The Greatest Night in Pop

2024
PG-13
1h 36m

IMDb RATING

7.9/10

15K

YOUR RATING

Michael Jackson, Quincy Jones, Lionel Richie, Stevie Wonder, Ray Charles, Cyndi Lauper, Huey Lewis, Bruce Springsteen, and Tina Turner in The Greatest Night in Pop (2024)

On 1985 dozens of the era's most popular musicians gathered in Los Angeles to record a charity single for African famine relief. Setting egos aside, they collaborated on a song that would make history.

Play trailer2:21

2 Videos

65 Photos

Music Documentary Documentary Music

On January 28th 1985, dozens of the era's most popular musicians gathered in Los Angeles to record a charity single for African famine relief. Setting egos aside, they collaborated on a song... Read allOn January 28th 1985, dozens of the era's most popular musicians gathered in Los Angeles to record a charity single for African famine relief. Setting egos aside, they collaborated on a song that would make history.On January 28th 1985, dozens of the era's most popular musicians gathered in Los Angeles to record a charity single for African famine relief. Setting egos aside, they collaborated on a song that would make history.

Director
- Bao Nguyen
Stars

See production info at IMDbPro

IMDb RATING

7.9/10

15K

YOUR RATING

Director
- Bao Nguyen
Stars

See production info at IMDbPro

Nominated for 3 Primetime Emmys
- 3 wins & 14 nominations total

Videos2

Trailer 2:21

Official Trailer

Clip 0:39

The Greatest Night In Pop: Autographs

Clip 0:39

The Greatest Night In Pop: Autographs

Photos64

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9:57

Storyline

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Did you know

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Trivia
The documentary goes into detailing several first-hand accounts of why Prince was not on the song. However, the documentary fails to include that Prince did, in fact, donate a song to the "We Are the World" album, (released April 23, 1985) "4 The Tears in Your Eyes", and made an accompanying live performance video for the song, which premiered on the "Live-Aid" concert broadcast on July 13, 1985. In addition, Prince detailed his "side of the story" with the song "Hello", a B-side to the "Pop Life" single in the US (released in July 1985), and the B-side to "Raspberry Beret" single in the UK.

Goofs
Bruce Springsteen's last concert before the recording was in Syracuse, not Buffalo .

Quotes
Paul Simon: If a bomb lands on this place, John Denver is back on top.

Connections
Referenced in Film Junk Podcast: Episode 929: Perfect Days + I.S.S. (2024)

User reviews85

Featured review

8/10

They left their egos at the door

My kids were 5 and 10 when We Are the World was released. They couldn't get enough of it probably because Michael Jackson was a big part of it and they knew the money was going to feed kids in Africa. This behind the scenes account of how Harry Belafonte inspired Lionel Richie, Michael Jackson, and Quincy Jones to make it happen is beautiful and funny with some very personal commentary by many of the dozens of artists who did the marathon recording. Their effort seems like something that would never happen today even though we surely could use the love and selflessness they embodied the night they gathered in one studio to record the song. The reflections by Richie, Bruce Springsteen, Smokey Robinson , Cindy Lauper and others make this a special film. It's a little long but worth sticking with it.