Live Aid took place this week 40 years ago in London and Philadelphia and it had some of the biggest names in music coming together to raise money for famine relief in Ethiopia.
Some of the names on the bill were Queen, Us, David Bowie, Elton John, Tina Turner and Paul McCartney. However, there were some big names that didn’t play the show, even though they were invited.
According to Mental Floss, here are 10 artists that refused to play Live Aid, for various reasons:
1. Michael Jackson: His agent said Michael was pretty much living in his recording studio and working on a new project and didn’t want to turn his back on the people he was working with.
2. Prince: He sent in a pre-taped recording instead.
3. Bruce Springsteen: He was worn out from the Born in the U.S.A. Tour and didn’t want to skip his honeymoon with his first wife.
4. Rod Stewart: His manager told the organizers that they’d have to guarantee Rod got primetime news coverage. Rod only found this out years later.
5. Pink Floyd: Roger Waters refused to reunite with the band, but he did show his support while he was backstage at the event.
6. Culture Club: In 2020, Boy George confessed that his substance abuse was to blame. The whole event was his original idea, too.
7. Def Leppard: Drummer Rick Allen’s injury to his his left arm was their reason for canceling, can’t fault them for that one at all.
8. Eurythmics: Annie Lennox couldn’t sing because she developed throat nodules. She too gets a pass.
9. Huey Lewis and the News: They pulled out because of concerns of how the money raised would actually be used.
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