Live Aid Turns 40: The Concert That Changed Everything

A BBC report on Ethiopia’s devastating famine in the early 1980s sparked a global movement—and one of the most ambitious benefit concerts in history. 

This month marks 40 years since Live Aid, the groundbreaking, multi-venue concert organized by Boomtown Rats frontman Bob Geldof and Ultravox’s Midge Ure. The event was conceived to raise funds for famine relief in Ethiopia, a cause that began gaining momentum with the release of the charity single “Do They Know It’s Christmas?” in December 1984—also the brainchild of Geldof and Ure. 

Held on Saturday, July 13, 1985, Live Aid took place simultaneously at Wembley Stadium in London and John F. Kennedy Stadium in Philadelphia. It featured a star-studded lineup and was broadcast to an estimated 1.5 billion viewers across 100 countries. 

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The lineup was a who’s who of 1980s music royalty—from Queen’s show-stopping set to a slew of memorable performances (and a few we'd all rather forget, like Led Zeppelin’s ill-fated reunion). Live Aid set the gold standard for benefit concerts to come, proving that global audiences could rally behind a single cause—as long as the amps were loud enough.

The concert ultimately raised over $245 million for famine relief in Africa. But beyond the money, Live Aid’s legacy lies in its unprecedented scale and cultural impact. It demonstrated the power of music to mobilize people, influence governments, and shift global narratives. The widespread attention it drew helped spur Western nations to release surplus grain and address the immediate hunger crisis. 

More than just a benefit concert, Live Aid signaled a shift in public consciousness, placing humanitarian concern firmly on the map of Western foreign policy. 

Nearly 40 years later, the effects of “Live Aid” are still being felt. In fact, exactly 40 years to the day after the original Live Aid, CNN will be airing an Original Series, “Live Aid: When Rock ’n’ Roll Took on the World,”  premiering this Sunday at 9 p.m. ET/PT on July 13.