Watch The Trailer For New “We Are The World” Documentary The Greatest Night In Pop

One night in January 1985, many of the biggest stars in pop history got together to record the same song at the same time. Michael Jackson and Lionel Richie had written a song called “We Are The World,” and it was slated to come out as a benefit single for African famine relief. Quincy Jones produced it. In addition to Jackson and Richie, the lineup of singers included Stevie Wonder, Bruce Springsteen, Diana Ross, Bob Dylan, Ray Charles, Tina Turner, Paul Simon, Smokey Robinsin, Billy Joel, Willie Nelson, Dionne Warwick, Daryl Hall, Huey Lewis, Kenny Rogers, and an on-fire Cyndi Lauper. You can argue over whether the resulting song was any good — I think it’s terrible — but its recording was certainly an achievement, and it helped highlight a transformative moment in pop music.