The iconic 1985 Live Aid event, which featured legendary performances from Queen, David Bowie, the Who, and Paul McCartney, is set to be recreated on Greatest Hits Radio to celebrate the event’s 40th anniversary. The 10-hour special, hosted by Simon Mayo, will air from noon on 13 July, including all the original live performances from the concert at Wembley Stadium, London, which was organized to raise funds for the Ethiopian famine.
Accompanying the performances will be commentary from Martin Kemp, who performed at the event with Spandau Ballet, along with the cast of the new Live Aid musical, “Just For One Day.” Highlights include Queen’s renowned 21-minute live performance and David Bowie’s memorable set, including his emotional rendition of “Heroes.”
In addition to raising over £114 million for famine relief, Live Aid brought global attention to Ethiopia’s food shortages. However, it has faced criticism for perpetuating the notion that Africa is a “broken continent” in need of being “saved” by people from other countries, influencing subsequent international development approaches. There have also been concerns about the final distribution of the funds raised.
Greatest Hits Radio is collaborating with the Band Aid Charitable Trust for the broadcast, named “Live Aid Relived.” Bob Geldof, co-founder of the Band Aid trust, expressed gratitude for the initiative, emphasizing the power of music to make a positive impact. Simon Mayo, who attended the original event, is excited to revisit this significant day, acknowledging the challenges in finding parking at Wembley back then.
Live Aid was one of the most extensive satellite link-ups and television broadcasts ever, reaching approximately 1.9 billion people in 150 countries, highlighting its global impact. Besides the Wembley performances, simultaneous concerts were held at John F Kennedy Stadium in Philadelphia and in other countries inspired by the event. The Greatest Hits Radio special will conclude with the final episode of “Live Aid: 40 Years On,” featuring interviews with key figures associated with the concert.
Source: https://www.theguardian.com/music/2025/jun/23/live-aid-concert-to-be-broadcast-on-radio-to-mark-40th-anniversary
