"People were talking about that song around the watercooler, but what's happened since is the novelty wore off," Kot said. "My theory is that hip-hop stole that thunder with all the cameos you see by artists on everyone's records. That has worn the luster off some of those all-star teams.
" "It's kind of seen as corny to do that now," AFI's Jade Puget said.. " 'We Are the World' that was very now and happening.
But to do that now, it's kind of like 'Oh that's kind of silly' to have Lionel Richie in there singing and stuff. It'd be kind of laughable even if it was supposed to be serious. I don't know if that's gonna work in 2007.
" And while fund-raising by musicians remains a noble cause, the most notable thing about recent charity singles is that many have been announced with great fanfare and have either never happened or have fizzled out on delivery. Consider the following: Michael Jackson's 9/11 benefit "What More Can I Give" finally dropped with a thud as a digital file two years after the terror attacks with a little-heard track featuring Celine Dion, 'NSYNC, Mariah Carey and Destiny's Child. Jackson also claimed to be putting together a Hurricane Katrina benefit single called "From the Bottom of My Heart" with Snoop Dogg, R.
Kelly and Ciara, but that song has yet to be released (see "Michael Jackson Working On Katrina Song But With Whom?"). Reports surfaced in 2004 that Timbaland was prepping an all-star single called "The World Is Ours" to benefit the YouthAIDS organization.
The song was to feature Missy Elliott, Justin Timberlake, Bubba Sparxxx and Kiley Dean, but it was never released. Another 9/11 song, a remake of "We Are Family" with original members of Chic, Diana Ross, the Pointer Sisters and Patti LaBelle, also disappeared without a trace, as did the 2001 do-over of Marvin Gaye's "What's Going On," to benefit African AIDS charities, with 'NSYNC, Britney Spears, Christina Aguilera and Jennifer Lopez. Super-producer Rodney Jerkins was slated to release yet another "We Are Family" remake last year, with stars like Mariah Carey and Mary J.
Blige, but the project to benefit victims of Hurricane Katrina never materialized. A tune that did come out, but to little fanfare, was the Katrina benefit "Come Together Now," a rap/pop tune that featured everyone from Celine Dion and the Game to Jesse McCartney, Nick and Aaron Carter, Ruben Studdard, Joss Stone, Chingy and Wyclef Jean; the video was introduced by a somber Sharon Stone. The song was also intended as a benefit for the victims of the 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake and tsunami.
Sharon Osbourne got in on the action in 2005 with a redo of Eric Clapton's "Tears in Heaven" to benefit the victims of the Southeast Asia disaster. The song featured Ozzy and Kelly, as well as Elton John, Pink, Mary J. Blige, Gwen Stefani, Velvet Revolver and actor Robert Downey Jr.
Because of the delay in its release, that single also eventually benefited the victims of Hurricane Katrina as well. Count Kelly Clarkson among those who would pitch in for a superstar charity single "As long as it's making money and going to the right places and helping people, why the heck not?" though she understands why the projects have a hard time getting off the ground.
"I think people now are just so jaded and think everything is so cheesy," she told MTV News at Live Earth. "It's sad because, like, you're cooler than Diana Ross and all the other people who have done it? No, you're not.
You're cooler than Aretha? I don't think so. People get so caught up in being cool and rock and roll.
People, you're not that cool. This report is provided by MTV News "People were talking about that song around the watercooler, but what's happened since is the novelty wore off," Kot said.
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