!In an historic effort to mobilize activism around the human rights atrocities occurring in Darfur, Sudan, more than 50 international recording artists and over 30 record labels have united behind Make Some Noise: The Amnesty International Campaign to Save Darfur. The collection features iconic songs by legendary musician and peace activist John Lennon recorded by an array of best-selling artists and will be available for purchase both on CD and as digital downloads via online retailers.
In keeping with its long tradition of activism powered by music, Amnesty International, the world’s largest grassroots human rights organization, will use Yoko Ono’s generous gift of Lennon’s solo catalogue as the centerpiece of its campaign to rally activists toward human rights activism for the people of Darfur. The Make Some Noise mobilization centers on saving the lives of innocent women, children and men who are dying by the thousands and restoring peace in the region.
The two-CD set of Make Some Noise, which will be released by Warner Music Gallo Africa on June 25, boasts a stellar line-up of 23 world-class artists from a variety of genres putting their own unique spin on classic songs from Lennon’s solo songbook. The artists—who come from the worlds of rock, pop, hip-hop and country—include longtime activists U2 (“Make Some Noise”), Green Day (“Working Class Hero”), R.E.M., (“#9 Dream”) and Jackson Browne (“Oh, My Love”); female pop powerhouses Christina Aguilera (“Mother”), Avril Lavigne (“Imagine”), and Corinne Bailey Rae (“I’m Losing You”); country stars Big & Rich (“Nobody Told Me”); alternative favorites Snow Patrol (“Isolation”), The Flaming Lips (“(Just Like) Starting Over”), Postal Service (“Grow Old With Me”) and Regina Spektor (“Real Love”); best-selling rockers Aerosmith (“Give Peace a Chance”), Lenny Kravitz (“Cold Turkey”) and Los Lonely Boys (“Whatever Gets You Thru The Night”); and pensive singer-songwriters Jakob Dylan with Dhani Harrison (“Gimme Some Truth”) and Ben Harper (“Beautiful Boy”).
The rights to Lennon’s songs were generously donated by Yoko Ono, who has donated all music publishing royalties. Amnesty International chose to harness the power of Lennon’s music to inspire a new generation of activists to stand up for human rights. Proceeds from CD and digital sales will support Amnesty International and its campaign to focus attention and mobilize activism around the urgent catastrophe in Darfur, and other human rights crises.
