Revisit Quincy Jones Producing Music Superstars Michael Jackson, Bob Dylan and More for 'We Are the World'

Quincy Jones died on Nov. 3 at the age of 91. However, his greatest achievement, "We Are the World," lives on.

The charity single by supergroup USA for Africa was produced by Jones and released on March 7, 1985. The star-studded feature featured the biggest music stars at the time, including Michael Jackson, Lionel Richie, Bob Dylan and more.

In resurfaced clips from the recording process, Jones' genius can be seen hard at work. In one clip, Jackson can be heard singing the song, before others like Cyndi Lauper join in.

In another clip, Jones can be heard reassuring a clearly uncomfortable Dylan as he records his part of the song.

"Alright! Alright!" he can be heard saying at the end of Dylan's take.

In another clip, Richie and Stevie Wonder can be heard harmonizing as they sing the song before other artists join in. The music is taken away from this mix and it allows each artist's voice to shine.

While the track went on to get mixed reviews from critics, it was ultimately one of the most famous tracks made due to its pure star presence and chart performance. The song has been credited with creating a climate in which musicians from around the world felt inclined to create songs that address humanitarian concerns. Additionally, the song showed that musically and racially diverse musicians could work together both productively and creatively.

"We Are the World" peaked at No. 1 in nearly every country it charted in, including the United States. It has gone on to be certified 4x Platinum for the sales equivalent of 4,000,000 units and has sold over 20 million units globally.

Tags

Michael Jackson, Quincy Jones, Lionel Richie