[Wembley Stadium (1923)|Wembley Stadium]] in [[London]] and [[John F. Kennedy Stadium]] in [[Philadelphia]].<ref>{{usurped|1=[https://web.archive.org/web/20110205101201/http://www.bobgeldof.info/Charity/liveaid.html Live Aid on Bob Geldof's official site]}}</ref><ref>{{cite magazine|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=8CMEAAAAMBAJ&q=top+concert+grosses+&pg=PT2 |title=Billboard Boxscore |magazine=[[Billboard (magazine)|Billboard]] |date=27 July 1985|access-date=6 March 2020}}</ref>

On the same day, concerts inspired by the initiative were held in other countries, such as the [[Soviet Union]], [[Canada]], [[Japan]], [[Yugoslavia]], [[Austria]], [[Australia]], and [[West Germany]]. It was one of the largest satellite link-ups and television broadcasts of all time. An estimated audience of 1.9 billion people in 150 nations watched the live broadcast, nearly 40 per cent of the world population.<ref name="CNN"/><ref>[https://esa.un.org/unpd/wpp/DataQuery/ World Population Prospects: The 2017 Revision] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160919061238/https://esa.un.org/unpd/wpp/DataQuery/ |date=19 September 2016}}. United Nations, Department of Economic and Social Affairs. Retrieved 7 June 2018.</ref>

The impact of Live Aid on famine relief has been debated for years. One aid relief worker stated that following the publicity generated by the concert, "humanitarian concern is now at the centre of foreign policy" for Western governments.<ref name="Guardian"/> Geldof has said: "We took an issue that was nowhere on the political agenda and, through the ''[[lingua franca]]'' of the planet – which is not English but rock 'n' roll – we were able to address the intellectual absurdity and the moral repulsion of people dying of want in a world of surplus."<ref>{{cite news |title=Live Aid index: Bob Geldof |url=https://www.theguardian.com/arts/pictures/0,,1328579,00.html |access-date=14 June 2019 |work=The Guardian |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140823042901/https://www.theguardian.com/arts/pictures/0,,1328579,00.html|archive-date=23 August 2014|url-status=live}}</ref> In another interview he stated that Live Aid "created something permanent and self-sustaining" but also asked why Africa is getting poorer.<ref name="Guardian">{{cite news |title=Cruel to be kind? |url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2005/jun/24/g8.debtrelief |access-date=31 March 2019 |work=The Guardian |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130829061237/https://www.theguardian.com/world/2005/jun/24/g8.debtrelief|archive-date=29 August 2013|url-status=live}}</ref>

The organisers of Live Aid tried to run aid efforts directly, channelling millions of pounds to [[NGOs]] in [[Ethiopia]]. It has been alleged that much of this went to the Ethiopian government of [[Mengistu Haile Mariam]] – a regime the UK Prime Minister [[Margaret Thatcher]] opposed<ref>{{cite news |title=Margaret Thatcher demanded the UK find ways to 'destabilise' Ethiopian regime in power during 1984 famine |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/margaret-thatcher-demanded-uk-find-ways-to-destabilise-ethiopian-regime-in-power-during-1984-famine-10390940.html |access-date=10 April 2019 |work=The Independent |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150718225213/https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/margaret-thatcher-demanded-uk-find-ways-to-destabilise-ethiopian-regime-in-power-during-1984-famine-10390940.html|archive-date=18 July 2015|url-status=live}}</ref> – and it is also alleged some funds were spent on guns.<ref name="Guardian"/><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.spin.com/featured/live-aid-the-terrible-truth-ethiopia-bob-geldof-feature/|title=Live Aid: The Terrible Truth|date=13 July 2015|website=Spin|access-date=30 March 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150714222035/https://www.spin.com/featured/live-aid-the-terrible-truth-ethiopia-bob-geldof-feature/|archive-date=14 July 2015|url-status=live}}</ref> Although the [[BBC World Service]] programme ''Assignment'' reported in March 2010 that the funds had been diverted, the BBC Editorial Complaints Unit later found "that there was no evidence to support such statements".<ref name="BBC 2010">{{cite news |title=BBC apologises over Band Aid money reports |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-11688535 |access-date=19 July 2020 |agency=BBC|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101104014607/https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-11688535|archive-date=4 November 2010|url-status=live}}</ref> [[Brian Barder]], British Ambassador to Ethiopia from 1982 to 1986, wrote on his website: "The programme itself, and in particular the BBC's advance publicity for it, gave the impression that these allegations concerned not only the aid operation in TPLF [rebel]-controlled areas but also the much larger international relief aid operation in the rest of Ethiopia, including in particular money for famine relief raised by Bob Geldof's Band Aid and Live Aid. This impression is entirely false. Nothing of the sort occurred."<ref name="Barder">{{cite news |title=Ethiopia famine relief aid: misinterpreted allegations out of control |url=http://www.barder.com/ethiopia-famine-relief-aid-misinterpreted-allegations-out-of-control/ |access-date=9 February 2025 |website=Barder.com|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120127185233/http://www.barder.com/ethiopia-famine-relief-aid-misinterpreted-allegations-out-of-control/|archive-date=27 January 2012|url-status=live}}</ref>

== Background ==
[[File:Michael Buerk, British Museum, London, 23 June 2012 - Britain's Secret Treasures Filming.jpg|upright=0.7|thumb|[[Michael Buerk]]'s reports on the [[1983–1985 famine in Ethiopia]] for [[BBC World Service]] helped spark the aid relief movement.<ref name="BBCLiveAid"/>]]
The 1985 Live Aid concert was conceived as a follow-on to the successful charity single "[[Do They Know It's Christmas?]]" which was also the idea of Geldof and Ure. In October 1984, images of hundreds of thousands of [[1983–1985 famine in Ethiopia|people starving to death in Ethiopia]] were shown in the UK in [[Michael Buerk]]'s [[BBC News]] reports on the [[1983–1985 famine in Ethiopia|1984 famine]].<ref name="BBCLiveAid">{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/702700.stm |title=Live Aid: The show that rocked the world |work=BBC |access-date=15 September 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20021028083359/http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/702700.stm |archive-date=28 October 2002 |url-status=live}}</ref> The BBC News crew were the first to document the famine, with Buerk's report on 23 October describing it as "a biblical famine in the 20th century" and "the closest thing to hell on Earth".<ref>{{cite news|title=Higgins marvels at change in Ethiopia's Tigray province|url=https://www.irishtimes.com/news/ireland/irish-news/higgins-marvels-at-change-in-ethiopia-s-tigray-province-1.1992467|newspaper=The Irish Times |date=7 January 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141112100922/https://www.irishtimes.com/news/ireland/irish-news/higgins-marvels-at-change-in-ethiopia-s-tigray-province-1.1992467|archive-date=12 November 2014|url-status=live}}</ref> The reports featured a young nurse, [[Claire Bertschinger]], who, surrounded by 85,000 starving people, told of her sorrow of having to decide which children would be allowed access to the limited food supplies in the feeding station and which were too sick to be saved.<ref name="Bertschinger">{{cite news |title=The nurse who inspired Live Aid |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/health/4640255.stm |access-date=28 September 2020 |publisher=BBC |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100719013251/http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/health/4640255.stm |archive-date=19 July 2010 |url-status=live}}</ref> She would put a little mark on the children who got chosen, with Geldof stating of her at the time: "In her was vested the power of life and death. She had become God-like and that is unbearable for anyone."<ref name="Bertschinger"/> Traumatised by what she experienced she did not speak about it for two decades, recalling in 2005: "I felt like a Nazi sending people to the death camps. Why was I in this situation? Why was it possible in this time of plenty that some have food and some do not? It is not right."<ref name="Bertschinger"/>

{{Quote box|width=25%|align=left|quote="There are thousands of people outside. I have counted 10 rows, and each row has more than 100 people in, and I can only take 60–70 children today, but they all need to come in."|source=—1984 diary entry from nurse [[Claire Bertschinger]] outside a feeding station.<ref name="Bertschinger"/>}}
Shocked by the report, the British public inundated relief agencies, such as [[Save the Children]], with donations, with the report also bringing the world's attention to the crisis in Ethiopia.<ref name="BBCLiveAid"/><ref>{{cite news|title=Live Aid: Against All Odds: Episode 1|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b0078x3n|publisher=BBC|date=7 January 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100716201128/https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b0078x3n|archive-date=16 July 2010|url-status=live}}</ref> Such was the magnitude of Buerk's report it was also broadcast in its entirety on a major US news channel – almost unheard of at the time.<ref name="Buerk Report">{{cite news |title=Ethiopian famine: how landmark BBC report influenced modern coverage |url=https://www.theguardian.com/global-development/poverty-matters/2014/oct/22/ethiopian-famine-report-influence-modern-coverage |access-date=28 September 2020 |newspaper=The Guardian|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141023125111/https://www.theguardian.com/global-development/poverty-matters/2014/oct/22/ethiopian-famine-report-influence-modern-coverage|archive-date=23 October 2014|url-status=live}}</ref> From his home in London Geldof also saw the report and called Ure from Ultravox (Geldof and Ure had previously worked together for charity when they appeared at the 1981 benefit show ''[[The Secret Policeman's Ball]]'' in London) and together they quickly co-wrote the song "Do They Know It's Christmas?" in the hope of raising money for famine relief.<ref name="BBCLiveAid"/> Geldof then contacted colleagues in the music industry and persuaded them to record the single under the name Band Aid for nothing.<ref name="BBCLiveAid"/> On 25 November 1984, the song was recorded at [[Sarm West Studios]] in [[Notting Hill]], London, and was released four days later.<ref name="BBC">{{cite news|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/radio2/r2music/documentaries/bandaid/ |title=The 20th anniversary of Band Aid |work=BBC |access-date=15 December 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20041205204725/https://www.bbc.co.uk/radio2/r2music/documentaries/bandaid/|archive-date=5 December 2004 |url-status=live}}</ref><ref>[https://books.google.com/books?id=zSQEAAAAMBAJ&dq=do+they+know+its+christmas+-+sarm+west+studios+-+25+november&pg=RA1-PA73 Billboard 8 Dec 1984] ''Billboard''. Retrieved 15 December 2011</ref> It stayed at [[List of number-one singles from the 1980s (UK)|number one for five weeks]] in the UK, was [[Christmas number one]], and became the fastest-selling single ever in Britain and raised £8&nbsp;million, rather than the £70,000 Geldof and Ure had initially expected.<ref name="BBCLiveAid"/> Geldof then set his sights on staging a huge concert to raise further funds.<ref name="BBCLiveAid"/>

The idea to stage a charity concert to raise more funds for Ethiopia originally came from [[Boy George]], the lead singer of [[Culture Club]]. George and Culture Club drummer [[Jon Moss]] had taken part in the recording of "Do They Know It's Christmas?" and in the same month, the band were undertaking a tour of the UK, which culminated in six nights at [[Wembley Arena]]. On the final night at Wembley, 22 December 1984, an impromptu gathering of some of the other artists from Band Aid joined Culture Club on stage at the end of the concert for an encore of "Do They Know It's Christmas?" George was so overcome by the occasion he told Geldof that they should consider organising a benefit concert. Speaking to the UK music magazine ''[[Melody Maker]]'' at the beginning of January 1985, Geldof revealed his enthusiasm for George's idea, saying: "If George is organising it, you can tell him he can call me at any time, and I'll do it. It's a logical progression from the record, but the point is you don't just talk about it, you go ahead and do it!"<ref name="MM19850112">{{cite magazine |title=Band Aid ... On Stage |periodical=[[Melody Maker]] |location=London, England |page=3 |date=12 January 1985}}</ref>

It was clear from the interview that Geldof had already had the idea to hold a dual venue concert and how the concerts should be structured:

{{blockquote|The show should be as big as is humanly possible. There's no point [in] just 5,000 fans turning up at [[Wembley Stadium (1923)|Wembley]]; we need to have Wembley linked with [[Madison Square Garden]]s, and the whole show to be televised worldwide. It would be great for [[Duran Duran|Duran]] to play three or four numbers at Wembley and then flick to Madison Square, where [[Springsteen]] would be playing. While he's on, the Wembley stage could be made ready for the next British act like [[Thompson Twins|the Thompsons]] or whoever. In that way, lots of acts could be featured, and the television rights, tickets, and so on could raise a phenomenal amount of money. It's not an impossible idea, and certainly one worth exploiting.<ref name="MM19850112" />}}

Live Aid production manager Andy Zweck said: "Bob [Geldof] had to play some tricks to get artists involved. He had to call Elton and say Queen are in and Bowie's in, and of course they weren't. Then he'd call Bowie and say Elton and Queen are in. It was a game of bluff."<ref name="Geldof artists"/>

== Organisation ==
[[File:Bob Geldof Rock am Ring 1987.jpg|thumb|upright=0.7|[[Bob Geldof]], who successfully pitched the idea of the Live Aid concert to promoter [[Harvey Goldsmith]]]]
Among those involved in organising<!-- Not a typo: this article is written in British English spelling --> Live Aid were [[Harvey Goldsmith]], who was responsible for the Wembley Stadium concert, and [[Michael C. Mitchell]], who put together the American leg.<ref>{{cite news|title=Bob Geldof, Harvey Goldsmith – and the truth about Live Aid|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/journalists/neil-mccormick/8217877/Bob-Geldof-Harvey-Goldsmith-and-the-truth-about-Live-Aid.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141018122721/http://www.telegraph.co.uk/journalists/neil-mccormick/8217877/Bob-Geldof-Harvey-Goldsmith-and-the-truth-about-Live-Aid.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=18 October 2014|work=The Telegraph|date=5 May 2018}}</ref> On promoting the event, Goldsmith stated: "I didn't really get a chance to say no. Bob [Geldof] arrived in my office and basically said: 'We're doing this.' It started from there."<ref name="Geldof artists">{{cite news |title=Live aid in their own words |url=https://www.theguardian.com/music/2004/oct/17/popandrock5 |access-date=6 June 2020 |newspaper=The Guardian|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131104194249/https://www.theguardian.com/music/2004/oct/17/popandrock5|archive-date=4 November 2013|url-status=live}}</ref>

The concert grew in scope as more acts were added on both sides of the Atlantic. [[Tony Verna]], one of the inventors of [[instant replay]], was able to secure [[John F. Kennedy Stadium]] through his friendship with Philadelphia mayor [[Wilson Goode]] and was able to procure, through his connections with [[American Broadcasting Company|ABC]]'s prime time chief, John Hamlin, a three-hour prime time slot on the ABC Network and, in addition, was able to supplement the lengthy programme through meetings that resulted in the addition of an ad-hoc network within the US, which covered 85 per cent of TVs there. Verna designed the needed satellite schematic and became the executive director as well as the co-executive producer alongside [[Hal Uplinger]]. Uplinger, the co-inventor of instant replay, came up with the idea to produce a four-hour video edit of Live Aid to distribute to those countries without the necessary satellite equipment to rebroadcast the live feed.{{citation needed|date=April 2024}}

== Collaborative effort ==
The concert began at noon British Summer Time (BST) (7:00 Eastern Daylight Time (EDT)) at [[Wembley Stadium (1923)|Wembley Stadium]] in the United Kingdom.<ref name="Skinner"/> It continued at [[John F. Kennedy Stadium]] (JFK) in the United States, starting at 13:51 BST (8:51 EDT). The UK's Wembley performances ended at 22:00 BST (17:00 EDT). The JFK performances and the whole concert in the US ended at 04:05 BST on 14 July (23:05 EDT). Thus, the concert continued for just over 16 hours, but since many artists' performances were conducted simultaneously in Wembley and JFK, the total concert length was just over 24 hours.<ref name="Skinner"/>

[[Mick Jagger]] and [[David Bowie]] intended to perform a transatlantic duet, with Bowie in London and Jagger in Philadelphia.<ref name="Duet">{{cite news |title=Watch David Bowie's iconic performance of 'Heroes' at 'Live Aid' in 1985 |url=https://faroutmagazine.co.uk/david-bowie-heroes-live-aid/ |access-date=14 July 2021 |magazine=Far Out Magazine |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200729030909/https://faroutmagazine.co.uk/david-bowie-heroes-live-aid/|archive-date=29 July 2020|url-status=live}}</ref> Problems of synchronisation meant the only practical solution was to have one artist, likely Bowie at Wembley, mime along to prerecorded vocals broadcast as part of the live sound mix for Jagger's performance from Philadelphia.<ref name="Duet"/> Veteran music engineer [[David Richards (record producer)|David Richards]] ([[Pink Floyd]] and [[Queen (band)|Queen]]) was brought in to create footage and sound mixes Jagger and Bowie could perform to in their respective venues. The BBC would then have had to ensure those footage and sound mixes were in sync while also performing a live vision mix of the footage from both venues. The combined footage would then have had to be bounced back by satellite to the various broadcasters worldwide. Due to the time lag (the signal would take several seconds to be broadcast twice across the Atlantic Ocean), Richards concluded there was no way for Jagger to hear or see Bowie's performance, meaning there could be no interaction between the artists, essentially defeating the whole point of the exercise. On top of this, both artists objected to miming during what was perceived as a historic event. Instead, Jagger and Bowie worked with Richards to create a video of the song they would have performed, a cover of "[[Dancing in the Street]]", which was shown on the screens of both stadiums and broadcast as part of many television networks' coverage.<ref name="Duet"/>

Each of the two main parts of the concert ended with their particular continental all-star anti-hunger anthems, with Band Aid's "[[Do They Know It's Christmas?]]" closing the UK concert, and [[USA for Africa]]'s "[[We Are the World]]" closing the US concert (and thus the entire event itself).<ref>{{cite web |url=http://liveaid.free.fr/pages/liveaidtimesdetaileduk.html |title=Detailed list of all the artist having performed at the Live Aid concert |publisher=Liveaid.free.fr |date=13 July 1985 |access-date=4 April 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20051212072441/http://liveaid.free.fr/pages/liveaidtimesdetaileduk.html|archive-date=12 December 2005|url-status=live}}</ref>

Concert organisers have subsequently said they were particularly keen to ensure at least one surviving member of [[the Beatles]], ideally [[Paul McCartney]], took part in the concert as they felt that having an "elder statesman" from British music would give it greater legitimacy in the eyes of the political leaders whose opinions the performers were trying to shape. McCartney agreed to perform and has said it was "the management" – his children – who persuaded him to take part. In the event, he was the last performer (aside from the Band Aid finale) to take to the stage and one of the few to be beset by technical difficulties; his microphone failed for the first two minutes of his piano performance of "[[Let It Be (song)|Let It Be]]", making it difficult for television viewers and impossible for those in the stadium to hear him.<ref name="CNN"/> He later joked by saying he had thought about changing the lyrics to "There will be some feedback, let it be".<ref>{{cite news |title=The Beatles – Let It Be Lyrics |url=https://www.spin.com/2019/04/beatles-let-it-be-lyrics/ |access-date=9 June 2020 |work=Spin |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190501030419/https://www.spin.com/2019/04/beatles-let-it-be-lyrics/|archive-date=1 May 2019|url-status=live}}</ref>

[[Phil Collins]] performed at both Wembley Stadium and JFK, travelling from Wembley by helicopter (piloted by UK television personality [[Noel Edmonds]]) to [[London Heathrow Airport]], then took a [[British Airways]] [[Concorde]] flight to New York City, before taking another helicopter to Philadelphia.<ref name="Collins MVP"/> As well as his own set at both venues, he also played the piano for [[Sting (musician)|Sting]] in London, then drums for [[Eric Clapton]], and played with the reuniting surviving members of [[Led Zeppelin]] at JFK. On the Concorde flight, Collins encountered actress and singer [[Cher]] and told her about the concerts.<ref name="Geldof artists"/> Upon reaching the US, she attended the Philadelphia concert and can be seen performing as part of the concert's "[[We Are the World]]" finale.<ref name="Geldof artists"/> In a 1985 interview, singer-songwriter [[Billy Joel]] stated that he had considered performing at the event, but ultimately chose not to because he had difficulties getting his band together and did not want to perform by himself.<ref>{{Citation|title=Billy Joel 1985 Interview part 2 of 2|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0pCIrypwQIs|url-status=dead|language=en|access-date=4 October 2019|archive-date=10 September 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190910225356/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0pCIrypwQIs&gl=US&hl=en}}</ref>

== Broadcasts ==
Broadcaster [[Richard Skinner (broadcaster)|Richard Skinner]] opened the Live Aid concert with the words:

{{blockquote|It's twelve noon in London, seven AM in Philadelphia, and around the world it's time for Live Aid.<ref name="Skinner">{{cite book |last1=West |first1=Aaron J. |title=Sting and The Police: Walking in Their Footsteps |date=2015 |publisher=Rowman & Littlefield |page=92}}</ref>}}

The concert was the most ambitious international satellite television venture that had ever been attempted at the time. In Europe, the television feed was supplied by the [[BBC]] via the [[European Broadcasting Union|EBU]]; its broadcast was presented by [[Richard Skinner (broadcaster)|Richard Skinner]], [[Andy Kershaw]], [[Mark Ellen]], [[David Hepworth]], [[Andy Batten-Foster]], Steve Blacknell, [[Paul Gambaccini]], [[Janice Long]] and [[Mike Smith (broadcaster)|Mike Smith]] and included numerous interviews and chats among the various acts.<ref>{{cite book |last1=Ellen |first1=Mark |title=Rock Stars Stole my Life!: A Big Bad Love Affair with Music |date=2014 |publisher=Hachette UK}}</ref> The [[BBC Television|BBC's television]] sound feed was mono, as was all UK television audio before [[NICAM]] was introduced, but the [[BBC Radio 1]] feed was stereo and was simulcast in sync with the television pictures. Unfortunately, in the rush to set up the transatlantic feeds, the sound feed from Philadelphia was sent to London via transatlantic cable, while the video feed was via satellite, which meant a lack of synchronisation on British television receivers. Due to the constant activities in both London and Philadelphia, the BBC producers broadcast only two songs from the reunion of [[Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young]] after 10 pm; the same applied to Rick Springfield and REO Speedwagon. BBC broadcast only one song from the [[Black Sabbath]] set, around 3 am.  Ashford & Simpson' "Solid" was not broadcast on the BBC. The BBC, however, did supply a [[Backhaul (broadcasting)|"clean feed"]] to various television channels in Europe.

[[American Broadcasting Company|ABC]] was largely responsible for the US broadcast (although ABC themselves telecast only the final three hours of the concert from Philadelphia, hosted by [[Dick Clark]], with the rest shown in syndication through [[Orbis Communications]], acting on behalf of ABC). An entirely separate and simultaneous US feed was provided for cable viewers by [[MTV]]; its broadcast was presented in stereo and accessible as such for those with stereo televisions. At the time, before [[multichannel television sound]] was enacted nationwide, very few televisions reproduced stereo signals, and few television stations were able to broadcast in stereo. While the telecast was run advertisement-free by the BBC, both the MTV and syndicated/ABC broadcasts included advertisements and interviews. As a result, many songs were omitted due to the commercial breaks, as these songs were played during these slots.

The biggest issue of the syndicated/ABC coverage is that the network had wanted to reserve some of the biggest acts that had played earlier in the day for certain points in the entire broadcast, particularly in the final three hours in prime time; thus, Orbis Communications had some sequences replaced by others, especially those portions of the concert that had acts from London and Philadelphia playing simultaneously. For example, while the London/Wembley finale was taking place at 22:00 (10:00&nbsp;pm) London time, syndicated viewers saw segments that had been recorded earlier so that ABC could show the UK finale during its prime-time portion. In 1995, [[VH1]] and [[MuchMusic]] aired a re-edited ten-hour re-broadcast of the concert for its 10th anniversary.

The Live Aid concert in London was also the first time that the BBC [[outside broadcast]] sound equipment had been used for an event of such scale. In stark contrast to the mirrored sound systems commonly used by the rock band touring engineers, with two 40–48-channel mixing consoles at the [[front of house]] and another pair for monitors, the BBC sound engineers had to use multiple 12-channel desks. Some credit this as the point where the mainstream entertainment industry realised that the rock concert industry had overtaken them in technical expertise.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.allbusiness.com/information/internet-publishing-broadcasting/850869-1.html |title=Lessons learned since Live Aid: the challenge of bringing high-quality audio to live television audiences continues to change. Kevin Hilton considers how technology has moved on in the 20 years since Live Aid. |publisher=AllBusiness.com |date=1 March 2005 |access-date=6 March 2011 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070106032927/http://www.allbusiness.com/information/internet-publishing-broadcasting/850869-1.html |archive-date=6 January 2007 }}</ref>

== Stages and locations ==
=== Wembley Stadium ===
[[File:Wembley Stadium Twin Towers.jpg|thumb|The old [[Wembley Stadium (1923)|Wembley Stadium]] (pictured) hosted the [[London]] concert]]
The [[Coldstream Guards]] band opened with the "Royal Salute", a brief version of the national anthem "[[God Save the Queen]]". [[Status Quo (band)|Status Quo]] were the first act to appear and started their set with "[[Rockin' All Over the World]]", also playing "[[Caroline (Status Quo song)|Caroline]]" and fan favourite "Don't Waste My Time".<ref>Hillmore, Peter (1985). ''Live Aid: the greatest show on earth''. p. 60. Sidgwick & Jackson.</ref> "Bob told me: 'It doesn't matter a fuck what you sound like, just so long as you're there,'" recalled guitarist and singer [[Francis Rossi]]. "Thanks for the fucking honesty, Sir Bob."<ref>{{cite magazine|first=Dave|last=Ling|title=Again again again ...|magazine=[[Classic Rock (magazine)|Classic Rock]] |issue=36|date=January 2002|page=73}}</ref> This would be the band's last appearance with bassist and founding member [[Alan Lancaster]] and drummer [[Pete Kircher]].<ref>{{cite news |first=Michael |last=Hann |title=Status Quo: Britain's most underrated rock band |url=https://www.theguardian.com/music/musicblog/2014/mar/31/status-quo-britains-most-underrated-rock-band |work=[[The Guardian]] |date=31 March 2014 |access-date=20 November 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140401024713/https://www.theguardian.com/music/musicblog/2014/mar/31/status-quo-britains-most-underrated-rock-band|archive-date=1 April 2014 |url-status=live}}</ref> [[Diana, Princess of Wales]] and [[Charles III|Charles, Prince of Wales]] were among those in attendance as the concert commenced.<ref name="BBCLiveAid"/>

[[Bob Geldof]] performed with the rest of the Boomtown Rats, singing "[[I Don't Like Mondays]]". He and the band paused just after the line "The lesson today is how to die" to loud applause.<ref name="CNN">{{cite news|url=http://edition.cnn.com/2005/SHOWBIZ/Music/07/01/liveaid.memories/index.html |title=Live Aid 1985: A day of magic |website=CNN |access-date=22 May 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20050706042116/http://edition.cnn.com/2005/SHOWBIZ/Music/07/01/liveaid.memories/index.html|archive-date=6 July 2005|url-status=live}}</ref><ref name="Geldof artists"/> [[Gary Kemp]] said: "Dare I say it, it was evangelical, that moment when Geldof stopped 'I Don't Like Mondays' and raised his fist in the air. He was a sort of statesman. A link between punk and the New Romantics and the Eighties. You would follow him. He just has a huge charisma; he'd make a frightening politician."<ref name="Geldof artists"/> He finished the song and left the crowd to sing the final words. [[Elvis Costello]] sang a version of the Beatles' "[[All You Need Is Love]]", which he introduced by asking the audience to "help [him] sing this old northern English folk song".<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/music/thelive8event/liveaid/memories.shtml |title=LIVE AID 1985: Memories of that famous day |work=BBC |access-date=22 May 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060207235008/https://www.bbc.co.uk/music/thelive8event/liveaid/memories.shtml|archive-date=7 February 2006|url-status=live}}</ref>

[[Queen's performance at Live Aid|Queen's twenty-one-minute performance]], which began at 6:41&nbsp;pm, was voted the greatest live performance in the history of rock in a 2005 industry poll of more than 60 artists, journalists and music industry executives.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/music/4420308.stm |title=Queen win greatest live gig poll |work=BBC News |date=9 November 2005 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20051204052211/http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/music/4420308.stm|archive-date=4 December 2005|url-status=live}}</ref><ref name="mckee"/> [[Freddie Mercury]] at times led the crowd in unison refrains,<ref name="Minchin">Minchin, Ryan, dir. (2005) [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ob5NpdkH5Dw "The World's Greatest Gigs"]. Initial Film & Television. Retrieved 21 May 2011</ref> and his sustained note – "Aaaaaay-o" – during the [[a cappella]] section came to be known as "The Note Heard Round the World".<ref>{{cite news |title=Aaaaaay-o! Aaaaaay-o! Why Live Aid was the greatest show of all |last=Beaumont |first=Mark |author-link=Mark Beaumont (journalist) |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/music/features/live-aid-anniversary-queen-freddie-mercury-performances-bob-geldof-a9612071.html |access-date=13 July 2020 |work=The Independent |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200713123104/https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/music/features/live-aid-anniversary-queen-freddie-mercury-performances-bob-geldof-a9612071.html|archive-date=13 July 2020|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=https://edition.cnn.com/interactive/2018/11/opinions/queen-live-aid-cnnphotos/|title=33 years later, Queen's Live Aid performance is still pure magic|last=Thomas|first=Holly|date=6 November 2018|publisher=[[CNN]]|access-date=18 November 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181118081506/https://edition.cnn.com/interactive/2018/11/opinions/queen-live-aid-cnnphotos/|archive-date=18 November 2018|url-status=live}}</ref> The band's six-song set opened with a shortened version of "[[Bohemian Rhapsody]]" and closed with "[[We Are the Champions]]".<ref name="CNN"/><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/videos/flashback-queen-steal-the-show-at-live-aid-20130205 |title=Flashback: Queen Steal the Show at Live Aid |magazine=Rolling Stone |date=5 February 2013 |access-date=4 April 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130206041607/https://www.rollingstone.com/music/videos/flashback-queen-steal-the-show-at-live-aid-20130205|archive-date=6 February 2013|url-status=live}}</ref><ref name="songlist">[http://www.ultimatequeen.co.uk/videos/liveaid.htm "Queen: Live Aid"]. ''Ultimate Queen''. Retrieved 21 May 2011</ref> According to the BBC's presenter [[David Hepworth]], their performance produced "the greatest display of community singing the old stadium had seen and cemented Queen's position as the most-loved British group since the Beatles".<ref>{{cite web |last=Hepworth |first=David |author-link=David Hepworth |title=God Save The Queen by David Hepworth (Radio Times) |url=http://www.queenonline.com/en/news-archive/god-save-queen-david-hepworth-radio-times/ |work=Queen Online |date=25 May 2011 |access-date=8 October 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151208061810/https://www.queenonline.com/en/news-archive/god-save-queen-david-hepworth-radio-times/ |archive-date=8 December 2015}}</ref> Later in the evening, Mercury and guitarist [[Brian May]] performed the first song of the three-part Wembley event finale, "[[Is This the World We Created...?]]"<ref name="songlist"/>

Other well-received performances on the day included those by [[U2]] and [[David Bowie]]. Both ''[[The Guardian]]'' and ''[[Rolling Stone]]'' have cited Live Aid as the event that made stars of U2.<ref>{{cite news | url= https://www.theguardian.com/music/2011/jun/12/u2-stars-live-aid | title= U2 become stars after Live Aid | work=The Guardian | first=Pete | last=Paphides | date=12 June 2011 | access-date=7 November 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150918103528/https://www.theguardian.com/music/2011/jun/12/u2-stars-live-aid|archive-date=18 September 2015|url-status=live}}</ref><ref name="gavinedwards">{{cite magazine|url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-features/u2s-bad-break-12-minutes-at-live-aid-that-made-the-bands-career-242777/|title=U2's 'Bad' Break: 12 Minutes at Live Aid That Made the Band's Career|magazine=[[Rolling Stone]]|first=Gavin|last=Edwards|date=10 July 2014|access-date=13 July 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180724202042/https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-features/u2s-bad-break-12-minutes-at-live-aid-that-made-the-bands-career-242777/|archive-date=24 July 2018|url-status=live}}</ref> The band played a 12-minute rendition of "[[Bad (U2 song)|Bad]]". The length of "Bad" limited them to two songs; a third, "[[Pride (In the Name of Love)]]", had to be dropped. During "Bad", vocalist [[Bono]] jumped off the stage to join the crowd and dance with a teenage girl. In July 2005, the woman said that he had saved her life. She was being crushed by people pushing forward; Bono saw this and gestured frantically at the ushers to help her. They did not understand what he was saying, and so he jumped down to help her himself.<ref name="gavinedwards"/> ''Rolling Stone''  described David Bowie's performance as "arguably Bowie's last triumph of the 1980s", observing that "as approximately two billion people sang along to 'Heroes' [...], he still seemed like one of the biggest and most vital rock stars in the world".<ref>{{cite magazine | url= https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-news/flashback-david-bowie-triumphs-at-live-aid-in-1985-231604/ | title= Flashback: David Bowie Triumphs at Live Aid in 1985 | magazine=Rolling Stone | first=Andy | last=Greene | date=26 January 2016 | access-date=7 November 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181129012942/https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-news/flashback-david-bowie-triumphs-at-live-aid-in-1985-231604/|archive-date=29 November 2018|url-status=live}}</ref> According to ''[[Ultimate Classic Rock]]'', [[Phil Collins]] also "performed an especially crowd-pleasing selection of songs",<ref name="Collins MVP">{{cite news |title=How Phil Collins Became Live Aid's Transcontinental MVP |url=https://ultimateclassicrock.com/phil-collins-live-aid/ |first=Annie|last=Zaleski|date=13 July 2015|access-date=8 June 2020 |magazine=Ultimate Classic Rock |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150716160512/https://ultimateclassicrock.com/phil-collins-live-aid/|archive-date=16 July 2015|url-status=live}}</ref> and [[John Illsley]] of [[Dire Straits]] recalled: "It was a very special feeling to be part of something so unique. Live Aid was a unique privilege for all of us. It's become a fabulous memory."<ref>{{cite news |title=The Story Behind The Song: Sultans Of Swing by Dire Straits |url=https://www.loudersound.com/features/the-story-behind-the-song-dire-straits-sultans-of-swing |first=Rob|last=Hughes|date=10 February 2023|access-date=10 July 2023|work=Louder Sound|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190218222631/https://www.loudersound.com/features/the-story-behind-the-song-dire-straits-sultans-of-swing|archive-date=18 February 2019|url-status=live}}</ref>

{{Quote box|width=27%|align=right|quote="One afternoon before the concert, Bowie was up in the office and we started looking through some videos of news footage, and we watched the [[Canadian Broadcasting Corporation|CBC]] piece [footage from the [[1983–1985 famine in Ethiopia|Ethiopian famine]], cut to the Cars' song "[[Drive (The Cars song)|Drive]]"]. Everyone just stopped. Bowie said: 'You've got to put that in the show; it's the most dramatic thing I've ever seen.' That was probably one of the most evocative things in the whole show and really got the money rolling in."|source=—Live Aid promoter Harvey Goldsmith on Bowie picking out the CBC news piece for the concert, a video Bowie introduced on the big screen at Wembley after his set.<ref name="Geldof artists"/>}}
The [[wikt:transatlantic|transatlantic]] broadcast from Wembley suffered technical problems and failed during [[the Who]]'s performance of their opening song "[[My Generation]]", immediately after [[Roger Daltrey]] sang "Why don't you all fade ..." (the last word "away" was cut off when a blown fuse caused the Wembley stage television feed temporarily to fail).<ref name="CNN"/> The broadcast returned as the last verse of "[[Pinball Wizard]]" was played. [[John Entwistle]]'s bass would not work at the start, causing an awkward delay of more than a minute before they could start playing. The band played with [[Kenney Jones]] on drums, and it was their first performance since disbanding after a 1982 "farewell" tour. The Who's performance was described as "rough but right" by ''Rolling Stone'', but they would not perform together again for another three years.<ref>Wilkerson, Mark (2006) [https://books.google.com/books?id=b03CYc9UWSIC&dq=the+who+-+bpi+awards+1988&pg=PA408 Amazing Journey: The Life of Pete Townshend] p.408. Retrieved 22 May 2011</ref> At 32 minutes [[Elton John]] had the longest set on the day;<ref>{{cite news |title=Live Aid – The Global Jukebox Plugs In & Lineup Times |url=https://www.thisdayinmusic.com/liner-notes/live-aid-lineup/ |access-date=8 June 2020 |work=This Day in Music}}</ref> his setlist included the first performance of "[[Don't Let the Sun Go Down on Me]]" with [[George Michael]].<ref>{{cite news|title=George Michael: 20 Essential Songs|url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/lists/george-michael-20-essential-songs-w457756/elton-john-feat-george-michael-dont-let-the-sun-go-down-on-me-1991-w457773|magazine=Rolling Stone|date=7 January 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161228135136/https://www.rollingstone.com/music/lists/george-michael-20-essential-songs-w457756/elton-john-feat-george-michael-dont-let-the-sun-go-down-on-me-1991-w457773|archive-date=28 December 2016|url-status=live}}</ref>

While performing "[[Let It Be (song)|Let It Be]]" near the end of the Wembley show, the microphone mounted to [[Paul McCartney]]'s piano failed for the first two minutes of the song, making it difficult for television viewers and the stadium audience to hear him.<ref name="CNN"/> During this performance, the television audience were better off, audio-wise, than the stadium audience, as the television sound was picked up from other microphones near McCartney. The stadium audience, who could obviously not hear the electronic sound feed from these mics unless they had portable television sets and radios, drowned out what little sound from McCartney could be heard during this part of his performance. As a result, organiser and performer Bob Geldof, accompanied by earlier performers David Bowie, [[Alison Moyet]] and [[Pete Townshend]], returned to the stage to sing with him and back him up (as did the stadium audience despite not being able to hear much), by which time McCartney's microphone had been repaired.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/arts/pictures/0,,1328579,00.html |title=Live Aid Galleries |newspaper=[[The Guardian]] |access-date=22 May 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140823042901/https://www.theguardian.com/arts/pictures/0,,1328579,00.html|archive-date=23 August 2014|url-status=live}}</ref>

At the conclusion of the Wembley performances, Geldof was raised onto the shoulders of the Who's guitarist Pete Townshend and Paul McCartney.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/arts/pictures/image/0,8543,-10905040601,00.html |title=Geldof, Townshend and McCartney |newspaper=[[The Guardian]] |access-date=22 May 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140823042652/https://www.theguardian.com/arts/pictures/image/0,8543,-10905040601,00.html|archive-date=23 August 2014|url-status=live}}</ref> Geldof stated that he had not slept "in weeks" in the lead-up to the concert, and when asked what his plans were post-Live Aid, he told an interviewer: "I'm going to go home and sleep."<ref>{{cite news |title=How Bob Geldof's 1985 Live Aid concert changed celebrity fundraising forever |url=https://www.standard.co.uk/insider/alist/live-aid-bob-geldof-biggest-musical-fundraiser-of-all-time-a4421436.html |access-date=19 June 2020 |work=London Evening Standard|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200506131728/https://www.standard.co.uk/insider/alist/live-aid-bob-geldof-biggest-musical-fundraiser-of-all-time-a4421436.html|archive-date=6 May 2020|url-status=live}}</ref>

The Wembley speaker system was provided by Hill Pro Audio. It consisted primarily of the Hill J-Series Mixing Consoles and Hill M3 Speaker System powered by the Hill 3000 amplifiers.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Studio Sound and Broadcast Engineering – Live aid, Loudspeakers and Monitor|url=https://www.americanradiohistory.com/Archive-Studio-Sound/80s/Studio-Sound-1985-11.pdf|year=1985|website=American Radio History|access-date=23 November 2018}}</ref> In an interview with Studio Sound in December 1985, [[Malcolm Hill (audio engineer)|Malcolm Hill]] described the concept for the system in detail.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Studio Sound and Broadcast Engineering – Digital in Audio mixing Consoles|url=https://www.americanradiohistory.com/Archive-Studio-Sound/80s/Studio-Sound-1985-12.pdf|year=1985|website=American Radio History|access-date=23 November 2018}}</ref>

=== John F. Kennedy Stadium ===
[[File:Live Aid at JFK Stadium, Philadelphia, PA.jpg|thumb|Stage view of Live Aid at [[John F. Kennedy Stadium]] in [[Philadelphia]]]]
[[File:Live Aid after dark at JFK Stadium, Philadelphia, PA.jpg|thumb|Live Aid under the lights at John F. Kennedy Stadium in Philadelphia]]
Actor [[Jack Nicholson]] hosted the televised portion of the [[Philadelphia]] concert. The opening artist [[Joan Baez]] announced to the crowd: "This is your [[Woodstock]], and it's long overdue," before leading the crowd in singing "[[Amazing Grace]]" and "We Are the World".<ref>{{cite AV media |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qD9kcvIc48M | archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211029/qD9kcvIc48M| archive-date=29 October 2021|title=Live Aid: Jack Nicholson & Joan Baez [1985] |author=<!--Staff writer(s); no by-line.--> |via=YouTube |publisher=pukenshette |access-date=22 November 2015 }}{{cbignore}}</ref>

Despite the {{convert|95|°F}} ambient temperature, [[Madonna]] proclaimed "I ain't taking shit off today!" during her set, referring to the recent release of early nude photos of her in ''[[Playboy]]'' and ''[[Penthouse (magazine)|Penthouse]]'' magazines.<ref>{{cite magazine |last=Lynch |first=Joe |title=Watch Bette Midler Introduce Madonna at Live Aid 30 Years Ago Today |url=https://www.billboard.com/music/music-news/madonna-live-aid-bette-midler-anniversary-6627349/ |magazine=Billboard |date=13 July 2015 |access-date=17 March 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220318041905/https://www.billboard.com/music/music-news/madonna-live-aid-bette-midler-anniversary-6627349/|archive-date=18 March 2022 |url-status=live}}</ref>

During his opening number, "[[American Girl (Tom Petty song)|American Girl]]", [[Tom Petty]] flipped the [[The finger|middle finger]] to somebody off stage about one minute into the song. {{Citation needed|date=November 2023}} Petty stated the song was a last-minute addition when the band realised that they would be the first act to play the American side of the concert after the London finale and "since this is, after all, JFK Stadium".<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0261024/quotes |title=Memorable quotes for Live Aid |work=IMDb |access-date=21 May 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20050419205651/https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0261024/quotes|archive-date=19 April 2005|url-status=live}}</ref>

When [[Bob Dylan]] broke a guitar string while playing with the Rolling Stones members [[Keith Richards]] and [[Ronnie Wood]], Wood took off his guitar and gave it to Dylan. Wood was left standing on stage guitarless. After shrugging to the audience, he played [[air guitar]], even mimicking [[the Who]]'s [[Pete Townshend]] by swinging his arm in wide circles until a stagehand brought him a replacement. The performance was included in the DVD, including the guitar switch and Wood talking to stagehands, but much of the footage used was close-ups of either Dylan or Richards.

During their duet on the reprise of "It's Only Rock 'n' Roll", [[Mick Jagger]] ripped away part of [[Tina Turner]]'s dress, leaving her to finish the song in what was, effectively, a [[leotard]].<ref>{{cite news |title=When Mick Jagger and Tina Turner Performed Together at Live Aid |url=https://ultimateclassicrock.com/mick-jagger-tina-turner-live-aid/ |access-date=9 June 2020 |work=Ultimate Classic Rock|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150715174745/https://ultimateclassicrock.com/mick-jagger-tina-turner-live-aid/|archive-date=15 July 2015|url-status=live}}</ref>

The JFK portion included reunions of [[Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young]], the original [[Black Sabbath]] with [[Ozzy Osbourne]], the [[Beach Boys]] with [[Brian Wilson]], and surviving members of [[Led Zeppelin]], with Phil Collins and [[The Power Station (band)|the Power Station]] (and former [[Chic (band)|Chic]]) member [[Tony Thompson (drummer)|Tony Thompson]] sharing duties on drums in place of the band's late drummer [[John Bonham]] (although they were not officially announced by their group name from the stage but were announced as Led Zeppelin on the [[VH1]] 10th Anniversary re-broadcast in 1995).<ref>{{cite web|url=http://classicrock.teamrock.com/news/2014-11-02/collins-recalls-led-zep-disaster|title=Collins recalls Led Zep 'disaster' |work=Classic Rock|date=2 November 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141104174020/http://classicrock.teamrock.com/news/2014-11-02/collins-recalls-led-zep-disaster|archive-date=4 November 2014|url-status=live}}</ref>

[[Teddy Pendergrass]] made his first public appearance since his near-fatal car accident in 1982, which paralysed him. Pendergrass, alongside [[Ashford & Simpson]], performed "Reach Out and Touch".<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.disability-marketing.com/profiles/teddy-pendergrass.php4 |title=Return to Stage a Personal Triumph for Teddy Pendergrass |last=Piner |first=Mary-Louise |publisher=disability-marketing.com |access-date=3 August 2008 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080724034815/http://www.disability-marketing.com/profiles/teddy-pendergrass.php4 |archive-date=24 July 2008}}</ref> [[Bryan Adams]], who came on after [[Judas Priest]], recalled: "It was bedlam backstage", before performing a four-song set, including "[[Summer of '69]]".<ref name="Geldof artists"/>

[[Duran Duran]] performed a four-song set, which was the final time the five original band members publicly performed together until 2003. Their set saw a weak, off-key falsetto note hit by frontman [[Simon Le Bon]] during "[[A View to a Kill (song)|A View to a Kill]]". The error was dubbed "The Bum Note Heard Round the World" by various media outlets,<ref name="mckee">{{cite web|url=http://www.digitalspy.com/music/feature/a658048/30-fun-facts-for-the-30th-birthday-of-live-aid/|title=30 fun facts for the 30th birthday of Live Aid|last=McKee|first=Briony|date=13 July 2015|website=[[Digital Spy]]|access-date=15 February 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151107215607/http://www.digitalspy.com/music/feature/a658048/30-fun-facts-for-the-30th-birthday-of-live-aid/|archive-date=7 November 2015|url-status=live}}</ref><ref name="jones">{{cite book|last=Jones|first=Dylan|author-link=Dylan Jones|date=26 July 2010|title=The Eighties: One Day, One Decade|publisher=[[Random House]]|page=357|isbn=978-1-4090-5225-8|quote=The [Duran] Duran set was memorable for Simon Le Bon's off-key falsetto note that he hit during 'A View to a Kill', a blunder that echoed throughout the media as 'The Bum Note Heard Round the World'. The singer later said it was the most embarrassing moment of his career.}}</ref> in contrast to Freddie Mercury's "Note Heard Round the World" at Wembley.<ref name="mckee"/> Le Bon later recalled it was the most embarrassing moment of his career.<ref name="jones"/>

The UK television feed from Philadelphia was dogged by intermittent buzzing on the sound during Bryan Adams' turn on stage. This continued less frequently throughout the rest of the UK reception of the American concert, and the audio and video feed failed entirely during that performance and during [[Simple Minds]]' performance.

Phil Collins, who had performed in London earlier in the day, began his solo set, quipping: "I was in England this afternoon. Funny old world, innit?" to cheers from the Philadelphia crowd.<ref name="Collins MVP"/> Collins played the drums during [[Eric Clapton]]'s 17-minute set, which included well-received performances of "[[Layla]]" and "[[White Room]]".<ref>{{cite news |title=10 Live Aid acts we'll never forget|url=https://www.readersdigest.co.uk/culture/music/10-live-aid-acts-well-never-forget |access-date=9 June 2020 |work=Reader's Digest |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200609202033/https://www.readersdigest.co.uk/culture/music/10-live-aid-acts-well-never-forget |archive-date=9 June 2020 |url-status=live}}</ref>

== Fundraising ==
Throughout the concerts, viewers were urged to donate money to the Live Aid cause. The BBC operated three hundred phone lines so that members of the public could make donations using their credit cards. The phone number and an address to which viewers could send cheques were repeated every twenty minutes.

Nearly seven hours into the concert in London, Bob Geldof enquired how much money had been raised so far; he was told about £1.2&nbsp;million. He is said to have been sorely disappointed by the amount and marched to the BBC commentary position. Pumped up further by a performance by Queen, which he later called "absolutely amazing", Geldof gave an interview in which BBC presenter [[David Hepworth]] had attempted to provide a postal address to which potential donations could be sent; Geldof interrupted him in mid-flow and shouted "fuck the address, let's get the numbers!" Although the phrase "give us your fuckin' money!" has passed into folklore, Geldof has said that it was never uttered.<ref>Geldof, Bob. ''Live Aid'' DVD.</ref> ''[[Private Eye]]'' magazine made great humorous capital out of this outburst, emphasising Geldof's Irish accent, which meant the profanities were heard as "fock" or "focking". After the outburst, donations increased to £300 per second.<ref>Fred Krüger (2015). "Cultures and Disasters: Understanding Cultural Framings in Disaster Risk Reduction". p. 190. Routledge</ref>

Later in the evening, following David Bowie's set, a video shot by the [[Canadian Broadcasting Corporation]] was shown to the audiences in London and Philadelphia, as well as on televisions around the world (though neither US feed showed the film), showing starving and diseased Ethiopian children set to "[[Drive (The Cars song)|Drive]]" by [[the Cars]] (this would also be shown at the London Live 8 concert in 2005).<ref>{{cite web |first=Alexis |last=Petridis |date=4 July 2005 |title=Berated by Madonna, rocked by Robbie, stunned into silence by images of famine |website=[[The Guardian]] |url=https://www.theguardian.com/music/2005/jul/04/live8.popandrock |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160305112952/https://www.theguardian.com/music/2005/jul/04/live8.popandrock |archive-date=5 March 2016 |url-status=live |access-date=6 September 2020}}</ref> The rate of donations became faster in the aftermath of the video. Geldof had previously refused to allow the video to be shown due to time constraints and had only relented when Bowie offered to drop the song "[[Five Years (David Bowie song)|Five Years]]" from his set as a trade-off.<ref>{{cite book |first=Keith |last=Sharp |date=2014 |title=Music Express: The Rise, Fall & Resurrection of Canada's Music Magazine |publisher=[[Dundurn Press]] |isbn=978-1459721951 |page=131 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=CTiSAAAAQBAJ&pg=PA131}}</ref>

Geldof mentioned during the concert that the Republic of Ireland gave the most donations per capita, despite being in the midst of a serious economic recession. The largest donation came from [[Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum]], then the son of the ruler of Dubai, who donated £1m in a phone conversation with Geldof. The next day, news reports stated that between £40 and £50 million had been raised. It is now estimated that around £150 million in total has been raised for famine relief as a direct result of the concerts.

== Criticisms and controversies ==
[[Bob Dylan]]'s performance generated controversy. Prior to performing "When the Ship Comes In," he said: "I hope that some of the money that's raised for the people in Africa, maybe they can just take a little bit of it, maybe one or two million, maybe, and use it, say, to pay the mortgages on some of the farms that the farmers here owe to the banks."<ref name="CNN"/> He is often misquoted, as on the [[Farm Aid]] website,<ref>{{cite web|title=28 Years of Amazing Concerts|url=http://www.farmaid.org/site/c.qlI5IhNVJsE/b.2739785/apps/s/content.asp?ct=3851529|publisher=Farm Aid website|access-date=31 August 2013|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131102153719/http://www.farmaid.org/site/c.qlI5IhNVJsE/b.2739785/apps/s/content.asp?ct=3851529|archive-date=2 November 2013}}</ref> as saying: "Wouldn't it be great if we did something for our own farmers right here in America?" In his autobiography, ''Is That It?'' (published in 1986), Geldof was critical of the remark, saying: "He displayed a complete lack of understanding of the issues raised by Live Aid. ... Live Aid was about people losing their lives. There is a radical difference between losing your livelihood and losing your life. It did instigate Farm Aid, which was a good thing in itself, but it was a crass, stupid, and nationalistic thing to say."<ref>Geldof, Bob (1986) [https://books.google.com/books?id=wHLiNOvP__IC&dq=He+displayed+a+complete+lack+of+understanding+of+the+issues+raised+by+Live+Aid%E2%80%A6.&pg=PA390 Is That It?] p.390. Sidgwick & Jackson.</ref> Although Dylan's comments were criticised, his remark inspired fellow musicians [[Willie Nelson]], [[Neil Young]] and [[John Mellencamp]] to organise the [[Farm Aid]] charity, which held its first concert in September 1985.<ref>{{cite book |url= https://books.google.com/books?id=VicchWAszssC&pg=PA134 |title=Neil Young: Long May You Run|author=Daniel Durchholz, Gary Graff|date=6 May 2010|page=134|publisher=Voyageur Press, 2010 |isbn=9781610604536|access-date=24 May 2011}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url= http://www.farmaid.org/site/c.qlI5IhNVJsE/b.2723673/k.8C39/Past_Concerts.htm |title= Past Concerts – Farm Aid |access-date= 24 May 2011 |url-status=dead |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20110523191508/http://www.farmaid.org/site/c.qlI5IhNVJsE/b.2723673/k.8C39/Past_Concerts.htm |archive-date= 23 May 2011 }}</ref> The concert raised more than $9&nbsp;million for America's [[family farmers]] and became an annual event.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.theconcertstage.com/farmaid1985.html|title=Farm Aid 1985 – Champaign, IL|publisher=The Concert Stage|access-date=15 February 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090620083721/http://www.theconcertstage.com/farmaid1985.html|archive-date=20 June 2009|url-status=live}}</ref>

Geldof was not happy about [[the Hooters]] being added as the opening band in Philadelphia. He felt pressured into it by Bill Graham and local promoter Larry Magid. Magid, promoting the concert through [[Electric Factory Concerts]], argued that the band was popular in Philadelphia; their first major label album ''[[Nervous Night (album)|Nervous Night]]'' had been released almost three months earlier and had been a hit. In an interview for ''[[Rolling Stone]]'', Geldof asked: "Who the fuck are the Hooters?"<ref name="Eric Bazilian interview">{{cite web|last=Harris |first=Will |url=http://popdose.com/popdose-interview-eric-bazilian-of-the-hooters/ |title=Eric Bazilian interview |publisher=Popdose.com |date=25 February 2008 |access-date=6 March 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080228015744/http://popdose.com/popdose-interview-eric-bazilian-of-the-hooters/|archive-date=28 February 2008|url-status=live}}</ref> In December 2004, Geldof appeared on a bill with the Hooters in Germany as ''their'' opening act.<ref name="Eric Bazilian interview"/>

[[Adam Ant]] subsequently criticised the event and expressed regrets about playing it, saying: "I was asked by Sir Bob [sic] to promote this concert. They had no idea they could sell it out. Then, in Bob's book, he said: 'Adam was over the hill, so I let him have one number.' ... Doing that show was the biggest fucking mistake in the world. [[Orders, decorations, and medals of the United Kingdom|Knighthoods]] were made, [[Bono]] got it made, and it was a waste of fucking time. It was the end of rock 'n' roll."<ref>{{cite web | url= http://louderthanwar.com/adam-ant-brands-live-aid-a-mistake-and-a-waste-of-time-and-the-end-of-rock-n-roll/ | title= Adam Ant brands Live Aid a "mistake" and a "waste of time" and the end of 'rock n roll' | work=Louder Than War | date=26 August 2011 | access-date=18 March 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120830202929/http://louderthanwar.com/adam-ant-brands-live-aid-a-mistake-and-a-waste-of-time-and-the-end-of-rock-n-roll|archive-date=30 August 2012|url-status=live}}</ref> Geldof stated in his autobiography that [[Miles Copeland III|Miles Copeland]], manager of Adam Ant and [[Sting (musician)|Sting]], asked Geldof if he had thought of asking Ant after Geldof contacted him to get Sting to appear: "I hadn't. I thought he was a bit passé. But then, so were [[the Boomtown Rats]], and each represented a certain piece of pop history, so I agreed. I also thought that might entice him to encourage Sting, or perhaps all three of [[the Police]]."<ref>{{cite book |last=Geldof |first=Bob |date=1986 |title=Is That It? |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=wHLiNOvP__IC&q=philadelphia&pg=PA340 |location=London |publisher=[[Penguin Books]] |page=333 |isbn=9780330442923 }}</ref>

BBC coverage co-host [[Andy Kershaw]] was heavily critical of the event in his autobiography ''No Off Switch'', stating: "Musically, Live Aid was to be entirely predictable and boring. As they were wheeled out – or rather bullied by Geldof into playing – it became clear that this was another parade of the same old rock aristocracy in a concert for Africa, organised by someone who, while advertising his concern for and sympathy with the continent, didn't see fit to celebrate or dignify the place by including on the Live Aid bill a single African performer." Kershaw also described the event as "irritating, shallow, sanctimonious and self-satisfied" for failing to confront the fundamental causes of the famine and being "smug in its assumption that a bunch of largely lamentable rock and pop floozies was capable of making a difference, without tackling simultaneously underlying problems".<ref>{{cite book |first=Andy|last=Kershaw |title=No Off Switch |year=2014|pages=192–193|publisher=Buster Press|isbn=978-0992769604}}</ref>

In 2024, Geldof rejected the charge that organising the concerts meant that he was a [[white saviour]], calling the accusation "the greatest load of bollocks ever".<ref>{{cite web | url= https://www.thetimes.com/article/bob-geldof-live-aid-white-saviour-just-for-one-day-jc7zhrr2g | title= Bob Geldof: Organising Live Aid doesn't make me white saviour | work=[[The Times]] | first=Emma | last=Taggart | date=15 February 2024 | access-date=9 March 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241125224829/https://www.thetimes.com/article/bob-geldof-live-aid-white-saviour-just-for-one-day-jc7zhrr2g|archive-date=25 November 2024  |url-status=live}}</ref>

=== Led Zeppelin reunion ===
{{Quote box|style=padding:10px;|quote="I thought it was just going to be low-key and we'd all get together and have a play. But something happened between that conversation and the day – it became a Led Zeppelin reunion."| source =—Phil Collins on the Led Zeppelin performance<ref name="deriso">{{cite web |url=http://ultimateclassicrock.com/phil-collins-led-zeppelin-live-aid/?trackback=tsmclip |title=Phil Collins Considered Walking Out of Led Zeppelin's Live Aid Reunion |publisher=Ultimate Classic Rock |first=Nick |last=Deriso |date=2 November 2014 |access-date=30 April 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150630195607/http://ultimateclassicrock.com/phil-collins-led-zeppelin-live-aid/?trackback=tsmclip|archive-date=30 June 2015|url-status=live}}</ref>|width=25%|align=right}}

[[Led Zeppelin]] performed for the first time since the death of their drummer [[John Bonham]] in 1980. Two drummers filled in for Bonham: [[Phil Collins]], who had played on singer [[Robert Plant]]'s first two solo albums, and [[Tony Thompson (drummer)|Tony Thompson]]. The performance was criticised for Plant's hoarse vocals, [[Jimmy Page]]'s intoxication and out-of-tune [[Gibson Les Paul]] guitar (his [[Gibson EDS-1275]] guitar was in tune), a lack of rehearsal, and poorly functioning monitors. Plant described the performance as "a fucking atrocity for us ... It made us look like loonies."<ref>{{cite book|last=Williamson|first=Nigel|title=The Rough Guide to Led Zeppelin|year=2007|publisher=Rough Guides|isbn=978-1-84353-841-7|url-access=registration|url=https://archive.org/details/roughguidetoledz0000will}}</ref>

Page later criticised Collins' performance, saying: "Robert told me Phil Collins wanted to play with us. I told him that was all right if he knows the numbers. But at the end of the day, he didn't know anything. We played '[[Whole Lotta Love]]', and he was just there bashing away cluelessly and grinning. I thought that was really a joke."<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/music/features/live-aid-anniversary-queen-freddie-mercury-performances-bob-geldof-a9612071.html |title=Aaaaaay-o! Aaaaaay-o! Why Live Aid was the greatest show of all|work=[[The Independent]]|author=Mark Beaumont|date=11 July 2020 |access-date=10 August 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200713123104/https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/music/features/live-aid-anniversary-queen-freddie-mercury-performances-bob-geldof-a9612071.html|archive-date=13 July 2020|url-status=live}}</ref> Collins responded: "It wasn't my fault it was crap... If I could have walked off, I would have. But then we'd all be talking about why Phil Collins walked off Live Aid – so I just stuck it out... I turned up and I was a square peg in a round hole. Robert was happy to see me, but Jimmy wasn't."<ref name="deriso"/>

Led Zeppelin has blocked broadcasts of the performance and withheld permission for it to be included on the DVD release.<ref>{{cite news| url= http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/3534576.stm | title= Zeppelin defend Live Aid opt out |work=[[BBC News]]| date=4 August 2004 | access-date=28 August 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110110075219/http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/3534576.stm|archive-date=10 January 2011|url-status=live}}</ref> ''[[Philadelphia (magazine)|Philadelphia]]'' named it "one of the worst rock-and-roll reunions of all time", with Victor Fiorillo writing: "I'd like to be able to blame all of the awfulness on anaemic Phil Collins, who sat in on drums, and Page himself later fingered the [[Genesis (band)|Genesis]] drummer for screwing up the set. But Collins was just the beginning of the bad. Go ahead. Watch and remember. It really ''was'' that terrible."<ref>{{cite web |url= http://www.phillymag.com/news/2012/06/15/bad-rock-band-reunions/ |title=The 10 Most Painful Band Reunions |work=[[Philadelphia (magazine)|Philadelphia]] |location=Philadelphia |first=Victor |last=Fiorillo |date=15 June 2012 |access-date=4 August 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131106091146/http://www.phillymag.com/news/2012/06/15/bad-rock-band-reunions/|archive-date=6 November 2013|url-status=live}}</ref>

=== Fund use in Ethiopia ===
In 1986, ''[[Spin (magazine)|Spin]]'' published an exposé on Live Aid's actions in Ethiopia. It wrote that Geldof deliberately ignored warnings from [[Médecins Sans Frontières]], who had complained directly to Geldof even before Live Aid, about the role of the Ethiopian government under [[Derg]] leader [[Mengistu Haile Mariam]] in causing the famine and that by working with Mengistu directly, much of the relief funds intended for victims were in fact siphoned off to purchase arms from the [[Soviet Union]], thereby exacerbating the situation.<ref name="Spin"/> Geldof responded by deriding both the article and Médecins Sans Frontières, who had been expelled from the country, and reportedly said: "I'll shake hands with the Devil on my left and on my right to get to the people we are meant to help."<ref name="Spin">{{cite web|url=http://www.spin.com/featured/live-aid-the-terrible-truth-ethiopia-bob-geldof-feature/|title=Live Aid: The Terrible Truth|work=Spin|date=13 July 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150714222035/https://www.spin.com/featured/live-aid-the-terrible-truth-ethiopia-bob-geldof-feature/|archive-date=14 July 2015}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.spin.com/2015/07/live-aid-bob-geldof-response-spin-1986-feature/|title=Live Aid: Bob Geldof's Original Response to SPIN's 1986 Exposé|work=Spin|date=15 July 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150716153655/http://www.spin.com/2015/07/live-aid-bob-geldof-response-spin-1986-feature/|archive-date=16 July 2015|url-status=live}}</ref>

In 2010, the [[BBC World Service]] reported that some aid funds were siphoned off to buy arms for the [[Tigrayan People's Liberation Front]],<ref>{{Cite web|date=1 October 2014|title=BBC – The Editors: Bob, Band Aid and how the rebels bought their arms|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/legacy/theeditors/2010/03/ethiopia.html|access-date=13 September 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141001212633/https://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/legacy/theeditors/2010/03/ethiopia.html|archive-date=1 October 2014}}</ref> who [[Ethiopian Civil War|battled]] at the time against the Derg. The BBC did not say that Band Aid funds were involved but played the Band Aid single to introduce the report. Other BBC programmes then repeated the World Service allegation and added an explicit reference to Band Aid. The Band Aid Trust complained to the BBC Editorial Complaints Unit regarding the specific allegations in the BBC World Service documentary, and the later repetitions, and their complaint was upheld.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/theeditors/2010/03/ethiopia.html#bottom|title=Use of funds generated by Live Aid Band Aid Complaint|work=BBC News|access-date=17 November 2015}}</ref> The BBC later issued an apology before every television and radio news bulletin to the Trust and acknowledged there was no evidence money had been diverted,<ref name="BBC 2010"/> while the [[British Ambassador to Ethiopia]] at the time, [[Brian Barder]], issued a detailed rebuttal of the BBC claims,<ref>{{cite web | url=https://barder.com/ethiopia-famine-relief-aid-misinterpreted-allegations-out-of-control/ | title=Ethiopia famine relief aid: Misinterpreted allegations out of control | date=April 2010 }}</ref> making clear that "the diversion of aid related only to the tiny proportion that was supplied by some NGOs to rebel-held areas" and was not an allegation about the bulk of emergency aid to Ethiopia during the famine.<ref name="Barder"/>

Although a professed admirer of Geldof's generosity and concern, American television commentator [[Bill O'Reilly (commentator)|Bill O'Reilly]] was critical of Live Aid's oversight of the use of the funds raised. O'Reilly believed that charity organisations operating in aid-receiving countries should control donations rather than "chaotic nations".<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.chron.com/neighborhood/bellaire/news/article/Bill-O-Reilly-9816413.php |title=Sharing the Wealth |first=Bill|last=O'Reilly |publisher=Houston Chronicle |date=14 June 2005 |access-date=7 August 2020}}</ref> Arguing that Live Aid accomplished good ends while inadvertently causing harm at the same time, [[David Rieff]] gave a presentation of similar concerns in ''[[The Guardian]]'' at the time of [[Live 8]].<ref>{{cite news |first=David|last=Rieff |url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2005/jun/24/g8.debtrelief/ |title=Did Live Aid do more harm than good? |work=The Guardian |location=London |date=24 June 2005 |access-date=6 March 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130829061237/https://www.theguardian.com/world/2005/jun/24/g8.debtrelief/|archive-date=29 August 2013|url-status=live}}</ref>

In an interview on [[NBC]]'s ''[[Meet the Press]]'' shortly after O'Reilly's comments, host [[Tim Russert]] addressed these concerns to [[Bono]]. Bono responded that corruption, not disease or famine, was the greatest threat to Africa, agreeing with the belief that foreign relief organisations should decide how the money is spent. On the other hand, Bono said that it was better to spill some funds into nefarious quarters for the sake of those who needed it than to stifle aid because of possible theft.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.nbcnews.com/id/wbna8332675 |title=Transcript for June 26 – Meet the Press |publisher=NBC News |date=26 June 2005 |access-date=6 March 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210308011115/https://www.nbcnews.com/id/wbna8332675|archive-date=8 March 2021|url-status=live}}</ref>

== Performances ==
=== London, Wembley Stadium ===
Times are [[British Summer Time]] (BST){{snd}}[[UTC+01:00]]
{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Time !! Performer(s) !! Performed song(s)
|-
| 12:00 || [[Band of the Coldstream Guards|Coldstream Guards]] || "Royal Salute"<br />"[[God Save the King|God Save the Queen]]" <small>(First six bars only)</small>
|-
| 12:01 || [[Status Quo (band)|Status Quo]] || "[[Rockin' All Over the World]]"<br />"[[Caroline (Status Quo song)|Caroline]]"<br />"[[Don't Waste My Time (Status Quo song)|Don't Waste My Time]]"
|-
| 12:19 || [[The Style Council]] || "[[You're the Best Thing]]"<br />"Big Boss Groove"<br />"Internationalists"<br />"[[Walls Come Tumbling Down!]]"
|-
| 12:44 || [[The Boomtown Rats]] || "[[I Don't Like Mondays]]"<br />"Drag Me Down"<br />"[[Rat Trap]]"
|-
| 13:01 || [[Adam Ant]] || "[[Vive Le Rock]]"
|-
| 13:17 || [[Ultravox]] || "[[Reap the Wild Wind (song)|Reap the Wild Wind]]"<br />"[[Dancing with Tears in My Eyes]]"<br />"[[One Small Day]]"<br />"[[Vienna (Ultravox song)|Vienna]]"
|-
| 13:46 || [[Spandau Ballet]] || "[[Only When You Leave]]"<br />"Virgin"<br />"[[True (Spandau Ballet song)|True]]"
|-
| colspan="3" | At 13:51 (08:51 [[Eastern Time Zone|EDT]] in Philadelphia), during Spandau Ballet's set, the [[Bernard Watson|impromptu first act]] took the stage at [[John F. Kennedy Stadium|JFK Stadium]]. [[Joan Baez]] officially opened JFK at 14:01 (9:01 EDT), with performances at the two venues then overlapping through the next eight hours.
|-
| 14:07 || [[Elvis Costello]] || "[[All You Need Is Love]]"
|-
| 14:22 || [[Nik Kershaw]] || "[[Wide Boy (song)|Wide Boy]]"<br />"[[Don Quixote (Nik Kershaw song)|Don Quixote]]"<br />"[[The Riddle (Nik Kershaw song)|The Riddle]]"<br />"[[Wouldn't It Be Good]]"
|-
| 14:53 || [[Sade (band)|Sade]] || "[[Why Can't We Live Together]]"<br />"[[Your Love Is King]]"<br />"[[Is It a Crime (Sade song)|Is It a Crime?]]"
|-
| 15:18 || [[Sting (musician)|Sting]]<br />[[Phil Collins]]<br />[[Branford Marsalis]] || "[[Roxanne (The Police song)|Roxanne]]" <small>(Sting)</small><br />"[[Driven to Tears]]" <small>(Sting)</small><br />"[[Against All Odds (Take a Look at Me Now)]]" <small>(Phil Collins)</small><br />"[[Message in a Bottle (The Police song)|Message in a Bottle]]" <small>(Sting)</small><br />"[[In the Air Tonight]]" <small>(Phil Collins)</small><br />"Long Long Way to Go" <small>(both)</small><br />"[[Every Breath You Take]]" <small>(both)</small>
|-
| 15:49 || [[Howard Jones (English musician)|Howard Jones]] || "[[Hide and Seek (Howard Jones song)|Hide and Seek]]"
|-
| 16:08 || [[Bryan Ferry]] <small>(w/ [[David Gilmour]] as backing guitarist)</small> || "Sensation"<br />"Boys and Girls"<br />"[[Slave to Love]]"<br />"[[Jealous Guy]]"
|-
| 16:40 || [[Paul Young]] || "[[Do They Know It's Christmas?]]" <small>(intro)</small><br />"[[Come Back and Stay]]"<br />"[[That's the Way Love Is (Isley Brothers song)|That's the Way Love Is]]" <small>(with [[Alison Moyet]])</small><br />"[[Everytime You Go Away]]"
|-
| 17:19 || [[U2]] || "[[Sunday Bloody Sunday]]"<br />"[[Bad (U2 song)|Bad]]" <small>(w/ snippets of "[[Satellite of Love]]", "[[Ruby Tuesday (song)|Ruby Tuesday]]", "[[Sympathy for the Devil]]" and "[[Walk on the Wild Side (Lou Reed song)|Walk on the Wild Side]]")</small>
|-
| 18:00 || [[Dire Straits]] || "[[Money for Nothing (song)|Money for Nothing]]" <small>(with Sting)</small><br />"[[Sultans of Swing]]"
|-
| 18:41 || [[Queen (band)|Queen]] || "[[Bohemian Rhapsody]]" (ballad segment)<br />"[[Radio Ga Ga]]"<br />"[[Hammer to Fall]]"<br />"[[Crazy Little Thing Called Love]]"<br />"[[We Will Rock You]]"<br />"[[We Are the Champions]]"
|-
| 19:23 || [[David Bowie]] || "[[TVC 15]]"<br />"[[Rebel Rebel]]"<br />"[[Modern Love (David Bowie song)|Modern Love]]"<br />"[["Heroes" (David Bowie song)|Heroes]]"
|-
| 19:59 || [[The Who]] || "[[My Generation]]"<br />"[[Pinball Wizard]]"<br />"[[Love, Reign o'er Me]]"<br />"[[Won't Get Fooled Again]]"
|-
| 20:50 || [[Elton John]] || "[[I'm Still Standing]]"<br />"[[Bennie and the Jets]]"<br />"[[Rocket Man (song)|Rocket Man]]"<br />"[[Don't Go Breaking My Heart]]" <small>(with [[Kiki Dee]])</small><br />"[[Don't Let the Sun Go Down on Me]]" <small>(with [[Wham!]])</small><br />"[[Can I Get a Witness]]"
|-
| 21:48 || [[Freddie Mercury]]<br />[[Brian May]] || "[[Is This the World We Created...?]]"
|-
| 21:51 || [[Paul McCartney]]<br /><small>(w/ [[David Bowie]], [[Bob Geldof]], [[Alison Moyet]] and [[Pete Townshend]])</small> || "[[Let It Be (song)|Let It Be]]"
|-
| 21:57 || [[Band Aid (band)|Band Aid]] || "[[Do They Know It's Christmas?]]"
|}

Presenters:
* [[Richard Skinner (broadcaster)|Richard Skinner]] – opened the show and introduced [[Charles III|Charles, Prince of Wales]] and [[Diana, Princess of Wales]]
* [[Tommy Vance]] – introduced the [[Band of the Coldstream Guards|Coldstream Guards]], [[Status Quo (band)|Status Quo]], [[the Style Council]], [[the Boomtown Rats]], [[Nik Kershaw]] and [[Dire Straits]]
* [[Harvey Goldsmith]] – introduced [[Adam Ant]]
* [[Andy Peebles]] – introduced [[Spandau Ballet]], [[Elvis Costello]], [[Noel Edmonds]], [[Howard Jones (English musician)|Howard Jones]], [[Bryan Ferry]], [[Paul Young]], [[Griff Rhys Jones]] with [[Mel Smith]] and [[David Bowie]]
* [[Noel Edmonds]] – introduced [[Sting (musician)|Sting]] with [[Phil Collins]]
* [[Griff Rhys Jones]] and [[Mel Smith]] – introduced [[Queen (band)|Queen]]
* [[Jack Nicholson]] and Tommy Vance – introduced [[U2]] and [[the Who]]
* [[Billy Connolly]] – introduced [[Elton John]]
* [[John Hurt]] – introduced [[Freddie Mercury]] and [[Brian May]]

=== Philadelphia, John F. Kennedy Stadium ===
Times are [[Eastern Time Zone|Eastern Daylight Time]] (EDT){{snd}}[[UTC−04:00]]
{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Time !! Performer(s) !! Performed song(s)
|-
| 8:51 || [[Bernard Watson]] || "[[All I Really Want to Do]]"<br />"Interview"
|-
| 9:01 || [[Joan Baez]] || "[[Amazing Grace]]"<br />"[[We Are the World]]"
|-
| 9:10 || [[The Hooters]] || "[[And We Danced (The Hooters song)|And We Danced]]"<br />"[[All You Zombies (song)|All You Zombies]]"
|-
| 9:32 || [[Four Tops]] || "[[Shake Me, Wake Me (When It's Over)]]"<br />"[[Bernadette (Four Tops song)|Bernadette]]"<br />"[[It's the Same Old Song]]"<br />"[[Reach Out I'll Be There]]"<br />"[[I Can't Help Myself (Sugar Pie, Honey Bunch)]]"
|-
| 9:45 || [[Billy Ocean]] || "[[Caribbean Queen]]"<br />"[[Loverboy (Billy Ocean song)|Loverboy]]"
|-
| 9:55 || [[Black Sabbath]] featuring [[Ozzy Osbourne]] || "[[Children of the Grave]]"<br />"[[Iron Man (song)|Iron Man]]"<br />"[[Paranoid (Black Sabbath song)|Paranoid]]"
|-
| 10:12 || [[Run–D.M.C.]] || "Jam Master Jay"<br />"[[King of Rock (song)|King of Rock]]"
|-
| 10:27 || [[Rick Springfield]] || "Love Somebody"<br />"[[State of the Heart (Mondo Rock song)|State of the Heart]]"<br />"[[Human Touch (Rick Springfield song)|Human Touch]]"
|-
| 10:47 || [[REO Speedwagon]] || "[[Can't Fight This Feeling]]"<br />"[[Roll with the Changes]]"
|-
| 11:12 || [[Crosby, Stills and Nash]] || "[[Southern Cross (Crosby, Stills and Nash song)|Southern Cross]]"<br />"[[Teach Your Children]]"<br />"[[Suite: Judy Blue Eyes]]"
|-
| 11:29 || [[Judas Priest]] || "[[Living After Midnight]]"<br />"[[The Green Manalishi (With the Two-Pronged Crown)]]"<br />"[[You've Got Another Thing Comin'|You've Got Another Thing Comin{{'-}}]]"
|-
| 12:01 || [[Bryan Adams]] || "Kids Wanna Rock"<br />"[[Summer of '69]]"<br />"[[Tears Are Not Enough]]"<br />"[[Cuts Like a Knife (song)|Cuts Like a Knife]]"
|-
| 12:39 || [[The Beach Boys]] || "[[California Girls]]"<br />"[[Help Me, Rhonda]]"<br />"[[Wouldn't It Be Nice]]"<br />"[[Good Vibrations]]"<br />"[[Surfin' U.S.A.]]"
|-
| 13:26 ||[[George Thorogood and the Destroyers]]<br /><small>(w/ [[Bo Diddley]] and [[Albert Collins]])</small> || "[[Who Do You Love? (Bo Diddley song)|Who Do You Love?]]" <small>(w/ Bo Diddley)</small><br />"[[The Sky Is Crying (song)|The Sky Is Crying]]"<br />"[[Madison Blues]]" <small>(w/ Albert Collins)</small>
|-
| 14:05 ||[[Simple Minds]] || "[[Ghost Dancing]]"<br />"[[Don't You (Forget About Me)]]"<br />"[[Promised You a Miracle]]"
|-
| 14:41 ||[[Pretenders (band)|Pretenders]] || "Time the Avenger"<br />"[[Message of Love]]"<br />"[[Stop Your Sobbing]]"<br />"[[Back on the Chain Gang]]"<br />"[[Middle of the Road (song)|Middle of the Road]]"
|-
| 15:21 ||[[Carlos Santana|Santana]]<br /><small>(w/ [[Pat Metheny]])</small> || "Brotherhood"<br />"Primera Invasion"<br />"Open Invitation" <small>(w/ "[[Voodoo Child (Slight Return)]]" snippet)</small><br />"By the Pool" <small>(w/ Pat Metheny)</small><br />"Right Now" <small>(w/ Pat Metheny)</small>
|-
| 15:57 ||[[Ashford & Simpson]]<br /><small>(w/ [[Teddy Pendergrass]])</small> || "[[Solid (Ashford & Simpson song)|Solid]]"<br />"[[Reach Out and Touch (Somebody's Hand)]]" <small>(w/ Teddy Pendergrass)</small>
|-
| 16:27 ||[[Madonna]]<br /><small>(w/ [[Thompson Twins]] and [[Nile Rodgers]])</small> || "[[Holiday (Madonna song)|Holiday]]"<br />"[[Into the Groove]]"<br />"Love Makes the World Go Round" <small>(w/ Thompson Twins and Nile Rodgers)</small>
|-
| 17:02 ||[[Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers]] || "[[American Girl (Tom Petty song)|American Girl]]"<br />"[[The Waiting (song)|The Waiting]]"<br />"[[Rebels (song)|Rebels]]"<br />"[[Refugee (Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers song)|Refugee]]"
|-
| colspan="3" | A few minutes after 17:00 (after 22:00 [[British Summer Time|BST]] in London), during Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers' set, [[Band Aid (band)|Band Aid]] finished the final song of the day at [[Wembley Stadium (1923)|Wembley Stadium]], ending eight hours of overlapping performances at the two venues.
|-
| 17:30 ||[[Kenny Loggins]] || "[[Footloose (song)|Footloose]]"
|-
| 17:39 ||[[The Cars]] || "[[You Might Think]]"<br />"[[Drive (The Cars song)|Drive]]"<br />"[[Just What I Needed]]"<br />"[[Heartbeat City (song)|Heartbeat City]]"
|-
| 18:06 ||[[Neil Young]] || "[[Sugar Mountain (song)|Sugar Mountain]]"<br />"[[The Needle and the Damage Done]]"<br />"[[Helpless (Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young song)|Helpless]]"<br />"Nothing Is Perfect (In God's Perfect Plan)"<br />"[[Powderfinger (song)|Powderfinger]]"
|-
| 18:42 ||[[The Power Station (band)|The Power Station]] || "Murderess"<br />"[[Get It On (T. Rex song)|Get It On]]"
|-
| 19:21 ||[[Thompson Twins]]<br /><small>(w/ [[Madonna]], [[Steve Stevens]] and [[Nile Rodgers]])</small> || "[[Hold Me Now (Thompson Twins song)|Hold Me Now]]"<br />"[[Revolution (Beatles song)|Revolution]]" <small>(w/ Madonna, Steve Stevens and Nile Rodgers)</small>
|-
| 19:38 ||[[Eric Clapton]]<br /><small>(w/ [[Phil Collins]] and [[Steve Winwood]])</small> || "[[White Room]]"<br />"She's Waiting"<br />"[[Layla]]"
|-
| 20:00 ||[[Phil Collins]] || "[[Against All Odds (Take a Look at Me Now)]]"<br />"[[In the Air Tonight]]"
|-
| 20:10 ||[[Led Zeppelin]]<br /><small>(w/ [[Phil Collins]])</small> || "[[Rock and Roll (Led Zeppelin song)|Rock and Roll]]"<br />"[[Whole Lotta Love]]"<br />"[[Stairway to Heaven]]"
|-
| 20:39 ||[[Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young]] || "[[Only Love Can Break Your Heart]]"<br />"[[Daylight Again]]/Find the Cost of Freedom"
|-
| 20:46 ||[[Duran Duran]] || "[[A View to a Kill (song)|A View to a Kill]]"<br />"[[Union of the Snake]]"<br />"[[Save a Prayer]]"<br />"[[The Reflex]]"
|-
| 21:20 ||[[Patti LaBelle]] || "[[New Attitude (song)|New Attitude]]"<br />"[[Imagine (John Lennon song)|Imagine]]"<br />"[[Forever Young (Bob Dylan song)|Forever Young]]"<br />"[[Stir It Up (Patti LaBelle song)|Stir It Up]]"<br />"[[Over the Rainbow]]"<br />"Why Can't I Get It Over"
|-
| 21:50 ||[[Hall & Oates]]<br /><small>(w/ [[Eddie Kendricks]] and [[David Ruffin]])</small> || "[[Out of Touch]]"<br />"[[Maneater (Hall & Oates song)|Maneater]]"<br />"[[Get Ready (The Temptations song)|Get Ready]]" <small>(w/ Eddie Kendricks)</small><br />"[[Ain't Too Proud to Beg]]" <small>(w/ David Ruffin)</small><br />"[[The Way You Do the Things You Do]]"<br />"[[My Girl (The Temptations song)|My Girl]]" <small>(w/ Eddie Kendricks and David Ruffin)</small>
|-
| 22:15 ||[[Mick Jagger]]<br /><small>(w/ [[Tina Turner]])</small> || "Lonely at the Top"<br />"[[Just Another Night (Mick Jagger song)|Just Another Night]]"<br />"[[Miss You (The Rolling Stones song)|Miss You]]"<br />"[[State of Shock (song)|State of Shock]]" <small>(w/ Tina Turner)</small><br />"[[It's Only Rock 'n Roll (But I Like It)|It's Only Rock 'n Roll (But I Like It) (Reprise)]]" <small>(w/ Tina Turner)</small>
|-
| 22:39 || [[Bob Dylan]]<br />[[Keith Richards]]<br />[[Ronnie Wood]] || "[[Ballad of Hollis Brown]]"<br />"[[When the Ship Comes In]]"<br />"[[Blowin' in the Wind]]"
|-
| 22:55 || [[USA for Africa]] || "[[We Are the World]]"
|}

Presenters:
* [[Bill Graham (promoter)|Bill Graham]] – introduced [[Jack Nicholson]] (before his first and last appearance), [[Chevy Chase]] w/ [[Joe Piscopo]], [[Marilyn McCoo]], [[Dire Straits]], [[Carlos Santana|Santana]], [[Bette Midler]], [[Don Johnson]], [[Eric Clapton]] and [[Dionne Warwick]]
* [[Jack Nicholson]] – introduced [[Joan Baez]], [[U2]], [[Bryan Adams]], [[the Who]] and [[Bob Dylan]]
* [[Chevy Chase]] and [[Joe Piscopo]] – introduced [[the Hooters]]
* Chevy Chase – introduced [[Four Tops]], [[Billy Ocean]], [[Black Sabbath]], [[REO Speedwagon]], [[Judas Priest]], [[Kenny Loggins]] Mick Jagger with David Bowie (video) and [[Duran Duran]]
* Joe Piscopo – introduced [[Run-D.M.C.]], [[Rick Springfield]], [[Simple Minds]] and [[Neil Young]]
* [[Marilyn McCoo]] – introduced [[the Beach Boys]]
* [[George Segal]] – introduced [[George Thorogood and the Destroyers]]
* [[Grace Slick]] – introduced [[the Pretenders]]
* [[Bette Midler]] – introduced [[Madonna]], [[Thompson Twins]], [[Patti LaBelle]], [[Mick Jagger]] and [[the Cars]]
* [[Don Johnson]] – introduced [[Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers]] and [[The Power Station (band)|the Power Station]]
* Jack Nicholson & Bette Midler – introduced [[Phil Collins]]
* [[Phil Collins]] – introduced [[Led Zeppelin]]
* [[Dionne Warwick]] – introduced [[Hall & Oates]]

=== Others ===
{| class="wikitable"
|-
! {{abbr|Time|British time—UTC+01:00 (BST)}} !! Location !! Performer(s) !! Performed song(s)
|-
| 13:05 || {{flagicon|Australia}} [[Sydney]], [[Australia]]  || [[Oz for Africa]] || various (depends on the broadcaster)
|-
| rowspan=6|13:34 || rowspan=6|studio<br />{{flagicon|Japan}} (performers from [[Japan]]) || [[Loudness (band)|Loudness]] || "Gotta Fight"
|-
| [[Off Course]] || "Endless Night"
|-
| [[Takako Shirai (singer)|Takako Shirai]] || "Foolish War"
|-
| [[Eikichi Yazawa]] || "Take It Time"
|-
| [[Motoharu Sano]] || "Shame"
|-
| [[Meiko Nakahara]] || "Ro-Ro-Ro-Russian Roulette"
|-
| 14:12 || {{flagicon|Austria}} [[Vienna]], [[Austria]] || Austria für Afrika || "Warum?"
|-
| 14:40 || {{flagicon|Netherlands}} [[The Hague]], [[Netherlands]]<br /><small>(from the [[North Sea Jazz Festival]])</small> || [[B.B. King]] || "When It All Comes Down"<br />"Why I Sing the Blues"<br />"Don't Answer the Door"<br />"[[Rock Me Baby (song)|Rock Me Baby]]"
|-
| 15:10 || {{flagicon|Yugoslavia}} [[Belgrade]], [[Yugoslavia]] || [[YU Rock Misija]] || "Za milion godina"
|-
| 15:55 || {{flagicon|Soviet Union}} [[Moscow]], [[Soviet Union]] || [[Autograph (Russian band)|Autograph]] || "Golovokruzhenie"<br />"Nam nuzhen mir"
|-
| 16:27 || {{flagicon|West Germany}} [[Cologne]], [[West Germany]]|| Band für Afrika || "Nackt Im Wind"<br />"Ein Jahr (Es geht voran)"
|-
| rowspan=2|20:44 || rowspan=2|{{flagicon|Norway}} [[Norway]]|| Stavanger for Africa || "All of Us"
|-
| [[Forente Artister]]|| "Sammen for Livet"
|-
| 21:19 || studio || [[Kool & the Gang]] || "Stand Up and Sing"<br />"[[Cherish (Kool & the Gang song)|Cherish]]"
|-
| 22:11 || {{flagicon|UK}} [[London]], [[United Kingdom]]|| [[Cliff Richard]] || "A World of Difference"
|}

Presenters:
* [[Molly Meldrum]] – introduced [[Oz for Africa]]
* Mladen Popović – introduced [[YU Rock Misija]]
* [[Vladimir Pozner Jr.|Vladimir Posner]] – introduced [[Autograph (Russian band)|Autograph]] and made a speech between their performances
* Evelyn Selbert and Ken Janz – introduced Band für Afrika
* [[Udo Lindenberg]] – made a speech between the Band für Afrika performances
* [[Andy Kershaw]] – introduced [[Cliff Richard]]

=== Notable absences ===
[[Bruce Springsteen]] decided not to appear at Live Aid despite his huge global popularity in 1985. Geldof had originally scheduled the event for 6 July but moved the date to the 13th, especially to accommodate Springsteen. Springsteen later expressed regret at turning down Geldof's invitation, stating that he "simply did not realise how big the whole thing was going to be"<ref>{{cite book |first=Dylan |last=Jones |date=6 June 2013 |title=The Eighties: One Day, One Decade |publisher=[[Random House]] |isbn=978-1-4090-5225-8 |pages=150–151 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Ywvmz2h9rxIC&pg=PT150 }}</ref> and regretted not performing an acoustic set.<ref>{{cite web |first=Lucinda |last=Kent |date=13 July 2015 |title=Live Aid 30th anniversary: Seven things you may not know about Bob Geldof's charity concert |website=[[ABC Online]] |url=https://www.abc.net.au/news/2015-07-13/live-aid-30th-anniversary-seven-things-need-to-know/6615328 |access-date=1 September 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150715162525/https://www.abc.net.au/news/2015-07-13/live-aid-30th-anniversary-seven-things-need-to-know/6615328|archive-date=15 July 2015|url-status=live}}</ref> During the MTV broadcast, VJ [[Martha Quinn]] repeatedly and erroneously claimed that Springsteen would in fact make an appearance.<ref>{{cite book |last=Edwards |first=Gavin |pages=247–248 |date=2013 |title=VJ: The Unplugged Adventures of MTV's First Wave |publisher=Atria Books |isbn=978-1-4516-7812-3}}</ref>

[[Michael Jackson]] declined to appear, as he was working on ''[[Bad (album)|Bad]]'', an album which would not be released until more than two years after the Live Aid concert. His press agent, Norman Winter, released a statement at the time saying that Jackson was "working around the clock in the studio on a project that he's made a major commitment to" and consequently could not free up sufficient time to rehearse and perform at Live Aid. Winter added: "Michael is just about living in the studio, rehearsing and recording. I know what could be more major than Live Aid, but Michael couldn't turn his back on his responsibility to the people he's working with. This affected employment for a lot of people."<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1985/07/17/arts/michael-jackson-project-kept-him-from-concert.html|title=Michael Jackson Project Kept Him from Concert |date=17 July 1985|work=[[The New York Times]] |access-date=22 September 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140509064411/https://www.nytimes.com/1985/07/17/arts/michael-jackson-project-kept-him-from-concert.html|archive-date=9 May 2014|url-status=live}}</ref>

[[Prince (musician)|Prince]] also declined to appear in person but sent a pre-taped video of an acoustic version of "4 the Tears in Your Eyes", which was played during the concert in Philadelphia. The original version appears on the ''[[We Are the World (album)|We Are the World]]'' album,<ref>{{cite book |first=Mick |last=Wall |date=28 July 2016 |title=Prince: Purple Reign |publisher=[[Hachette UK]] |isbn=978-1-4091-6923-9 |page=70 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=2_03DAAAQBAJ&pg=PT70}}</ref> while the video version was released in 1993 on Prince's compilation ''[[The Hits/The B-Sides]]''.<ref>{{cite book |first=Arthur |last=Lizie |date=15 June 2020 |title=Prince FAQ: All That's Left to Know About the Purple Reign |publisher=[[Rowman & Littlefield]] |isbn=978-1-4930-5143-4 |page=122 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=BOvSDwAAQBAJ&pg=PA122 }}</ref>

[[Culture Club]] leader [[Boy George]] decided not to take part in the concert. He feared that Culture Club would fail to measure up performing for two billion people, and he disliked what he viewed as self-important posturing on the part of other participants. In his memoir ''Take It Like a Man'' he said his band members were angry with him because he had "ruined their chance of a part in history".<ref>{{cite book |last=George |first=Boy |pages=317–318 |date=2012 |title=Take It Like a Man |publisher=It Books |edition=Reissue |isbn=978-0062117786}}</ref>

[[Huey Lewis and the News]] were scheduled to play the Philadelphia leg and were in some of the promotional material but decided on 28 June to pull out over concerns that the money raised by relief efforts thus far had not been reaching those it was intended to help. "It was a very tough decision", Lewis told ''[[Rolling Stone]]''. "We felt, having done the [[USA for Africa]] thing, that we should wait and watch that ... The prudent thing to do is to see how that money translates into food for the people before we do another one." [[Harry Belafonte]], who had organised USA for Africa, responded harshly, calling Lewis's scepticism "disruptive and divisive". He had himself recently returned from a trip to Africa to see how the money had so far been spent and suggested that Lewis do the same. "For him to sit back here and send out information based on hearsay is unfair to his colleagues and very unfair to the victims."<ref name="Rolling Stone story">{{cite news|last=Goldberg|first=Michael|title=Live Aid 1985: The Day the World Rocked |url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-news/live-aid-1985-the-day-the-world-rocked-180152/ |newspaper=[[Rolling Stone]]|date=16 August 1985|access-date=13 July 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180920161407/https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-news/live-aid-1985-the-day-the-world-rocked-180152/|archive-date=20 September 2018|url-status=live}}</ref>

[[Annie Lennox]], whose hits as the vocalist of [[Eurythmics]] included 1983's "[[Sweet Dreams (Are Made of This)]]", was forced to pull out of performing at Live Aid due to a serious throat infection; she appeared at [[Live 8]] held in [[Hyde Park, London|Hyde Park]], London in 2005.<ref>{{cite news |title=Annie Lennox: career timeline |url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/8813544/Annie-Lennox-career-timeline.html |access-date=14 March 2022 |work=The Daily Telegraph|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111010034303/https://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/8813544/Annie-Lennox-career-timeline.html|archive-date=10 October 2011|url-status=live}}</ref>

[[Cliff Richard]] later stated he had been unable to perform as he was already committed to a gospel charity concert in [[Birmingham]] the same day.<ref>{{cite web | url= https://www.digitalspy.com/music/a658048/30-fun-facts-for-the-30th-birthday-of-live-aid/ | title= 30 fun facts for the 30th birthday of Live Aid | work=[[Digital Spy]] | first=Briony | last=McKee | date=13 July 2015 | access-date=10 August 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190329195059/https://www.digitalspy.com/music/a658048/30-fun-facts-for-the-30th-birthday-of-live-aid/|archive-date=29 March 2019|url-status=live}}</ref>

A reunited [[Deep Purple]] were also due to appear from Switzerland via satellite, but pulled out after guitarist [[Ritchie Blackmore]] refused to take part.<ref name="autogenerated1">{{cite web |url=http://liveaid.free.fr/pages/faquk.html#refusal |title=Live Aid F.A.Q |publisher=Liveaid.free.fr |date=13 July 1985 |access-date=31 March 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20051026220520/http://liveaid.free.fr/pages/faquk.html#refusal|archive-date=26 October 2005|url-status=live}}</ref> Deep Purple (minus Blackmore, who left the band in 1993) appeared at Geldof's Live 8 sequel 20 years later, performing at the Toronto leg of the event. Bill Graham is said to have turned down [[Foreigner (band)|Foreigner]] and [[Yes (band)|Yes]] because there was no free space on the bill for them.<ref name="autogenerated1" />

[[Marillion]], riding high in the UK charts that summer with their ''[[Misplaced Childhood]]'' album and "[[Kayleigh]]" single, missed out on an invitation to perform at Wembley because their manager had deemed it not worthwhile for singer [[Fish (singer)|Fish]] to participate in the "Do They Know It's Christmas?" single. Fish was quoted: "When it came to the bill for the concert, we were passed over."<ref>{{cite web |url=http://fish-thecompany.com/email/stes5.htm |title=Early Stages sleeve notes 5 |publisher=Fish – TheCompany.Com Official Site |date=September 2008 |access-date=4 August 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140411075653/http://fish-thecompany.com/email/stes5.htm|archive-date=11 April 2014|url-status=live}}</ref>

[[UB40]] lead singer [[Ali Campbell]] admitted that his band was also ignored by Geldof while planning the list of musical acts of the British leg of the event: "We weren't asked to do Live Aid because Uncle Bob didn't like our music much. It was a great gig, but I thought it was a bit dodgy not having any black acts on the bill when it was raising money for Africa."<ref>{{cite news |first=Graham |last=Chalmers |title=Interview: Ali's battle for heart and soul of UB40 |publisher=The North Yorkshire News |url=http://www.northyorkshirenews.com/whats-on/music/interview-ali-s-battle-for-heart-and-soul-of-ub40-1-6617183 |date=15 May 2014 |access-date=9 July 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170904193937/http://www.northyorkshirenews.com/whats-on/music/interview-ali-s-battle-for-heart-and-soul-of-ub40-1-6617183|archive-date=4 September 2017|url-status=live}}</ref>

[[Madness (band)|Madness]] were invited, but they declined as they were busy recording songs for their upcoming album ''[[Mad Not Mad]]'', according to guitarist [[Chris Foreman]].<ref>{{Cite web |last=Boy |first=Chrissy |date=2011-12-22 |title=Band aid |url=https://www.madness.co.uk/2011/12/22/band-aid/ |access-date=2025-07-12 |website=Madness |language=en-US}}</ref> They were also in a period of heavy turmoil after falling out with [[Stiff Records]] and losing their keyboardist [[Mike Barson]], and were considering splitting up at the time. As secondary vocalist [[Chas Smash|Carl Smyth]] put it in 2002, "They were going, ‘Come and do Live Aid, it’ll be really good for you. It’s gonna be televised everywhere.’ And we said, ‘Sorry mate, we’re splitting up because we’re not happy.’ Which was probably a mistake, in retrospect, but we certainly had our ideals in those days."<ref>{{Cite AV media |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0vBJyLP_ZUo |title=Divine Madness DVD Commentary Full Movie |date=2024-07-06 |last=British Movie Commentary Collection |access-date=2025-07-12 |via=YouTube}}</ref>

[[Thin Lizzy]] had broken up two years before Live Aid, with lead singer [[Phil Lynott]]'s last years heavily affected by heroin and alcohol addictions, dying less than six months after Live Aid from complications associated with his addictions. Despite this, keyboard player [[Darren Wharton]], in a 2011 interview, expressed anger about the band not being asked to perform, believing that Geldof taking a risk and inviting the band to reunite might have helped Lynott overcome his addictions, and also regain his full performance readiness, within the few months between an invite and the concert date.<ref>{{cite interview |subject-first=Darren |subject-last=Wharton |interviewer-first=Mark |interviewer-last=Kadzielawa |title=Thin Lizzy |website=69facesofrock.com |date=2011-03-27 |url=http://www.69facesofrock.com/thin_lizzy_interview.html |access-date=16 November 2014 |quote=… calling from the Mohegan Sun Casinos, where the band recently performed… |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111017072542/http://69facesofrock.com/thin_lizzy_interview.html |archive-date=2011-10-17 |url-status=dead}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Thin Lizzy Set to Rock the USA with Tour Dates and Rockline Appearance |website=classicrockforums.com |date=2011-03-08 |url=https://www.classicrockforums.com/threads/thin-lizzy-us-tourdates.13807/ |access-date=2025-08-30 |quote=… 03/26/2011 Uncasville, CT. Mohegan Sun Casino Wolf's Den {{!}} 03/27/2011 Sayreville, NJ. Starland Ballroom… |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250830074338/https://www.classicrockforums.com/threads/thin-lizzy-us-tourdates.13807/ |archive-date=2025-08-30 |url-status=live}}</ref>

"I tried to pitch into Live Aid," recalled [[Roger Waters]]. "They asked me to put [[Pink Floyd]] back together for it, and I said no, but I'd bring my new band to play. They didn't want that. But that's alright. I went along on my own."<ref>[[Steve Turner (writer)|Turner, Steve]]: "Roger Waters: The Wall in Berlin"; ''[[Radio Times]]'', 25 May 1990; reprinted in ''[[Classic Rock (magazine)|Classic Rock]]'' No. 148, August 2010, p. 81</ref>  Waters appeared backstage at the Wembley Stadium leg of Live Aid (where he was interviewed), and the classic Pink Floyd lineup reunited for the follow-up to Live Aid, [[Live 8]], in 2005.<ref>{{cite news |title=Roger Waters – Backstage Interview (Live Aid 1985) |url=https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=eo7t7jZYIXA  |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211211/eo7t7jZYIXA| archive-date=11 December 2021 |url-status=live|access-date=29 April 2021 |agency=YouTube |publisher=Live Aid}}{{cbignore}}</ref>

[[Neil Peart]], drummer of Canadian rock band [[Rush (band)|Rush]], said: "[[Geddy Lee|Geddy]] was involved with the [[Tears Are Not Enough|Northern Lights]] charity record here in Canada, although Rush wasn't invited to participate in the Live Aid event – mainly because if you look at the guest list, it was very much an 'in-crowd' situation. We were 'out' by then. We didn't refuse to take part because of any principles. Mind you, I wouldn't have been happy being part of this scenario. Those stars should have shut up and just given over their money if they were genuine. I recall that [[Tears for Fears]], who made a musical and artistic decision to pull out of the concert, were subsequently accused by Geldof of killing children in Africa – what a shockingly irresponsible and stupid attitude to take. But I have nothing bad whatsoever to say about Bob Geldof; he sacrificed his health, his career, [and] everything for something he believed in. But others around him got involved for their own reasons. Some of those involved in ''Northern Lights'' were actually quoted as saying that their managers told them to get down to the recording sessions because it would be a good career move!"<ref name="Metal Hammer">{{cite interview | first=Neil | last=Peart | interviewer=Malcolm Dome | title=All Fired Up | magazine=Metal Hammer | url=http://www.2112.net/xanadu/interviews/neil.htm | date=25 April 1988 | access-date=13 December 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20010219070058/http://www.2112.net/xanadu/interviews/neil.htm|archive-date=19 February 2001|url-status=live}}</ref>

== International broadcasting ==

{| class="wikitable plainrowheaders"
|-
|+ Broadcasters
|-
! scope="col" | Country
! scope="col" | Broadcaster
! scope="col" | Channel(s)
! scope="col" | {{abbr|Time|Broadcasting Time in Local Time}}
! scope="col" | {{abbr|Ref(s)|References}}
|-
! scope="row" | {{Flagu|Australia}}
| [[Australian Broadcasting Corporation|ABC]]
| [[ABC Canberra (TV station)|ABC-3]]
| (July 13) 20:55 until end
| <ref name="Canberra">{{cite news |title=Today's Television |url=https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/page/13758007 |access-date=10 April 2024 |work=[[The Canberra Times]] |date=13 July 1985 |location=[[Canberra]], [[Australian Capital Territory]], Australia |page=B6 |via=[[Trove]]|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250119040639/https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/page/13758007|archive-date=19 January 2025|url-status=live}}</ref>
|-
! scope="row" | {{Flagu|Austria}}
| [[ORF (broadcaster)|ORF]]
| [[ORF 2|FS2]]
| rowspan="3" | (July 13) 12:45 [[Central European Time|CET]] until end
| <ref name="Fernsehen"/>
|-
! scope="rowgroup" rowspan="2" | {{Flagu|Belgium}}
| [[RTBF]]
| [[Tipik|Télé 2]]
| rowspan="2" | <ref name="Voorpost">{{cite news |title=T.V. Programma's |url=https://aalst.courant.nu/issue/DVP/1985-07-12/edition/0/page/35 |access-date=10 April 2024 |work=De Voorpost |date=12 May 1985 |page=35 |location=[[Aalst, Belgium|Aalst]], Belgium |language=nl|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250119042734/https://aalst.courant.nu/issue/DVP/1985-07-12/edition/0/page/35|archive-date=19 January 2025|url-status=live}}</ref><ref name="Limburgs"/>
|-
| [[VRT (broadcaster)|BRT]]
| [[BRT TV2]]
|-
! scope="rowgroup" rowspan="2" | {{Flagu|Canada}}
| [[CHUM Limited|CHUM]]
| [[MuchMusic]]
| (July 13) 07:00 until end
| rowspan="2" | <ref>{{cite news |title=Live Aid: Two benefit concerts for Ethiopian famine relief |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=gH4xAAAAIBAJ&sjid=uKUFAAAAIBAJ&pg=3196%2C1222261 |access-date=10 April 2024 |work=[[The Montreal Gazette]] |date=13 May 1985 |location=[[Montreal]], Canada |language=en |page=3 |via=Google News |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250119040013/https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=gH4xAAAAIBAJ&sjid=uKUFAAAAIBAJ&pg=3196%2C1222261|archive-date=19 January 2025|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title=Saturday, July 13 |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=gH4xAAAAIBAJ&sjid=uKUFAAAAIBAJ&pg=2649%2C1250849 |access-date=10 April 2024 |work=[[The Montreal Gazette]] |date=13 May 1985 |location=[[Montreal]], Canada |language=en |page=9 |via=Google News |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250119034836/https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=gH4xAAAAIBAJ&sjid=uKUFAAAAIBAJ&pg=2649%2C1250849|archive-date=19 January 2025|url-status=live}}</ref>
|-
| colspan="2" | [[CTV Television Network|CTV]]
| (July 13) 20:00 – 23:00
|-
! scope="row" | {{Flagu|Denmark}}
| [[DR (broadcaster)|DR]]
| [[DR1|DR TV]]
| (July 13) 13:00 [[Central European Time|CET]] – 17:53, 22:34 until end <br> (July 14) 14:00 – 16:00
| <ref>{{cite web |date=13 July 1985 |title=Lørdag den 13. juli 1985 |url=https://www.dr.dk/alletidersprogramoversigter/?from=1985-07-13&to=1985-07-14&date=1985-07-13 |access-date=10 April 2024 |website=www.dr.dk |publisher=DR |pages= |language=da |issue=|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250119034129/https://www.dr.dk/alletidersprogramoversigter/?from=1985-07-13&to=1985-07-14&date=1985-07-13|archive-date=19 January 2025|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |date=14 July 1985 |title=Søndag den 14. juli 1985 |url=https://www.dr.dk/alletidersprogramoversigter/?from=1985-07-13&to=1985-07-14&date=1985-07-14 |access-date=10 April 2024 |website=www.dr.dk |publisher=DR |pages= |language=da |issue=|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250119035242/https://www.dr.dk/alletidersprogramoversigter/?from=1985-07-13&to=1985-07-14&date=1985-07-14|archive-date=19 January 2025|url-status=live}}</ref>
|-
! scope="row" | {{Flagu|France}}
| colspan="2" | [[France 2|Antenne 2]]
| (July 13) 22:10 until end
| <ref name="Fernsehen"/><ref name="Je vois tout"/><ref name="Voorpost"/>
|-
! scope="row" | {{Flagu|Hong Kong|1959}}
| [[TVB]]
| [[TVB Pearl]]
| (July 13) 19:15 – (July 14) 10:00
| <ref name="HongKong">{{cite news |script-title=zh:盼為非洲饑荒籌五千萬美元馬拉松救災音樂會倫敦費城聯合擧行由英王儲夫婦揭幕歐美流行歌星義唱 |url=https://mmis.hkpl.gov.hk/coverpage/-/coverpage/view?p_r_p_-1078056564_c=QF757YsWv59H%2FuxqfBwEJG6cwIR3uIrb&_coverpage_WAR_mmisportalportlet_o=0&_coverpage_WAR_mmisportalportlet_actual_q=%28%20dc.publicationdate_dt%3A%28%5B1985-07-13T00%3A00%3A00Z+TO+1985-07-14T23%3A59%3A59Z%5D%29%20%29&_coverpage_WAR_mmisportalportlet_sort_field=dc.date.accessioned_bsort&_coverpage_WAR_mmisportalportlet_sort_order=desc |work=[[Ta Kung Pao]] |date=13 July 1985 |page=10 |language=zh-hant |via=[[Hong Kong Public Libraries]] | title=Coverpage – MMIS |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250403115324/https://mmis.hkpl.gov.hk/coverpage/-/coverpage/view?p_r_p_-1078056564_c=QF757YsWv59H%2FuxqfBwEJG6cwIR3uIrb&_coverpage_WAR_mmisportalportlet_o=0&_coverpage_WAR_mmisportalportlet_actual_q=%28%20dc.publicationdate_dt%3A%28%5B1985-07-13T00%3A00%3A00Z+TO+1985-07-14T23%3A59%3A59Z%5D%29%20%29&_coverpage_WAR_mmisportalportlet_sort_field=dc.date.accessioned_bsort&_coverpage_WAR_mmisportalportlet_sort_order=desc|archive-date=3 April 2025|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |script-title=zh:為非洲飢民籌募善款超級巨星音樂盛會全球約廿億人欣賞在倫敦費城先後舉行歷時十六小時 |url=https://mmis.hkpl.gov.hk/coverpage/-/coverpage/view?_coverpage_WAR_mmisportalportlet_actual_q=%28%20dc.publicationdate_dt%3A%28%5B1985-07-13T00%3A00%3A00Z+TO+1985-07-14T23%3A59%3A59Z%5D%29%20%29&_coverpage_WAR_mmisportalportlet_sort_field=dc.date.accessioned_bsort&p_r_p_-1078056564_c=QF757YsWv59H%2FuxqfBwEJG6%2FgccYb%2FEn&_coverpage_WAR_mmisportalportlet_o=1&_coverpage_WAR_mmisportalportlet_sort_order=desc |work=[[Ta Kung Pao]] |date=14 July 1985 |page=7 |language=zh-hant |via=[[Hong Kong Public Libraries]] | title=Coverpage – MMIS |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250404054124/https://mmis.hkpl.gov.hk/coverpage/-/coverpage/view?_coverpage_WAR_mmisportalportlet_actual_q=%28%20dc.publicationdate_dt%3A%28%5B1985-07-13T00%3A00%3A00Z+TO+1985-07-14T23%3A59%3A59Z%5D%29%20%29&_coverpage_WAR_mmisportalportlet_sort_field=dc.date.accessioned_bsort&p_r_p_-1078056564_c=QF757YsWv59H%2FuxqfBwEJG6%2FgccYb%2FEn&_coverpage_WAR_mmisportalportlet_o=1&_coverpage_WAR_mmisportalportlet_sort_order=desc|archive-date=4 April 2025|url-status=live}}</ref>
|-
! scope="row" | {{Flagu|Iceland}}
| [[RÚV]]
| [[Sjónvarpið]]
| (July 13) 22:45 until end
| <ref>{{cite news |title=Laugardagur 13. Júlí – Sjónvarp |url=https://timarit.is/page/2504613#page/n41/mode/2up |access-date=24 April 2023 |work=[[DV (newspaper)|DV]] |date=13 July 1985 |location=[[Reykjavík]], Iceland |language=is |page=43 |via=[[Timarit.is]]|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250119214530/https://timarit.is/page/2504613#page/n41/mode/2up|archive-date=19 January 2025|url-status=live}}</ref>
|-
! scope="row" | {{Flagu|Ireland}}
| [[RTÉ]]
| [[RTÉ 1]]
| (July 13) 11:45 until end
|
|-
! scope="row" | {{Flagu|Italy}}
| [[RAI]]
| [[Rai Tre]]
| (July 13) circa 13:00 [[Central European Time|CET]] – 19:25, 23:15 until end <br> (July 14) circa 14:00 – 18:00
| <ref name="Stampa">{{cite news |title=In televisione |url=http://www.archiviolastampa.it/component/option,com_lastampa/task,search/mod,libera/action,viewer/Itemid,3/page,17/articleid,1005_01_1985_0149_0017_13941979/ |access-date=10 April 2024 |work=[[La Stampa]] |date=13 May 1985 |location=[[Turin]], Italy |language=it |page=17 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250119033953/http://www.archiviolastampa.it/component/option,com_lastampa/task,search/mod,libera/action,viewer/Itemid,3/page,17/articleid,1005_01_1985_0149_0017_13941979/|archive-date=19 January 2025|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title=In televisione |url=http://www.archiviolastampa.it/component/option,com_lastampa/task,search/mod,libera/action,viewer/Itemid,3/page,19/articleid,1005_01_1985_0150_0001_13902926/ |access-date=10 April 2024 |work=[[La Stampa]] |date=14 May 1985 |location=[[Turin]], Italy |language=it |page=19 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250119040006/http://www.archiviolastampa.it/component/option,com_lastampa/task,search/mod,libera/action,viewer/Itemid,3/page,19/articleid,1005_01_1985_0150_0001_13902926/|archive-date=19 January 2025|url-status=live}}</ref>
|-
! scope="rowgroup" rowspan="4" | {{Flagu|Japan}}
| rowspan="2" | [[Fuji News Network|FNN]]
| [[Fuji Television]]
| rowspan="4" |(July 13) 20:00 [[Japan Standard Time|JST]] – until end
|-
| [[Kansai Television]]
|
|-
| rowspan="2" | [[Nippon News Network|NNN]]
| [[Nippon Television]]
|
|-
| [[Yomiuri Telecasting Corporation|Yomiuri Television]]
|
|-
! scope="row" | {{Flagu|Netherlands}}
| [[Nederlandse Omroep Stichting|NOS]]/[[Omroepvereniging VARA|VARA]]
| [[Nederland 1]]
| (July 13) 12:50 [[Central European Time|CET]] – until end.{{efn|[[Nederland 1]] took three limited break: local news at 17:30 – 18:00 and brief news updates at 20:00 and 23:15}}
| <ref name="Volkskrant">{{cite news |title=Televisie & Radio |url=https://resolver.kb.nl/resolve?urn=ABCDDD:010878982:mpeg21:p041 |access-date=10 April 2024 |work=[[De Volkskrant]] |date=13 July 1985 |page=41 |location=[[Amsterdam]], Netherlands |language=nl |via=[[Delpher]]|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250119040819/https://resolver.kb.nl/resolve?urn=ABCDDD:010878982:mpeg21:p041|archive-date=19 January 2025|url-status=live}}</ref><ref name="Leeuwarden">{{cite news |title=Vanavond op uw scherm |url=https://resolver.kb.nl/resolve?urn=ddd:010565782:mpeg21:p002 |access-date=10 April 2024 |work=[[Leeuwarder Courant]] |date=13 July 1985 |page=2 |location=[[Leeuwarden]], Netherlands |language=nl |via=[[Delpher]]|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250119131440/https://resolver.kb.nl/resolve?urn=ddd:010565782:mpeg21:p002|archive-date=19 January 2025|url-status=live}}</ref><ref name="Limburgs">{{cite news |title=Zaterdag 13 mei 1985 |url=https://resolver.kb.nl/resolve?urn=ddd:010593735:mpeg21:p006 |access-date=10 April 2024 |work=[[Limburgs Dagblad|Limburgs Dagblad TV Week]] |date=13 July 1985 |page=6 |location=[[Heerlen]], Netherlands |language=nl |via=[[Delpher]]|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250119043555/https://resolver.kb.nl/resolve?urn=ddd:010593735:mpeg21:p006|archive-date=19 January 2025|url-status=live}}</ref>
|-
! scope="row" | {{Flagu|Netherlands Antilles|1959}}
| colspan="2" | [[TeleCuraçao]]
|
| <ref name="Amigoe">{{cite news |title="Live Aid " niet live op Tele-Curaçao |url=https://resolver.kb.nl/resolve?urn=ddd:010643140:mpeg21:p008 |access-date=2 September 2024 |work=[[Amigoe]] |date=13 July 1985 |pages=8 |location=[[Willemstad]], Netherlands Antilles |language=nl |via=[[Delpher]]|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250411164248/https://resolver.kb.nl/resolve?urn=ddd:010643140:mpeg21:p008|archive-date=11 April 2025|url-status=live}}</ref>
|-
! scope="row" | {{Flagu|New Zealand}}
| [[TVNZ]]
| [[TVNZ|TV2]]
| (July 13) 23:00 until end
| <ref name="The Press">{{cite news |title=Television and Radio |url=https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/press/1985/07/13/17 |access-date=2 September 2024 |work=[[The Press]] |date=13 July 1985 |pages=17 |location=[[Christchurch]], New Zealand |language=en |via=[[Papers Past]]|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250403084818/https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/press/1985/07/13/17|archive-date=3 April 2025|url-status=live}}</ref>
|-
! scope="row" | {{Flagu|Norway}}
| [[NRK]]
| [[NRK1|NRK Fjernsynet]]
| (July 13) 12:50 [[Central European Time|CET]] – 17:05, 24:00 until end <br> (July 14) 12:00 – 18:30 [[Central European Time|CET]]
| <ref name="Norsk">{{cite news |title=Radio ― TV Lørdag 13. Juli 1985 |url=https://www.nb.no/items/d972600c8bf0f3e1de4418b45b386a67?page=17 |access-date=10 April 2024 |work=[[Moss Dagblad]] |date=13 July 1985 |pages=19 ― 20 |location=[[Moss, Norway|Moss]], Norway |language=no |via=[[National Library of Norway]]|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250119035631/https://www.nb.no/items/d972600c8bf0f3e1de4418b45b386a67?page=17|archive-date=19 January 2025|url-status=live}}</ref>
|-
! scope="row" | {{Flagu|Portugal}}
| [[Rádio e Televisão de Portugal|RTP]]
| [[RTP1]]
| (July 13) 17:05 – 18:45, 22:30 until end <br> (July 14) 11:50 – 15:25
| <ref>{{cite news |title=Televisão |url=http://casacomum.org/cc/visualizador?pasta=06845.195.30290#!27 |access-date=10 April 2024 |work=[[Diário de Lisboa]] |date=13 July 1985 |location=[[Lisbon]], Portugal |page=27 |language=pt |via=Casa Comum|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250119043450/http://casacomum.org/cc/visualizador?pasta=06845.195.30290#!27|archive-date=19 January 2025|url-status=live}}</ref>
|-
! scope="row" | {{Flagu|Puerto Rico}}
| colspan="2" | [[TeleOro Canal 13]]
| (July 13) 07:00 until end
| <ref>{{cite news |title=Televisión |url=https://gpa.eastview.com/crl/elmundo/newspapers/mndo19850713-01.1.30 |access-date=20 May 2024 |work=[[El Mundo (Puerto Rico)|El Mundo]] |date=13 July 1985 |location=[[San Juan, Puerto Rico|San Juan]], Puerto Rico |page=31 |language=es |via=East View|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250321004125/https://gpa.eastview.com/crl/elmundo/newspapers/mndo19850713-01.1.30|archive-date=21 March 2025|url-status=live}}</ref>
|-
! scope="row" | {{Flagu|South Korea}}
| [[Munhwa Broadcasting Corporation|MBC]]
| [[MBC TV (South Korean TV channel)|MBC]]
| (July 13) 20:00 [[Time in South Korea|KST]] – until end
| <ref>{{cite news |title=오늘의TV하이라이트 「세겨는 한가족」 자선공연 방영 MBC, 내일밤 3시간 동안 |url=https://newslibrary.naver.com/viewer/index.naver?articleId=1985071300239101005&officeId=00023 |access-date=10 April 2024 |work=[[The Chosun Ilbo]] |date=13 July 1985 |location=[[Seoul]], South Korea |page=12 |language=ko |via=Never 뉴스 라이브러리|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250119035604/https://newslibrary.naver.com/viewer/index.naver?articleId=1985071300239101005&officeId=00023|archive-date=19 January 2025|url-status=live}}</ref>
|-
! scope="rowgroup" rowspan="2" | {{Flagu|Spain}}
| rowspan="2" | [[RTVE]]
| [[TVE 1]]
| (July 13) 14:15 – 15:00, 21:35 – 22:00 <br> (July 14) 14:00 – 15:00
| rowspan="2" | <ref>{{cite news |date=13 July 1985 |title=TVE retransmite el concierto 'Por África', 17 horas de música 'rock' |url=https://elpais.com/diario/1985/07/13/radiotv/490053601_850215.html?rel=listapoyo?event_log=oklogin |access-date=10 April 2024 |newspaper=[[El País]] |pages= |language=es |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250119034340/https://elpais.com/diario/1985/07/13/radiotv/490053601_850215.html?rel=listapoyo?event_log=oklogin|archive-date=19 January 2025|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title=Radio – TV |url=https://prensahistorica.mcu.es/en/catalogo_imagenes/grupo.do?path=1000470309&posicion=30&presentacion=pagina&registrardownload=0 |access-date=2 September 2024 |work=[[Diario de Burgos]] |date=13 July 1985 |location=[[Burgos]], Spain |page=31 |language=es |via=Biblioteca Virtual de Prensa Histórica|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250411164253/https://prensahistorica.mcu.es/en/catalogo_imagenes/grupo.do?path=1000470309&posicion=30&presentacion=pagina&registrardownload=0|archive-date=11 April 2025|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title=Radio – TV |url=https://prensahistorica.mcu.es/en/catalogo_imagenes/grupo.do?path=1000470310&posicion=43&presentacion=pagina&registrardownload=0 |access-date=2 September 2024 |work=[[Diario de Burgos]] |date=14 July 1985 |location=[[Burgos]], Spain |page=43 |language=es |via=Biblioteca Virtual de Prensa Histórica|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250411164536/https://prensahistorica.mcu.es/en/catalogo_imagenes/grupo.do?path=1000470310&posicion=43&presentacion=pagina&registrardownload=0|archive-date=11 April 2025|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title=PROGRAMMACION |url=https://prensahistorica.mcu.es/en/catalogo_imagenes/grupo.do?path=7155821&posicion=28&presentacion=pagina&registrardownload=0 |access-date=2 September 2024 |work=[[Hoja Oficial del lunes]] |date=7 July 1985 |location=[[Madrid]], Spain |page=29 |language=es |via=Biblioteca Virtual de Prensa Histórica|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250411164241/https://prensahistorica.mcu.es/en/catalogo_imagenes/grupo.do?path=7155821&posicion=28&presentacion=pagina&registrardownload=0|archive-date=11 April 2025|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title=PROGRAMMACION |url=https://prensahistorica.mcu.es/en/catalogo_imagenes/grupo.do?path=7155822&interno=S&posicion=26&presentacion=pagina&registrardownload=0 |access-date=2 September 2024 |work=[[Hoja Oficial del lunes]] |date=14 July 1985 |location=[[Madrid]], Spain |page=27 |language=es |via=Biblioteca Virtual de Prensa Histórica|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250411164201/https://prensahistorica.mcu.es/en/catalogo_imagenes/grupo.do?path=7155822&interno=S&posicion=26&presentacion=pagina&registrardownload=0|archive-date=11 April 2025|url-status=live}}</ref>
|-
| [[TVE 2]]
| (July 13) 19:10 – 20:25 <br> (July 14) 21:35 – 22:35 <br> (July 15) 00:10 – 00:40
|-
! scope="rowgroup" rowspan="4" | {{Flagu|Switzerland}}
| rowspan="4" | [[SRG SSR]]
| [[SRF zwei|TV DRS 2]]
| (July 13) 13:00 [[Central European Time|CET]] until end
| rowspan="4" | <ref name="Fernsehen">{{cite news |title=TV + Radio · Samstag |url=https://www.e-newspaperarchives.ch/?a=d&d=BTB19850713-01.1.19 |access-date=10 April 2024 |work=[[Bieler Tagblatt]] |page=19 |date=13 May 1985 |location=[[Biel]], Switzerland |language=de |via=[[e-newspaperarchives.ch]]|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250119050349/https://www.e-newspaperarchives.ch/?a=d&d=BTB19850713-01.1.19|archive-date=19 January 2025|url-status=live}}</ref><ref name="Je vois tout">{{cite magazine |title=TV – samedi 13 juillet |url=https://scriptorium.ch/zoom/325305/view?page=7&p=verso&tool=info&view=0,0,5490,3900 |access-date=10 April 2024 |magazine=[[Radio TV – Je vois tout]] |publisher=Héliographia SA |date=11 July 1985 |location=[[Lausanne]], Switzerland |pages=12–13 |language=fr |via=[[Scriptorium (website)|Scriptorium]]}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title=Programmi tv |url=https://www2.sbt.ti.ch/quotidiani-public-pdf/main_part.php?fullscreen=true&query=Programmi+tv&paper=gt&day=13&month=7&year=1985&page=19&papername=Gazzetta%20Ticinese&allpages=1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9,10,11,12,13,14,15,16,17,18,19,20,21,22,23,24,25,26,27,28,29,30,31,32 |access-date=10 April 2024 |work=Gazzetta Ticinese |date=13 July 1985 |location=[[Lugano]], Switzerland |page=14 |language=it |via={{ill|Sistema bibliotecario ticinese|it}}|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250119035214/https://www2.sbt.ti.ch/quotidiani-public-pdf/main_part.php?fullscreen=true&query=Programmi+tv&paper=gt&day=13&month=7&year=1985&page=19&papername=Gazzetta%20Ticinese&allpages=1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9,10,11,12,13,14,15,16,17,18,19,20,21,22,23,24,25,26,27,28,29,30,31,32|archive-date=19 January 2025|url-status=live}}</ref>
|-
| [[RTS 1 (Swiss TV channel)|TSR]]
| (July 13) 13:00 [[Central European Time|CET]] – 18:45 <br> (July 14) 12:05 – 14:45
|-
| [[Radio SRF 3|Radio DRS 3]]
| rowspan="2" | (July 13) 13:00 [[Central European Time|CET]] until end
|-
| [[Couleur 3]]
|-
|-
! scope="rowgroup" rowspan="4" | {{Flagu|United Kingdom}}
| rowspan="3" | [[BBC]]
| [[BBC2]]
| (July 13) 11:50 – 22:00
| rowspan="4" | <ref name="Volkskrant"/><ref name="Limburgs"/>
|-
| [[BBC1]]
| (July 13) 22:00 until end
|-
| [[BBC Radio 1|Radio One]]
| (July 13) 11:50 until end
|-
| [[BFBS]]
| [[British Forces Broadcasting Service|BFBS 1]]
| (July 13) 23:00 – 01:00
|-
! scope="rowgroup" rowspan="2" | {{Flagu|United States}}
| colspan="2" | [[American Broadcasting Company|ABC]]
| rowspan="2" | (July 13) 07:00 until end
| rowspan="2" |
|-
| colspan="2" | [[MTV]]
|-
! scope="row" rowspan="9" | {{Flagu|West Germany}}
| rowspan="9" | [[ARD (broadcaster)|ARD]]
| [[Bayerischer Rundfunk|BR]]
| rowspan="9" | (July 13) 12:30 [[Central European Time|CET]] until end
| rowspan="9" | <ref name="Fernsehen"/><ref name="Volkskrant"/><ref name="Leeuwarden"/><ref name="Limburgs"/><ref>{{cite news |title=Fernsehen |url=https://archive.org/details/DieWelt1985GermanyGerman/Jul%2013%201985%2C%20Die%20Welt%2C%20%23160%2C%20Germany%20%28de%29/page/n6/mode/1up |access-date=10 April 2024 |work=[[Die Welt]] |date=13 July 1985 |location=[[Hamburg]], [[West Germany]] |page=7 |language=de |via=Internet Archive}}</ref>
|-
| [[Hessischer Rundfunk|HR]]
|-
| [[Norddeutscher Rundfunk|NDR]]
|-
| [[Radio Bremen|RB]]
|-
| [[Süddeutscher Rundfunk|SDR]]
|-
| [[Sender Freies Berlin|SFB]]
|-
| [[Saarländischer Rundfunk|SR]]
|-
| [[Südwestfunk|SWF]]
|-
| [[Westdeutscher Rundfunk|WDR]]
|-
! scope="row" rowspan="8" | {{Flagu|Yugoslavia}}
| rowspan="8" | [[Yugoslav Radio Television|JRT]]
| [[RTS2 (Serbian TV channel)|TV Beograd 2]]
| rowspan="8" |(July 13) 12:50 [[Central European Time|CET]] until end
| rowspan="8" | <ref>{{cite news |title=Televizijski spored – sobota, 13. VII. |url=https://dolenjskilist.svet24.si/media/arhiv-pdf/dl/1985/DL_1985_09_12_37_1883.pdf |access-date=10 April 2024 |work=[[Dolenjskega List]] |date=12 July 1985 |location=[[Novo Mesto]], [[SR Slovenia]], [[Yugoslavia]] |page=8 |language=sl|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250119045639/https://dolenjskilist.svet24.si/media/arhiv-pdf/dl/1985/DL_1985_09_12_37_1883.pdf|archive-date=19 January 2025|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title=Телевизија – Субота, 13. јул |url=https://istorijskenovine.unilib.rs/view/index.html#panel:pp%7Cissue:UB_00064_19850713%7Cpage:10 |access-date=10 April 2024 |work=[[Borba (newspaper)|Borba]] |date=13 July 1985 |location=[[Belgrade]], [[SR Serbia]], [[Yugoslavia]] |page=10 |language=Serbian |via=Pretraživa digitalna biblioteka|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250122115029/https://istorijskenovine.unilib.rs/view/index.html#panel:pp%7Cissue:UB_00064_19850713%7Cpage:10|archive-date=22 January 2025|url-status=live}}</ref>
|-
| [[TV SLO 1|TV Ljubljana 1]]
|-
| [[TV SLO 2|TV Ljubljana 2]]
|-
| [[TV Pristina]]
|-
| [[Radio and Television of Bosnia and Herzegovina|TV Sarajevo 2]]
|-
| [[MRT 2 (TV channel)|TV Skopje 2]]
|-
| [[TVCG 2|TV Titograd 2]]
|-
| [[HRT 2|TV Zagreb 2]]
|-
|}

;Notes
{{Notelist}}

== Live Aid recordings ==
When organiser Bob Geldof was persuading artists to take part in the concert, he promised them that it would be a one-off event, never to be seen again. Hence, the concert was never recorded in its complete original form, and only secondary television broadcasts were recorded. Following Geldof's request, ABC erased its own broadcast tapes.<ref>{{cite news |title=Live Aid 30th anniversary: 30 things you never knew about the 1985 concert |url=https://www.mirror.co.uk/news/live-aid-30th-anniversary-30-6058365 |access-date=11 July 2020 |work=Daily Mirror|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150716003921/https://www.mirror.co.uk/news/live-aid-30th-anniversary-30-6058365|archive-date=16 July 2015 |url-status=live}}</ref> However, before the syndicated/ABC footage was erased, copies of it were donated to the [[Smithsonian Institution]] and have now been presumed lost. The ABC feed of the USA for Africa/"We Are The World" finale does exist in its entirety, complete with the network end credits, and can be found as a supplemental feature on the ''We Are The World: The Story Behind The Song'' DVD.

Meanwhile, MTV decided to keep recordings of its broadcast and eventually located more than 100 tapes of Live Aid in its archives, but many songs in these tapes were cut short by MTV's ad breaks and presenters (according to the BBC).<ref>{{cite news|last=Youngs |first=Ian |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/music/3604680.stm |title=How Live Aid was saved for history |work=BBC News |date=27 August 2004 |access-date=6 March 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060209032044/http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/music/3604680.stm|archive-date=9 February 2006|url-status=live}}</ref> Many performances from the US were not shown on the BBC, and recordings of these performances are missing. There were four separate Audio Trucks in Philadelphia provided by David Hewitt of Remote Recording Services. ABC had taken the decision that no multi track tape recordings would be allowed, so no remixing of the Philadelphia show was possible.

=== Official Live Aid DVD ===
An official four-disc DVD set of the Live Aid concerts was released on 8 November 2004. A [[premiere]] to launch the new DVD was held on 7 November and shown in [[DTS (sound system)|DTS]] surround sound featuring a short compilation of the four-disc set. The screening was held at the [[Odeon Cinema]] in [[Kensington]], London and included guests such as [[Brian May]], [[Anita Dobson]], [[Roger Taylor (Queen drummer)|Roger Taylor]], Bob Geldof and partner Jean Marie, Annie Lennox, Midge Ure, [[Michael Buerk]], [[Gary Kemp]] and [[The Darkness (band)|The Darkness]].<ref>{{cite news|url=https://brianmay.com/queen/queennews/queennewsnov04a.html|title=Live Aid DVD Launch|work=Brianmay.com|date=8 November 2004|access-date=25 October 2019|archive-date=25 October 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191025021616/https://brianmay.com/queen/queennews/queennewsnov04a.html|url-status=dead}}</ref> Other theatrical premieres were held in [[Zürich]], Milan, [[Rome]], Vienna, Hamburg and [[Berlin]].<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20041112005099/en/Live-Aid-DVD-Premiere-European-Cinemas-DTS |title=Live Aid DVD |date=12 November 2004 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200522114909/https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20041112005099/en/Live-Aid-DVD-Premiere-European-Cinemas-DTS|archive-date=22 May 2020|url-status=live}}</ref> A 52-minute compilation was later released as a limited edition DVD in July 2005 titled ''20 Years Ago Today: Live Aid''.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.dvdmg.com/20yearsagotodayliveaid.shtml |title=Live Aid: 20 Years Ago Today (1985) |date=3 July 2005 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060217021521/http://www.dvdmg.com/20yearsagotodayliveaid.shtml|archive-date=17 February 2006|url-status=live}}</ref> The box set contains 10-hour partial footage of the 16-hour length concert. The DVD was produced by Geldof's company, Woodcharm Ltd., and distributed by [[Warner Music Vision]]. The DVD has since been [[out of print]] and is no longer available in stores. The decision to finally release it was taken by Bob Geldof nearly 20 years after the original concerts after he found a number of unlicensed copies of the concert on the Internet.<ref>{{cite news|last=Youngs |first=Ian |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/music/3530269.stm |title=Geldof thwarts 'Live Aid pirate' |work=BBC News |date=3 March 2004 |access-date=6 March 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20040312104442/http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/music/3530269.stm|archive-date=12 March 2004|url-status=live}}</ref>

The most complete footage that exists is used from the [[BBC]] source, and this was the main source of the DVD. During production of the official DVD, [[MTV]] lent Woodcharm Ltd. their B-roll and alternate camera footage where MTV provided extra footage of the Philadelphia concert (where ABC had erased the tapes from the command of Bob Geldof). Songs that were not originally interrupted with advertisements were also used on the official DVD.

Working from the BBC and MTV footage, several degrees of dramatic licence were taken to release the concert on DVD. Many songs had their soundtracks altered for the DVD release, mainly in sequences where there were originally microphone problems. In one of those instances, Paul McCartney had re-recorded his failed vocals for "Let It Be" in a studio the day after the concert (14 July 1985). Beatles' biographer Keith Badman explains: "because of what happened, he decided to re-record his vocals for any future film of the concert. That's the version you'll hear when the DVD comes out."<ref>"Perfectionist McCartney Re-records Live Aid". contactmusic.com. 4 August 2004</ref> Also, in the US finale, the original USA for Africa studio track for "We Are the World" was overlaid in places where the microphone was absent (consequently, it includes the vocals of [[Kenny Rogers]] and [[James Ingram]], two artists who did not even take part in Live Aid).

Some artists did not want their performances to be featured on the DVD. At their own request, [[Led Zeppelin]] and [[Santana (band)|Santana]] were omitted. The former defended their decision not to be included on the grounds that their performance was "sub-standard", but to lend their support, [[Jimmy Page]] and [[Robert Plant]] pledged to donate proceeds from the DVD release of ''Page & Plant: No Quarter'' to the campaign, and [[John Paul Jones (musician)|John Paul Jones]] pledged proceeds from his American tour with [[Mutual Admiration Society (collaboration)|Mutual Admiration Society]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/entertainment/3534576.stm |title=Zeppelin defend Live Aid opt out |website=BBC News |date=4 August 2004 |access-date=29 July 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071214125914/http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/entertainment/3534576.stm|archive-date=14 December 2007|url-status=live}}</ref>

Judicious decisions were also made on which acts would be included and which ones would not due to either technical difficulties in the original performances, the absence of original footage, or music rights reasons. [[Rick Springfield]], [[the Four Tops]], [[the Hooters]], [[The Power Station (band)|the Power Station]], [[Billy Ocean]] and [[Kool and the Gang]] were among those acts that were left off the DVD. Several artists who did feature on the DVD also had songs that were performed omitted. [[Madonna]] performed three solo songs in the concert, but only two were included on the DVD ("Love Makes the World Go Round" was omitted). Phil Collins played "Against All Odds" and "In the Air Tonight" at both Wembley and JFK, but only the London performance of the former and the Philadelphia performance of the latter were included on the DVD. The JFK performance of "Against All Odds" was later included in Collins' ''Finally ... The First Farewell Tour'' DVD. [[Tom Petty]] performed four songs, and only two were included on DVD. Patti LaBelle played six songs, but only two songs were included.

In 2007, [[Queen (band)|Queen]] released a special edition of ''[[Queen Rock Montreal]]'' on [[Blu-ray]] and DVD formats containing their 1981 concert from [[Montreal Forum|The Forum]] in Montreal, Canada, and their complete Live Aid performance, alongside Freddie Mercury and Brian May performing "[[Is This the World We Created...?]]" from the UK Live Aid finale, all re-mixed in DTS 5.1 sound by Justin Shirley-Smith. Also included is their Live Aid rehearsal and an interview with the band from earlier in the week.

On its release, the then British [[Chancellor of the Exchequer]], [[Gordon Brown]], decided the [[VAT]] collected on sales of the Live Aid DVD would be given back to the charity, which would raise an extra £5 for every DVD sold.<ref>{{cite web |title=New Live Aid DVD to get VAT cash |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/politics/3990253.stm |website=BBC News |date=7 November 2021 |access-date=30 December 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081205013632/http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/politics/3990253.stm|archive-date=5 December 2008|url-status=live}}</ref>

On 14 November 2004, the DVD entered the UK Official [[UK Music Charts|Music Video Chart]] at number one and stayed in the top position for twelve consecutive weeks.<ref name="Official Music Video Chart Top 50">{{cite web|url=https://www.officialcharts.com/charts/music-video-chart/20041114/13/ |date=20 November 2004|title=Official Music Video Chart Top 50|website=Official charts|access-date= 28 June 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190221054704/https://www.officialcharts.com/charts/music-video-chart/20041114/13/|archive-date=21 February 2019|url-status=live}}</ref>

====Charts====
{| class="wikitable unsortable plainrowheaders"
|-
! Charts (2004)
! Peak<br />position
! {{abbr|Ref(s)|Reference(s)}}
|-
|scope="row"| Dutch Music DVDs Chart
| align="center"|2
| align="center"|<ref>{{cite web|url=https://dutchcharts.nl/weekchart.asp?year=2004&date=20041127&cat=d |title=Dutch Music DVDs Chart Week commencing 27 November 2004|access-date= 28 June 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171203160155/https://dutchcharts.nl/weekchart.asp?year=2004&date=20041127&cat=d|archive-date=3 December 2017|url-status=live}}</ref>
|-
|scope="row"| Spanish Music DVD Chart ([[Promusicae]])
| align="center"|8
| align="center"|<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.promusicae.es/listas/semana/785-dvd-semana-46-2004|title=Promusicae Music DVDs Chart Lista de los titulos mas vendidos del 08.11.04 al 14.11.04|access-date= 28 June 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190221112028/https://www.promusicae.es/listas/semana/785-dvd-semana-46-2004|archive-date=21 February 2019|url-status=live}}</ref>
|-
|scope="row"| UK Music Video Chart ([[Official Charts Company|OCC]])
| align="center"|1
| align="center"|<ref name="Official Music Video Chart Top 50"/>
|-
|scope="row"| US Top Music Video (''[[Billboard charts|Billboard]]'')
| align="center"|2
| align="center"|<ref>{{cite magazine|url=https://www.billboard.com/biz/charts/2004-12-04/music-video |title=Music Video Sales – as compiled by Nielsen... |magazine=[[Billboard (magazine)|Billboard]] |date=4 December 2004|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190731233120/https://www.billboard.com/biz/charts/2004-12-04/music-video|archive-date=31 July 2019|url-status=live}}</ref>
|-
|}

====Certifications====
{{Certification Table Top}}
{{Certification Table Entry|type=video|relyear=2004|artist=Diverse|title=Live Aid (DVD)|region=Australia|certyear=2005|award=Platinum|number=2}}
{{Certification Table Entry|type=video|relyear=2004|artist=Diverse|title=Live Aid (DVD)|region=Austria|certyear=2004|award=Gold}}
{{Certification Table Entry|type=video|relyear=2004|artist=Various Artists|title=Live Aid|region=Canada|certyear=2004|award=Diamond|number=2}}
{{Certification Table Entry|type=video|relyear=2004|artist=COMPILATION|title=LIVE 8|region=France|certyear=2009|award=Platinum|relmonth=11|certmonth=12}}
{{Certification Table Entry|type=video|relyear=2004|artist=Diverse Interpreten|title=Live Aid|region=Switzerland|certyear=2005|award=Platinum}}
{{Certification Table Entry|type=video|relyear=2004|artist=Various Artists|title=Live Aid|region=United Kingdom|certyear=2013|certmonth=7|award=Platinum|number=6|id=9446-1509-5}}
{{Certification Table Entry|type=video|relyear=2005|artist=Various Artists|title=Live Aid – 20 Years Ago Today|region=United Kingdom|certyear=2013|certmonth=7|award=Gold|id=9447-1509-5|note=20 Years Ago Today ''version''}}
{{Certification Table Entry|type=video|relyear=2004|artist=VARIOUS|title=LIVE AID|region=United States|certyear=2005|award=Platinum|number=10}}
{{Certification Table Bottom}}

===Official Live Aid audio===
An audio copy of Live Aid was officially released by the [[Band Aid Trust]] label on 7 September 2018 on digital download. When first released in 2018, the [[Queen (band)|Queen]] performance was excluded. The band's set was, however, later included as a part of the digital download in May 2019. It has a total of ninety-three audio tracks.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.amazon.co.uk/Live-Aid-13th-July-1985/dp/B07H36TFQ5/ref=mp_s_a_1_5?keywords=live+aid&qid=1560558375&s=gateway&sr=8-5 |title=Live Aid (Live, 13 July 1985) {{!}} Various artists |website=Amazon UK |date=7 September 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200522114909/https://www.amazon.co.uk/Live-Aid-13th-July-1985/dp/B07H36TFQ5/ref=mp_s_a_1_5?keywords=live+aid&qid=1560558375&s=gateway&sr=8-5 |archive-date=22 May 2020 |url-status=live}}</ref>

===Live Aid channel===
On 12 September 2018, YouTube launched the Official Live Aid channel with a total of 87 videos from the Live Aid 1985 concert. According to the channel, all earnings from viewings go to the Band Aid Trust.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCUAVzSGkkTa-IoMx_x1XK4Q/about |title=Official Live Aid channel|work=YouTube|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210226212913/https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCUAVzSGkkTa-IoMx_x1XK4Q/about|archive-date=26 February 2021|url-status=live}}</ref> As with the digital download release, a few notable performances are not included for unknown reasons, although Queen's set was uploaded to the channel with its inclusion on the digital download.

=== Unofficial recordings ===
Because the Live Aid broadcast was watched by 1.5&nbsp;billion people,<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.theage.com.au/news/music/stages-set-for-live-8/2005/07/02/1119724837990.html |title=Stages set for Live 8 |agency=Reuters |date=2 July 2005 |access-date=14 January 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20051205015758/http://www.theage.com.au/news/music/stages-set-for-live-8/2005/07/02/1119724837990.html|archive-date=5 December 2005|url-status=live}}</ref> most of the footage was recorded on home consumer video recorders all around the world, in various qualities. Many of these recordings were in mono because, in the mid-1980s, most home video machines could record only mono sound and also because the European [[BBC TV]] broadcast was in mono. The US MTV broadcast, the [[ABC Radio Network]] and [[BBC Radio 1]] simulcasts were stereo. These recordings circulated among collectors and, in recent years, have also appeared on the Internet in [[file sharing networks]].

Since the official DVD release of Live Aid includes only partial footage of this event, unofficial distribution sources continue to be the only source of the most complete recordings. The official DVD is the only authorised video release in which proceeds go directly to famine relief, the cause that the concert was originally intended to help.

== Legacy ==
{{Quote box|width=27%|align=right|quote="Everyone has a common experience of it, everyone remembers where they were and what they felt about it. It's one of those little pegs that you hang all your other memories on."|source=—''Harry Potter'' author [[J. K. Rowling]] speaking on the BBC's ''Live Aid – Rockin' All Over the World'' in 2005.<ref>{{cite news |title=Live Aid – Rockin' All Over The World |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b0078x3p |access-date=9 June 2020 |publisher=BBC|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100717083506/https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b0078x3p|archive-date=17 July 2010|url-status=live}}</ref>}}

Live Aid eventually raised $127&nbsp;million ($370 million in 2024 terms) in famine relief for African nations, and the publicity it generated encouraged Western nations to make available enough surplus grain to end the immediate hunger crisis in Africa.<ref name=":0">{{Cite news|url=https://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/live-aid-concert|title=Live Aid concert – Jul 13, 1985 |publisher=History.com|access-date=1 May 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100307213438/https://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/live-aid-concert|archive-date= 7 March 2010|url-status=live}}</ref> According to one aid worker, a larger impact than the money raised for the Ethiopian famine is that "humanitarian concern is now at the centre of foreign policy" for the west.<ref name="Guardian"/>

Regarding Buerk's landmark [[BBC News]] report as a watershed moment in crisis reporting that influenced modern coverage – one that was broadcast in its entirety with Buerk's narration on a major US channel – Suzanne Franks in ''[[The Guardian]]'' states: "the nexus of politics, media and aid are influenced by the coverage of a famine 30 years ago."<ref name="Buerk Report"/>

Many artists and performers at Live Aid gained prominence and positive commercial influence. For all the cultural, charitable, and technological significance of 1985's Live Aid, its most immediate impact was on the charts. In the UK, for example, ''[[No Jacket Required]]'' by Phil Collins and Madonna's ''[[Like a Virgin (album)|Like a Virgin]]'' leapt back into the top ten. Queen's three-year-old ''[[Greatest Hits (Queen album)|Greatest Hits]]'' rose fifty-five places into the top twenty, followed by Freddie Mercury's ''[[Mr. Bad Guy]]''. Every U2 album available at the time also returned to the chart.<ref>{{Cite book|title=Six Degrees of Rock Connections: The Complete Road Map of Rock 'N' Roll|last=Macdonald|first=Bruno|publisher=Sweet Water Press|year=2010|isbn=978-1532-510373|pages=214}}</ref> In 1986, Geldof received an honorary knighthood from Queen [[Elizabeth II]] for his efforts.<ref name=":0" /> [[Claire Bertschinger]], the nurse who featured in Buerk's news reports that sparked the aid relief movement, received the [[Florence Nightingale Medal]] in 1991 for her work in nursing and was made a [[Dame]] by Queen Elizabeth II in 2010 for "services to Nursing and to International Humanitarian Aid".<ref>{{London Gazette|issue=59282|date=31 December 2009|page=6|supp=y}}</ref>

Queen's performance at Live Aid was later recreated in the band's biographical film ''[[Bohemian Rhapsody (film)|Bohemian Rhapsody]]'' in 2018.<ref name=":1">{{cite web |url=http://www.digitalspy.com/movies/news/a869002/bohemian-rhapsody-queen-live-aid-performance/ |title=How ''Bohemian Rhapsody'' recreated that incredible Queen performance at Live Aid |first=Ian |last=Sandwell |website=[[Digital Spy]] |date=23 October 2018 |access-date=24 October 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181024113134/http://www.digitalspy.com/movies/news/a869002/bohemian-rhapsody-queen-live-aid-performance/ |archive-date=24 October 2018 |url-status=live}}</ref> Footage from the original performance can be seen to match very accurately with the movie performance.<ref name=":1" /> In 2020, [[Queen + Adam Lambert]] reprised the original Queen setlist from Live Aid for the [[Fire Fight Australia]] charity concert in Sydney, Australia.<ref>{{cite news |last=Dye |first=Josh |title=Queen reprises famous 1985 Live Aid set at Fire Fight Australia concert |url=https://www.smh.com.au/culture/music/fire-fight-relief-concert-raises-millions-for-bushfire-victims-20200216-p5419w.html |newspaper=[[The Sydney Morning Herald]] |date=16 February 2020 |access-date=17 February 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200216133424/https://www.smh.com.au/culture/music/fire-fight-relief-concert-raises-millions-for-bushfire-victims-20200216-p5419w.html |archive-date=16 February 2020 |url-status=live}}</ref>

The background to the staging of the concert as a whole was dramatised in the 2010 television drama ''[[When Harvey Met Bob]]''.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b00wympz|title=When Harvey Met Bob|publisher=[[BBC]]|date=31 December 2010|access-date=7 January 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101224195755/https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b00wympz|archive-date=24 December 2010|url-status=live}}</ref>

In November 2023, Geldof stated that a six-part miniseries about Live Aid was being produced by [[Walt Disney Pictures|Disney]] as well as an [[IMAX]]-format theatrical documentary from Geldof himself.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-news/bob-geldof-live-aid-imax-the-wall-camerimage-1235646673/|title=Bob Geldof Reveals Plans For a Live Aid Imax Doc and Reflects on Making 'The Wall': "I Don't Like the Film"|last=Giardina|first=Carolyn|website=The Hollywood Reporter|date=17 November 2023|access-date=24 December 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231118001405/https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-news/bob-geldof-live-aid-imax-the-wall-camerimage-1235646673/|archive-date=18 November 2023|url-status=live}}</ref>

A jukebox musical based on the day, ''[[Just for One Day (musical)|Just for One Day]]'' (named after a line in Bowie's song "[["Heroes" (David Bowie song)|Heroes]]", which he performed at the event), had its world premiere at [[The Old Vic]] in London in February 2024.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Bamigboye |first=Baz |date=2 October 2023 |title=Breaking Baz: Bob Geldof Collaborates On Live Aid Musical With Broadway & West End Director Luke Sheppard; Show Will World Premiere At London's Old Vic |url=https://deadline.com/2023/10/live-aid-musical-just-for-one-day-bob-geldof-luke-sheppard-old-vic-1235560439/ |access-date=2 October 2023 |website=Deadline |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231001173618/https://deadline.com/2023/10/live-aid-musical-just-for-one-day-bob-geldof-luke-sheppard-old-vic-1235560439/ |archive-date=1 October 2023 |url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last=Sherwood |first=Harriet |date=2 October 2023 |title=Bob Geldof gives nod of approval to the Old Vic's Live Aid musical |work=The Guardian |url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2023/oct/02/bob-geldof-gives-nod-of-approval-to-old-vic-live-aid-musical-just-for-one-day |access-date=2 October 2023 |issn=0261-3077|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231002123553/https://www.theguardian.com/world/2023/oct/02/bob-geldof-gives-nod-of-approval-to-old-vic-live-aid-musical-just-for-one-day |archive-date=2 October 2023 |url-status=live}}</ref>

In August 2024, opening for [[Taylor Swift]]'s [[The Eras Tour|Eras Tour]] at Wembley Stadium, [[Hayley Williams]], lead vocalist of [[Paramore]], tributed Freddie Mercury's Live Aid performance. Wearing an outfit compared to the one Mercury wore, Williams led the audience in unison refrains, similar to Mercury's during Queen's set, while the other band members took a break.<ref>{{cite news |last=Boisvert |first=Lauren |date=21 August 2024 |title=Watch Paramore's Hayley Williams Honor Freddie Mercury At Wembley Stadium |work=American Songwriter |url=https://americansongwriter.com/watch-paramores-hayley-williams-honor-freddie-mercury-at-wembley-stadium/ |access-date=31 August 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240821151004/https://americansongwriter.com/watch-paramores-hayley-williams-honor-freddie-mercury-at-wembley-stadium/ |archive-date=21 August 2024 |url-status=live}}</ref>

In 2025, a four part documentary film series was released titled ''[[Live Aid: When Rock 'n' Roll Took on the World]]''.<ref>{{cite web | title=How to Stream 'Live Aid: When Rock 'n' Roll Took over the World' Online | website=[[The Hollywood Reporter]] | url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/tv/tv-news/watch-stream-live-aid-when-rock-n-roll-took-over-the-world-online-free-1236312811/ }}</ref>

== See also ==
{{Portal|1980s|Rock music}}
{{div col |colwidth=30em}}
* [[1983–1985 famine in Ethiopia]]
* [[Band Aid (band)|Band Aid]]
* [[Farm Aid]], a Live Aid-inspired relief event for American farms, instigated by [[Bob Dylan]]
* [[Live 8]], Geldof's 2005 series of concerts aimed at increasing poverty awareness
* [[Hear 'n Aid]], similar joint effort from the heavy metal scene of the 1980s
* [[List of highest-grossing benefit concerts]]
* [[Rock festival|List of historic rock festivals]]
* [[Self Aid]], a 1986 Live Aid-inspired concert highlighting severe unemployment in Ireland, promoted by [[Jim Aiken (concert promoter)|Jim Aiken]]
* [[Sport Aid]], another famine relief event organised by Geldof
* [[Together at Home]]
* ''[[When Harvey Met Bob]]'', a 2010 television film dramatising the events leading up to and including the concert
* [[YU Rock Misija]] (YU Rock Mission), Yugoslav contribution to Band Aid campaign
{{div col end}}

== References ==
{{Reflist}}

==Bibliography==
* Davis, H. Louise. "Feeding the world a line?: Celebrity activism and ethical consumer practices from Live Aid to Product Red." ''Nordic Journal of English Studies'' 9.3 (2010): 89–118.
* Westley, Frances.   "Bob Geldof and Live Aid: the affective side of global social innovation." ''Human Relations'' 44.10 (1991): 1011–1036.
* ''Live Aid: Rockin' All Over the World'' is a BBC2 documentary that recalls the build-up to and the day itself; it was aired on 18 June 2005, with an update in 2025.
* ''Live Aid at 40'' (alternately ''Live Aid: When Rock 'n' Roll Took On the World''), 2025 multi-part documentary produced by [[Brook Lapping]] / [[BBC]] / [[List of programs broadcast by CNN|CNN Originals]]<ref>{{cite news|first=Elsa|last=Keslassy|title=Live Aid's 40th Anniversary to Be Celebrated in New Brook Lapping Docuseries, Featuring Interviews With Bono and Sting|url=https://variety.com/2025/tv/global/live-aid-40th-anniversary-docuseries-1236383478/|work=[[Variety (magazine)|Variety]]|date=|access-date=July 12, 2025}}</ref>
* ''Live Aid: World Wide Concert Book'' – Peter Hillmore with Introduction by Bob Geldof, {{ISBN|0-88101-024-3}}, Copyright 1985, The Unicorn Publishing House, New Jersey.

== External links ==
{{Commons category|Live Aid 1985}}
* {{IMDb title|0261024}}
* [http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/3990253.stm BBC news stories about the Live Aid DVD]
* [http://www.herald.co.uk/local_info/live_aid.html Twenty-Five Years on...memories from Herald UK]
* [http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/music/3604680.stm How Live Aid was saved for history: BBC News]
* [http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/music/3530269.stm Geldof thwarts 'Live Aid pirate': BBC News]
* [http://www.philly.com/philly/photos/Philadelphia_1985_Live_Aid.html Philly.com: Live Aid Philadelphia Photo Gallery]
* [https://www.americanhistory.si.edu/comphist/uplinger.htm Indepth-interview] between [[Hal Uplinger]], producer of the "Live Aid Concert", the United States event, and the [[National Museum of American History]] (part of the [[Smithsonian Institution]])
* [http://liveaid.free.fr/pages/liveaidtimesdetaileduk.html Full set list, including Philadelphia – JFK Stadium]

{{Rock festivals}}
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