Two scores and many benefit shows ago, Live Aid took the entire world by storm on July 13, 1985.
Across two venues in two different continents, spanning over a dozen hours of performances and featuring countless artists, the event raised more than $100 million dollars for famine relief in Ethiopia. Today, it is still considered one of the most impressive feats of both philanthropy and production logistics.
“It’s that sense of being there, and connected,” Bob Geldof, who organized the event along with Midge Ure, told Billboard in March of 2025. “Everyone just felt this sense of humanness — not humanity, but humanness. For the first time in 300,000 years, since we all left the Rift Valley, we were all talking to each other about a common problem and using a common language, the lingua franca of rock ‘n’ roll. Everyone in the world understands ‘a wop bop a lula, a bop bam boom.’ Rock ‘n’ roll is beyond language; it’s an attitude and it’s a sense, and it’s universal.”
In recognition of Live Aid’s 40th anniversary, we’ve rounded up 40 of the best moments from both concerts.
Live Aid London, Wembley Stadium
1. Princess Diana and Prince Charles Attend
2. Status Quo Covers John Fogerty‘s ‘Rockin’ All Over the World’
3. Bob Geldof Performs at His Own Concert With the Boomtown Rats
4. Elvis Costello Covers the Beatles‘ ‘All You Need Is Love’
5. Sting Performs With Phil Collins
6. Bryan Ferry Performs With David Gilmour
7. U2 Performs a Nearly 12-Minute Version of ‘Bad’
8. Bono Jumps Off the Stage to Hug and Protect a Young Fan Getting Crushed in the Crowd
9. Sting Joins Dire Straits for ‘Money for Nothing’
10. Queen Gets the Whole Crowd Singing a Call-and-Response
11. David Bowie Returns to the Stage After an 18-Month Hiatus
12. David Bowie and Mick Jagger Ditch the Idea of Performing Together With a Livestream, Prompting a ‘Dancing in the Street’ Studio Version
13. The Who Reunites Three Years After a Farewell Tour
14. Elton John and George Michael Perform a Duet of ‘Don’t Let the Sun Go Down on Me”
15. Elton John Covers Marvin Gaye‘s ‘Can I Get a Witness’
16. A Freddie Mercury and Brian May Reprise
17. Paul McCartney Performs ‘Let It Be’ With Bob Geldof, David Bowie, Alison Moyet and Pete Townshend
18. The Full Cast Performs Band Aid’s ‘Do They Know It’s Christmas?’
19. Bob Geldof Gets Lifted on the Shoulders of Paul McCartney and Pete Townshend: Seen Here
Live Aid Philadelphia, John F. Kennedy Stadium
20. Jack Nicholson Introduces Joan Baez
21. The Original Black Sabbath Performs With Ozzy Osbourne
22. Run DMC Brings Hip Hop to Live Aid
23. REO Speedwagon Performs ‘Roll With the Changes’ With the Beach Boys
24. Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young Reunite
25. George Thorogood & the Destroyers Play a Bo Diddley Cover With Bo Diddley
26. Santana Performs With Pat Metheny
27. Teddy Pendergrass Makes First Appearance Since 1982 Car Crash That Paralyzed Him
28. Tom Petty Flips Someone Off Mid-Song for Some Reason
29. Madonna, Thompson Twins and Nile Rodgers Cover the Beatles’ ‘Revolution’
30. Phil Collins Flies From London to Philadelphia and Is the Only Act to Play Both Live Aid Venues
31. Led Zeppelin Reunites for the First Time Since John Bonham‘s Death (Phil Collins Plays Drums)
32. Patti LaBelle Covers John Lennon‘s ‘Imagine’
33. Hall & Oates Perform Temptations Songs With Eddie Kendricks and David Ruffin of the Temptations
34. Mick Jagger and Tina Turner Duet
35. Bob Dylan Performs With Keith Richards and Ronnie Wood
36. Bob Dylan Casually Suggests a Future Great Idea: Farm Aid
37. Cher Shows Up Unexpectedly After Running Into Phil Collins on the Plane to Philadelphia
38. Live Aid Concludes With All-Cast ‘We Are the World‘
Two Other Things…
39. Live Aid’s Broadcast
We had to take a moment to note a couple of things that, while not specific moments per se, are integral to the legacy of Live Aid.
Firstly, in addition to the tens of thousands of people who attended the concerts in person, both shows were broadcast live around the world. An estimated 1.9 million people watched it from over 100 different countries, which equated to around 40 percent of the entire global population at the time. Today, streamed concerts are much more common, but in 1985 it was an enormous feat to pull off.
40. The Money Raised
Lastly, arguably the most important part of Live Aid was the incredible amount of money it raised for famine relief. Throughout the broadcast, viewers were encouraged to donate, and though reports have varied over the years, it’s safe to say that Live Aid raised over $100 million.
50 Albums That Raised Money for Charity
From famine relief to cancer research, these records have all supported charitable causes.
Gallery Credit: Allison Rapp
