We Are the World

==Reception==
"We Are the World" received mixed reviews. American journalist [[Greil Marcus]] felt that it sounded like a [[Pepsi]] jingle.<ref name="Garofalo 29">Garofalo, p. 29</ref> He wrote that "the constant repetition of 'There's a choice we're making' conflates with Pepsi's trademarked 'The choice of a new generation' in a way that, on the part of Pepsi-contracted song writers Michael Jackson and Lionel Richie, is certainly not intentional, and even more certainly beyond the realm of serendipity."<ref name="Garofalo 29"/> Marcus added, "In the realm of contextualization, 'We Are the World' says less about Ethiopia than it does about Pepsi—and the true result will likely be less that certain Ethiopian individuals will live, or anyway live a bit longer than they otherwise would have, than that Pepsi will get the catch phrase of its advertising campaign sung for free by Ray Charles, Stevie Wonder, Bruce Springsteen, and all the rest."<ref name="Garofalo 29"/> Professor and activist [[Reebee Garofalo]] agreed, calling the line "We're saving our own lives" a "distasteful element of self-indulgence".<ref name="Garofalo 29"/> He asserted that the artists of USA for Africa were proclaiming "their own salvation for singing about an issue they will never experience on behalf of a people most of them will never encounter".<ref name="Garofalo 29"/>

In contrast, [[Stephen Holden]] of ''[[The New York Times]]'' praised the phrase "There's a choice we're making, We're saving our own lives".<ref name="The pop life; artists join in effort for famine relief"/> He wrote that the line assumed "an extra emotional dimension when sung by people with superstar mystiques".<ref name="The pop life; artists join in effort for famine relief"/> Holden wrote that the song was "an artistic triumph that transcends its official nature".<ref name="The pop life; artists join in effort for famine relief"/> He noted that unlike Band Aid's "Do They Know It's Christmas", the vocals on "We Are the World" were "artfully interwoven" and emphasized the individuality of each singer.<ref name="The pop life; artists join in effort for famine relief"/> Holden concluded that "We Are the World" was "a simple, eloquent ballad" and a "{{Sic|hide=y|fully|-}}realized pop statement that would sound outstanding even if it weren't recorded by stars".<ref name="The pop life; artists join in effort for famine relief"/>

The song proved popular with both young and old listeners.<ref name="Famine-aid song sells well locally" /> People in [[Columbia, Missouri]], reported they bought more than one copy of the single, some buying up to five copies of the record at one time.<ref name="Strike Up the Bandwagon We Are the World Raises Money, Spirits">{{cite magazine|url=http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,966887,00.html?promoid=googlep|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110604173011/http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,966887,00.html?promoid=googlep|url-status=dead|archive-date=June 4, 2011|title=Strike Up the Bandwagon We Are the World Raises Money, Spirits|last=Cocks |first=Jay |author-link=Jay Cocks|date=April 22, 1985|magazine=Time|access-date=July 19, 2009}}</ref>

According to the music critic and Springsteen biographer [[Dave Marsh]], "We Are the World" was not widely accepted within the rock music community.<ref name="marsh 519">Marsh, p. 519</ref> Marsh said it was dismissed as it was not "a rock record, a critique of the political policies that created the famine, a way of finding out how and why famines occur, an all-inclusive representation of the entire worldwide spectrum of post-[[Elvis Presley|Presley]] popular music".<ref name="marsh 519"/> Though Marsh agreed with some of the criticisms, he felt that, despite its sentimentality, "We Are the World" was a large-scale pop event with serious political overtones.<ref name="marsh 519"/>

"We Are the World" was recognized with several awards following its release. At the [[Grammy Awards of 1986|1986 Grammy Awards]], the song and its music video won four awards: [[Grammy Award for Record of the Year|Record of the Year]], [[Grammy Award for Song of the Year|Song of the Year]], [[Grammy Award for Best Pop Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal|Best Pop Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal]] and [[Grammy Award for Best Short Form Music Video|Best Music Video, Short Form]].<ref name="campbell 114 115">Campbell, pp. 114–115</ref> The music video was awarded two honors at the 1985 [[MTV Video Music Awards]]. It collected the awards for Best Group Video and Viewer's Choice.<ref name="MTV Video Music Awards 1985">{{cite web|url=http://www.mtv.com/ontv/vma/1985/|title=MTV Video Music Awards 1985|publisher=MTV|access-date=July 21, 2009}}</ref><ref name="MTV Video Awards">{{cite news|url=http://digitalnewspapers.libraries.psu.edu/Default/Skins/BasicArch/Client.asp?Skin=BasicArch&&AppName=2&enter=true&BaseHref=DCG/1985/09/16&EntityId=Ar01200|title=MTV Video Awards|last=DiPerio|first=Diane D.|date=September 16, 1985|newspaper=The Daily Collegian|access-date=July 21, 2009|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160408162707/http://digitalnewspapers.libraries.psu.edu/Default/Skins/BasicArch/Client.asp?Skin=BasicArch&&AppName=2&enter=true&BaseHref=DCG%2F1985%2F09%2F16&EntityId=Ar01200|archive-date=April 8, 2016|url-status=dead}}</ref> [[People's Choice Awards]] recognized "We Are the World" with the Favorite New Song award in 1986.<ref name="campbell 114 115"/> In the same year, the American Music Awards named "We Are the World" "Song of the Year", and honored organizer Harry Belafonte with the Award of Appreciation. Collecting his award, Belafonte thanked Ken Kragen, Quincy Jones, and "the two artists who, without their great gift would not have inspired us in quite the same way as we were inspired, Mr. Lionel Richie and Mr. Michael Jackson".<ref name="campbell 114 115"/> Following the speech, the majority of USA for Africa reunited on stage, closing the ceremony with "We Are the World".<ref name="campbell 114 115"/><ref name="Awards honor year of charity">{{cite news|url=http://digitalnewspapers.libraries.psu.edu/Default/Skins/BasicArch/Client.asp?Skin=BasicArch&&AppName=2&enter=true&BaseHref=DCG/1986/01/29&EntityId=Ar01602|title=Awards honor year of charity|last=Da Atley|first=Richard|date=January 29, 1986|newspaper=The Daily Collegian|access-date=July 19, 2009|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160408162707/http://digitalnewspapers.libraries.psu.edu/Default/Skins/BasicArch/Client.asp?Skin=BasicArch&&AppName=2&enter=true&BaseHref=DCG%2F1986%2F01%2F29&EntityId=Ar01602|archive-date=April 8, 2016|url-status=dead}}</ref>
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