# In 1985, Billy Joel was asked to record a song he hated. He sang only one line and it sold 20,000,000 copies

- URL: https://talkfuse.com/story/in-1985-billy-joel-was-asked-to-record-a-song-he-hated-he-sang-only-one-line-and-it-sold-20000000-copies/
- Published: 2026-11-06T15:30:00+00:00
- Updated: 2026-11-06T17:07:31+00:00
- Original publisher: Far Out
- Original article: https://faroutmagazine.co.uk/1985-billy-joel-asked-to-record-a-song-he-hated/
- Topics: Entertainment, Music

## Key points

- Billy Joel disliked “We Are the World”.
- He reportedly sang just one line.
- The charity single sold more than 20 million copies.

## Summary

Billy Joel reluctantly took part in the 1985 charity single “We Are the World”, despite disliking its sound. The song’s success showed that a star-studded fundraiser could reach a huge audience even when some of its contributors found the music overly sentimental.

Joel recalled that many of those present disliked the song but stayed quiet; Cyndi Lauper compared it to a Pepsi advert, and he agreed. Written by Michael Jackson and Lionel Richie to raise money for people facing famine in Africa, the single sold more than 20 million copies. The article says Joel sang only one line, though it does not identify it.

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