Live Aid – Topical Fruit

It’s been four decades since Live Aid rocked the world stage, raising millions for famine relief in Ethiopia and pulling off one of the biggest musical events in history. But while over 75 acts jumped in to be part of the moment – including Queen, U2, and Madonna – a few big-name artists were notably absent.

As we hit the 40th anniversary this Sunday, here’s a look back at 10 huge stars who turned down Live Aid and why they passed on what many call the most iconic concert of all time.

1. Michael Jackson
The King of Pop chose studio over stadium. According to his agent, MJ was deep into a new project and didn’t want to abandon his team mid-creation. Makes sense – he was in his peak perfectionist era.

2. Prince
Prince technically participated, but in very Prince fashion, he opted out of the live performance and sent in a pre-recorded video instead. Still mysterious. Still very Prince.

3. Bruce Springsteen
The Boss was recovering from his marathon Born in the U.S.A. tour and on his honeymoon with his first wife. He said no to Live Aid—but yes to love. He did donate tour equipment, so he wasn’t completely out of the loop.

4. Rod Stewart
Rod’s absence wasn’t actually his decision. His manager allegedly demanded guaranteed prime-time news coverage – and didn’t bother telling Rod about it. Awkward.

5. Pink Floyd
No Floyd reunion here. Roger Waters refused to perform with the rest of the band. He did, however, show up backstage to support the cause.

6. Stevie Wonder
Initially on board, Stevie changed his mind when he saw how overwhelmingly white the lineup was. According to reports, he refused to be the “token Black [person]” on the bill.

7. Culture Club
Boy George later admitted his substance abuse at the time kept the band from playing. The real kicker? He was one of the people who originally pitched the idea of Live Aid.

8. Def Leppard
The timing couldn’t have been worse – drummer Rick Allen had just lost his left arm in a car crash. Understandably, the band had to sit this one out.

9. Eurythmics
No show from Annie Lennox, who was sidelined with throat nodules. Ouch.

10. Huey Lewis and the News
They pulled out due to concerns about transparency – specifically how the money raised would actually be used. A fair question, honestly.

If you’re planning to relive the magic of Live Aid this weekend, don’t expect to see Led Zeppelin anywhere in the mix. As the 40th anniversary of the historic 1985 concert rolls around this Sunday, there will LIKELY be one very notable no-show . . . because they want it that way.

The official Live Aid YouTube channel is celebrating the milestone with over 10 hours of classic performances, and CNN is dropping a four-part documentary titled “Live Aid: When Rock ‘n’ Roll Took on the World” at 9:00 p.m. Sunday.

But if you were hoping to see that infamous Zeppelin set, you’ll probably be out of luck.

Led Zeppelin’s three-song reunion performance at Live Aid, which brought together Robert Plant, Jimmy Page, and John Paul Jones for the first time since drummer John Bonham’s death, has long been considered a trainwreck by fans and the band alike. The group has refused to allow any official footage of the set to be included in Live Aid retrospectives, box sets, or documentaries ever since.

Why so bad? Well, for starters, they had less than two hours to rehearse. One of their fill-in drummers that day was Phil Collins (yes, that Phil Collins), who had just flown in from another Live Aid stage in London.

According to Jimmy Page, Collins struggled to sync up during the opening of “Rock and Roll”. And to be fair, even Phil admits it wasn’t his finest hour. In interviews, he’s said he felt like a “spare part” on stage, and would’ve walked off if he could’ve.

The performance lives on in grainy bootlegs floating around online, but you won’t find it in the official archives. Zeppelin’s stance has been firm: they want that chapter closed and buried.

So while you’ll still get Queen’s legendary set, U2’s breakout moment, and Bowie’s eyeliner in HD glory, the Led Zeppelin reunion will remain the awkward family photo everyone agreed not to frame.

Tag: Live Aid

Here Are 10 Major Artists Who Said “No Thanks” to Live Aid 40 Years Ago

Led Zeppelin’s Live Aid Set Is the Musical Footage That Shall Not Be Named

But if you were hoping to see that infamous Zeppelin set, you’ll probably be out of luck.

Why so bad? Well, for starters, they had less than two hours to rehearse. One of their fill-in drummers that day was Phil Collins (yes, that Phil Collins), who had just flown in from another Live Aid stage in London.