In 1985, the music industry squeezed into one room to make history sound effortless. “We Are the World” rallied 46 major artists for famine relief in Africa and went on to raise over $60 million. You could hardly blink without hearing it. Fast forward a few decades and the lineup has changed, as time tends to do, but plenty of those voices are still very much here, still creating, still popping up where you least expect them. So, who’s still with us, and what have they been up to lately? Scroll through and see how many names you recognize.
#1: Lionel Richie
Lionel Richie entered 1985 at a career peak, fresh off the success of his 1983 album Can’t Slow Down, which sold over 20 million copies worldwide. He co-wrote the charity single with Michael Jackson and helped organize the recording session on January 28, 1985, at A&M Studios in Los Angeles. The track expanded his global reach even further. Today, he tours regularly and has served as a judge on American Idol since 2018.
