50 Albums That Raised Money for Charity

They say music is a universal language, something everyone from every corner of the world can recognize and appreciate in one form or another.

That’s why it can be a remarkably useful tool when it comes to combating some of the world’s most pressing humanitarian and socioeconomic issues. Particularly when high-profile artists get involved, it can lead to millions of dollars raised for various causes.

Take George Harrison, for example. In 1990, he put together an album called Nobody’s Child: Romanian Angel Appeal, which raised money for his wife Olivia’s Harrison’s organization, the Romanian Angel Appeal Foundation. Following the end of the Cold War, orphanages in that country suffered greatly, often leaving children in dangerous circumstances. Olivia spoke with her husband about what could be done to help. Perhaps a charity single?

“So I thought, well, that’s easy enough for me,” George said in a 1990 joint interview with his wife, “particularly at that point, because I was in a room with other musicians and a recording engineer, we had the tape machines and stuff, so, for me, that’s quite easy at that point to do something. You know, I mean, plumbers can go down there and plumb in toilets, but I can pick up a guitar and make a song.”

But he went beyond one song, a cover of “Nobody’s Child,” and made an entire album that also featured contributions from Elton John, Van Morrison, the Bee Gees, Stevie Wonder and many more.

This is just one example of a famous artist utilizing their star power and musical talent for a cause. Below, we’re taking a look at 50 Albums That Raised Money for Charity.