Forty years ago, following the American Music Awards in Los Angeles, the most impressive collection of singers in history gathered for the final recording of "We Are The World," the song written by Michael Jackson and Lionel Ritchie to raise money for famine in Ethiopia.
More than 40 singers recording the song that night — including Michael Jackson, Diana Ross, Kenny Loggins, Phil Collins, Lionel Ritchie, Bruce Springsteen, Cindy Lauper, Bob Dylan, the Pointer Sisters, Daryl Hall, John Oates and Stevie Wonder, among other greats — were responsible for an astounding 12 of the Top 25 hits of 1984.
When released in March 1985, the song became the fastest selling U.S. pop single in history, selling more than 20 million copies. Sales of the single as well as affiliated merchandise helped raised more than $50 million in the first three months.
While there are plenty of sealed records, VHS tapes and the occasional vintage T-shirt, there haven't been that many items that can be deemed collectible from the greatest night in pop. But the pieces that are unique sell for significant dollars.
The most ever paid for a piece of "We Are The World" memorabilia was $156,250 for the original music signed by a host of soloists. The item, which had signatures of Springsteen, Loggins, Ross, Hall, Billy Joel and Paul Simon, was sold out of Kenny Rogers estate sale by Juliens in Oct. 2022.
In 2009, the second part of the original score, signed by Simon, Rogers, Hall, Joel, Springsteen and Willie Nelson, sold for $4,182 at Heritage, a piece that — despite being heavily faded — is considered a steal today.
Both original sheet music pieces are missing the signatures of Jackson and Ritchie, who were quite busy that night. A published piece of sheet music signed by those two sold in 2012 by Gotta Have Rock And Roll for $10,630.
In the last six years, posters signed by the singers have sold for as much as $23,125.
The most recently sold item was a set of royalty documents in which various stars — including Jackson, Ritchie, Ross and Smokey Robinson — agreed all money would be directed to the USA for Africa Foundation, with a guaranteed 85 percent of the money going to fight hunger in Africa. On the heels of the acclaimed documentary "The Greatest Night In Pop," [the documents sold for $9,493 at RR Auction] in November.
Darren Rovell is the founder of cllct.com and one of the country's leading reporters on the collectibles market. He previously worked for ESPN, CNBC and The Action Network.