Summary

• "We Are the World" raised $63 million for charity and is the ninth best-selling physical single.
• Dan Aykroyd, known for acting, accidentally joined the chorus of "We Are the World" and can be seen in the music video.
• Aykroyd's involvement in the song was a happy accident, as he was in the wrong place at the right time during a business trip.

Netflix's The Greatest Night in Pop documents the making of "We Are the World" by U.S.A. For Africa, and surprisingly, Dan Aykroyd can be spotted among the famous stars and musicians recording the song. The 2024 music documentary film, directed by Bao Nguyen, includes behind-the-scenes footage of the January 28, 1985, recording of "We Are the World," a charity single written by Michael Jackson and Lionel Richie, and interviews with the artists today. It was performed by numerous artists, including Jackson, Richie, Stevie Wonder, Tina Turner, Diana Ross, Cyndi Lauper, Bruce Springsteen, Bob Dylan, Smokey Robinson, and more.

"We Are the World" raised over $63 million for famine victims in Africa. It was the fastest-selling pop single in United States history after its release in March 1985 and is currently the ninth best-selling physical single of all time. The making of the song was (and still is) undoubtedly one of the most significant moments in pop history. Strangely enough, among all the iconic singers and musicians was Dan Aykroyd, who is most famous for his acting roles in The Blues Brothers, Saturday Night Live, and Ghostbusters.

Dan Akroyd Sings In The Chorus For "We Are The World" (& Can Be Spotted 4 Minutes Into The Recording Video)

The 7-minute music video of "We Are the World" features the aforementioned artists and more famous singers performing the song on the night of January 28, 1985, at A&M Recording Studios in Hollywood. The tape includes individual musicians singing their parts and the entire group performing the chorus together. Dan Aykroyd can be spotted swaying and singing along with the rest of the crew during one of the choruses. The actor can be seen after the four-minute mark in the music video, and a better shot of him is around four minutes and 20 seconds into the song.

Dan Aykroyd's Feature In "We Are The World" Was An Accident (But He Did Have A #1 Album)

Of course, after learning that Dan Aykroyd was a part of the chorus for "We Are the World" by U.S.A. For Africa, many wondered why he was involved with the charity single. Yes, he is technically a musician (as proven by his number one album, Briefcase Full of Blues by the Blues Brothers), but Aykroyd is more known for his acting. Thankfully, there is a reasonable explanation behind his cameo in the song — it was a happy accident. During an interview with New Hampshire Magazine, Aykroyd explained:

"My father and I were interviewing business managers in LA, and we walked into this office of a talent manager, and realized we were in the wrong place. I was looking for a money manager, not a talent manager. I had managed myself at that time and always have. But he said, 'So long as you are here, would you like to come and join this 'We Are the World' thing?' I thought, how do I fit in here? Well, we did sell a few million records with the Blues Brothers and, in my other persona, I am a musician, so I showed up and was a part of it, but it was totally by accident."

Aykroyd did not plan on being a part of "We Are the World," and Michael Jackson, Lionel Richie, and producers Quincy Jones and Michael Omartian did not initially ask the actor to sing in the chorus. However, Aykroyd was in the right place at the right time. As a result, the actor is forever a part of one of the greatest moments in pop history, as documented in Netflix's The Greatest Night in Pop.

Source: New Hampshire Magazine