Nile Rodgers has revealed that Madonna was not invited to perform on the ‘We are the World‘ charity single because some of her peers felt that she did not deserve a spot on its lineup.
Full story below…
Madonna wasn’t invited to sing on the recording and it was a slap in the face because everybody was in Los Angeles for the American Music Awards and it was really sort of not nice. I know she felt bad.
Nile shared the story during an interview with SIRIUSXM and explained that he felt that there was no real need to exclude her from the track because she, like all of its performers, was in town at the time.
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That was shady smh they could’ve at least see if she like to atleast put a song on the album as Prince had did
Don’t forget, Madonna’s Crazy For You took We Are The World out the #1 spot 😂 Madonna was like, “Are you done? Ok, let me get that hunnie” lol 💅🏼 It’s all good and it’s all CLASSIC 💯
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Billboard_Hot_100_number-one_singles_of_1985
I remember that! Karma’s a b****!
wow, look whose still reigning!
Please don’t put Madonna in the same sentence with the legendary Prince!!
Oh please! Where is Prince on the greatest selling musical artist of all time? Definitely not in the top 5. Her longevity, and the fact that she is still selling out arenas around the world 30+ years later, speaks volumes (Whether you like her or not).
😛Madonna IS LEGENDARY also. And still alive. Prince AND Madonna are BOTH legendary!👏👏
Umm, hes dead. Not legendary if you doe of an overdose. Im 51 i remeber when Purple Rain was in the theaters and Madonna and Prince made a record together in 1988… Prince stepped down and she still reign les. Get over it.
madonna is legendary too hello!! she is queen. i will cut you!! lolol
That was tired! But her career ended up being bigger than just about all of them with the exception of Michael Jackson
Of course she didn’t get invited Michael didn’t like her. She tried to okay him and was shady with him
Allegedly
No not around this time. That was around the Dangerous Era because he wanted her featured one “ In The Closet “ but her ideals weren’t much like his so he scrapped her off and top of that they went to the awards together after this happened. I believe Quincy had more say in this regard of featured acts
You’re sure right about this👍
That’s not true! Where the hell did you get that lie from?
Madonna’s alto pitch is one of the most soothing tones in music history. “Take A Bow” she sings most of the song in that beautiful tone. Queen! 🙂 Dozens of other incredible singers were absent as well. 🙂 Whitney, Prince, George Michael, etc…. 🙂
Actually, Whitney Houston was not well known and hadn’t had a hit at that point yet (that would be later that year). Also, the project was called USA or Africa, meaning only American artists. George Michael was British (and still with Wham!).
And Michael allowed Cyndi Lauper
🤭🤭🤭
We’ve all seen that video of Cyndi yelling into the mic, and Michael was looking annoyed and frustrated.
Michael’s Expression was like, WTF was that”
🤣🤣🤣
Why wasn’t Whitney invited as well?
I read that she was booked and busy lol
LMBO
Whitney was busy looking for her receipts.
We are ths World was recorded in 1985. Whitney’s career started in 1986z
Interesting
Michael didn’t want that heffah ruining his work lol.
You’re despicable! And a liar 🤥
She’s alive. He’s not. Also, he will be remembered for the s*** he was toward boys
Your mother will be remembered for swallowing gallons of c*m before letting your father finally drop his junkie sp*rm in her gaped vag*na
DB needs his diaper changed.
Still a Queen 👑 bish👸
“if I’m not good enough for the record I’m not doing the performance” LOL that is so Leo, gotta love Madonna for these moments
Madonna is a crass, jack of all trades commodity. I’m not swayed by her billions, or anything else. Good for her successes. Like her fans never let us forget, she got everything anyway. Whatever. (Whitney’s first single was released 2/22/85; WATH was cut 1/29/85) ). I’m glad that Cyndi Lauper got the spotlight solo. The take that made it worked fine. The right choice of artists made the cut. It could never be repeated, either. End of story.
WOW ..how shady was that..by people who were not as entertaining as MADONNA ..only to watch her rise to unbelievable heights while 99% of the other singers careers stalled..WHO LAUGHS LAST LAUGHTS BEST..long live the queen
Thank you!
Nobody listens her New music. She is older and outfashioned as others
This is the most stupid comment i’ve ever read, Elvis is dead and he has still many fans, most artist of today will never reach the level of Madonna.
We are the world is cheesy garbage. Madonna’s career overshadowed every artist on it except MJ and she reached career heights the rest of them could only dream of. Whitney, Prince, George Michael, Madonna and Bowie didn’t need this mediocre smaltzey song
Madonna at that point in her career wasn’t socially conscious. She was tone deaf when it came to charities. The fact that she wouldn’t do live aid finale because she didn’t get a We are The World invite tells you how petty & selfish she was back then. Thankfully she changed her ways and is now more globally concerned. She wouldn’t have contributed much to We Are The World anyways.
Dumb. Do your research before you decide to make yourself look like an idiot. She did a ton of charity work way before We Are The World was even thought of, with A***/H**, LBGT, and GLAAD charities. Keep your mouth shut before you embarrass yourself even more.
Dumb. Do your research before you decide to make yourself look like an idiot. She did a ton of charity work way before We Are The World was even thought of, with A***&H**, LBGT, and GLAAD charities. Keep your mouth shut before you embarrass yourself even more.
Yeah, alright, and Cindy contributed so much… SMH
She knocked We Are The World out of the #1 spot anyhow with Crazy For You in May 1985.
WOW,I’ve been a Madonna fan for 29 yrs and that is LAME ASS excuse for her not being a part of that Iconic video! Where are those peers now…..HELLO! The Queen of Pop is still going strong after a good 32 yrs in the buisness!!!
Madonna is a part of pop music and to not invite her to perform with the other music people is just so viciously “Hollywood”..😀
Oh please! Where is Prince on the greatest selling musical artist of all time? Definitely not in the top 5. Her longevity, and the fact that she is still selling out arenas around the world 30+ years later, speaks volumes (Whether you like her or not).
She was very popular at that time ,Its ashame that they Excluded her from the Recording of “We are the World” ,I might be wrong here ,But didn’t Madonna and Micheal Jackson went together to the Grammy’s ,and wasn’t he the song writer and One of the Producers on the Song We Are The World”,But she Did get to Perform On “LiVe A***”…
Madonna made a salty b!tchy comment to Michsel Jackson about his sister Janet while out dining together and Michael was not into her negative energy. They never spoke again after. Michael alone Blackballed her @$$!
Madonna made a salty b!tchy comment to Michsel Jackson about his sister Janet while out dining together and Michael was not into her negative energy. They never spoke again after. Michael alone Blackballed her out of the collaboration.
Had she kept her mouth shut she could have ruled the world. Instead she only ruled her stage for 30 years.
Michael was more into abusing boys. Madonna didn’t need anything from that sht p********
Madonna made a salty b!tchy comment to Michsel Jackson about his sister Janet while out dining together and Michael was not into her negative energy. They never spoke again after. Michael alone Blackballed her out of the collaboration.
Had she kept her mouth shut she could have ruled the world. Instead she only ruled her stage for 30 years.
With the exception of MJ and the Boss, no one remembers or cares about the rest of the artists in WATW. Madonna has outshined, outperformed, outlasted and overshadowed all of them. She and she alone is the Queen!
Fierce!
Sounds like jealousy to me.. I and my friends didn’t bother with that song coz she wasn’t included.. Now I know why!!!
However, Madonna had the last laugh all the way to the bank. She would knock We Are The World out of the #1 spot on the HOT 100 with her #1 hit Crazy For You in May 1985 💚💙🌍.
Madonna is Madonna. Acting like spoiled children and excluded someone in something that is meant to make a point is useless.
I believe it was definitely unkind not to invite Madonna to this mega event. To this day people still comment on it. It was such a worthy cause for those of need in Africa and raised an unbelievable amount of money. Any strong musical artist should’ve be welcomed with open arms, for the good of the cause. I’m actually surprised that MJ didn’t make a note of it and invite her himself…
Look where Madonna is now ! And what happened to some of her peers ?
Just like a book or a movie At the end she became the super star and still going strong.
That’s j no
I really am glad she was not invited. This kind of behavior from Her peers, Paved part of the Road Madonna was supposed to take.
That was just a song. Madonna has gone on and made Changes in THIS WORLD.
That’s not cool she shouldn’t be excluded from the recording
I always wondered
Very mean. Madonna is a real true artist. I wasn’t there, but I believe Jealousy is
the reason she was left out. I really cant see any other reason.
She shares her wealth with the people in our world who really need it.
God knows she is a great person. The people who left her out are the ones
who need to open their hearts.
Life is short … do the right thing. God is watching.
Jealousy Kills!
I Love you Madonna…. you da Best! Kate Riley – NJ
She’s notorious for leaving bad tips and being cheap. How can you say she’s generous with her wealth? She didn’t even pay her own brother his fair share for working for her. She made him buy his own ticket to come to her wedding. Madonna is very greedy.
Oh well, it’s their loss …
And were are half of them today while she is still going strong egos at their finest I’m thinking.
She was excluded and yet she’s still going strong today unlike a lot of people that were included that are now has beens.
Ehh, she’s not still going strong. She’s destroyed her career once she ditched Freddie DeMann for Guy Oseary. She hasn’t had a hit in decades and now spends her time making silly Instagram posts featuring her latest botox/plastic surgery disaster.
She’s still going so strong after all this time.
Without a new album/single Madonna is going on a sold out World Tour and due to high demand she raised her original planned 35 stops to a 100 gigs -so far- and she’s extending her tour into 2024 revealing more global stops
Elvis didn’t have a hit in a long time and he’s dead but that’s how it is with LEGENDS – they will always be in demand – dead or alive.
Madonna is a living LEGEND!
AND her legacy is her endless amount of hits.
She had Number 1s & Top10s in the 80s, 90s, 00 & 10s and once she releases new music she will do so in the 2020s….
You tried…
.
Well of course she deservess to have gone, however I don t know what criteria was used in the selection process, however Madonna is an All Star, and if if she were a basketball All Star there are always certain players who will not be elected because of the numbers. Feelings are hurt and I m sure it rubs people the wrong way. But the Attitude Lady is still Superstar. If anybody uses some other reason, thats the spite and scorn that comes with the territory which is unfortunate.
Ask Quincy Jones why…
Let’s face it. Although Madonna did great deal for the music industry and pioneered pushing-the-envelope to a courageous level, she was pretty insecure on the inside and was not very nice to a lot of people on the outside. Maybe the people involved wanted a break from the ‘then’ toxicity. Her talent, her brand, her legend are all undoubtedly unsurpassed. Let it go, people. There are on much bigger things we must now place our focus.
We are the world was for Singers.
I often Ed wondered why. I totally agree it was a slap in the face. But, Quincey Jones and Michael Jackson were the producers of this song and I don’t think either of them thought that Madonna would go on to be this mega superstar. But, to their surprise she has been making a name for herself. I really wish Madonna had a star on Hollywood’s Walk of Fame. But, Madonna doesn’t need that sort of recognition. Maybe one day she will get a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.
Cyndi Lauper have a star. it means that having a star on HWF is just for true singers!
Michael Jackson was the only one with real clout in the We Are The World song & video. My bet is that he didn’t want competition from Madonna with being the biggest star in the song & video.
I think it was silly to exclude her from that song… but at the same time, Those were “ COMMERCIAL” Artist that was included… Madonna didn’t fit into anyone’s BOX at the time and still don’t.. The others have always had to play ball for the industry.. Madonna did her own thing… So actually, She didn’t need to join.. she was never “ THE WORLD” she was MADONNA!!! 🔥🔥😎
There seem to be a lot of Madonna fans here upset about Madonna’s lack of invitation to sing on this album.
I was a teenager when this album came out and I remember the news about it, when it was contemporary. I also remember the context of the super stars on that album.
At the TIME, not 30 years hindsight later, this was a gathering of the some of the biggest Pop stars of the day. Some were old legends with waning careers, some were at the height of the career, and yet others, were the flavor of the month.
At the time this album was made, Cindy Lauper and Madonna were both some what new to the music scene. They were viewed as competitors and had equal stature.
It was only LATER that Madonna became the mega star.
Finally, whomever says bad things about the other stars on this CD….. it just shows they lack historical knowledge. How ya gonna knock Billy Joel, Bob Dylan, Bruce Springstein. This really was who is who in music at the time. And it sold big.
Are the positive comments about Madonna from her paid PR trolling boards to plant positive fives? 🤨
She probably can’t sing a note without spending millions in voice enhancing technology couldn’t bring to the taping. 😀
They decided to go with CyndibLauper instead against one of the executives.