We Are The World 2010 Video: Do You Prefer The New Or Old Version?
By Seraphina L.
The 2010 Olympics Opening Ceremony finally aired the new remake of the famous Michael Jackson and Lionel Richie song, “We Are The World” last night. There were a ton of new and young faces that made the cut this time such as Miley Cyrus, Nick Jonas, and Justin Beiber – who even got to sing the opening lines which Lionel Richie sang back in 1985.
There was a definite new vibe to it as Lil Wayne and T-Pain singing in auto-tune, of course, and LL Cool J, Will.I.Am, and Kanye West spit some rhymes toward the end. As shockingly different as it was from the original, all proceeds from the download do go toward Haitian relief and we’re thankful that all these artists came together to do such a great thing. There is more info on how to donate here.
However, we want to know: Which one do you like better? Both versions still have Michael Jackson singing his parts but the 2010 remake definitely took a different turn. Do you prefer the new or old version? Watch both versions below then vote to let us know!
“We Are the World” 2010
“We Are the World” 1985
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Sunday, February 14, 2010 12:49AM
The old one is better. I would not say it is necessarily the best. Maybe take a few of the performers out. The new one though, needs many people taken out of it. One individual, who has for some reason popped back up in media, needs to be excluded. I'll give you a clue about whom I am talking about: Her career should have went down with the Titanic.
Why is Celine Dion, all of a sudden being asked to perform in Michael Jackson related media recently? She uses Auto-Tune and sounds even worse than Weezy.
Sunday, February 14, 2010 12:51AM
Ugh, this new version was just chintzy. They couldn't produce a NEW song? And there isn't sufficient technology to make the imposition of Michael next to Janet look somewhat realistic? The performances were either over or under done. The whole thing was embarrassing in every way except its expressed purpose.
Sunday, February 14, 2010 1:02AM
Even though I prefer the original take, I still thought the new version was great. A lot of people may not like it because of the new faces and the rapping, but they fail to realize that this is to appeal to the new generation as well as the old. All the profits from this song will be to help Haiti and that is why they combined different artists and their different music styles so all will want to purchase this wonderful remake. I give both the artists and song an A+.
Sunday, February 14, 2010 1:04AM
Non taking from the artist today, They all are great,but some things are best left as is.. The old version has a deep meaning to it and this is a song not to be duplicated.. %100 the old version…
Sunday, February 14, 2010 1:22AM
I like the old version. Justin Bieber was not right for the new version. Barbara Streisand too diva. The rappers really have to go. I did like Nick Jonas and think he should have had a bigger part. Tony Bennett was good also.
Sunday, February 14, 2010 1:50AM
how is this even remotely an issue? the new version is not even in the same universe as the original — and it has everything to do with talent, class, style and substance. the has none of it, the old had it all! maybe if you're 12-years-old you might like the new one, but beyond that it is no contest!
Sunday, February 14, 2010 1:57AM
The old one is far better than this new version. Too much rap stuff for my ears, my opinion only. I loved the old version.
Sunday, February 14, 2010 2:06AM
The Old one worked and was original..why couldn't they sing an original song!! This makes me sick and disgusts me!
Sunday, February 14, 2010 2:25AM
hell yeah i lik the old 1 the artist du it better nd the new 1 sounds so bad 2 me !! nd i didnt lik the way celine dion did cyndi laupers part …. cyndi dus it better with more power
Sunday, February 14, 2010 3:11AM
Celine Dion doesn't used auto-tune you moron! Only Lil Wayne and T-Pain used auto tune. Get your facts right. Celine Dion actually has a good voice.
Sunday, February 14, 2010 3:29AM
That was horrible, it must of been a clue when I saw who started it off, but I had to watch. The rap was horrible, Miley was just painful to hear, so much good talent was just wasted. There was hardly any variety, just completely lopsided. A lot of good talent in that room was ignored. I felt like I was shown a handful of people who they thought would sell me the record and then they filled the other 90% of the parts with a bunch of self endulging, face time hogging supposed artists. The Michael and Janet segment was just in bad taste and her super imposed image by his, was just embarrasing. We are the world, is not the correct line, it was more like we are one part of the world. In any case, I'll find another way to donate. BTW, if for any reason this was the soul/ hip hop version, not the actual version, then my bad.
Sunday, February 14, 2010 3:36AM
They should have done a cover not a remake. The old one is universal and there was no need to change the lyric
Sunday, February 14, 2010 4:00AM
No rappers, sorry! In other words….Lionel Richie could have just left the original untouched. If they want to sing something for the cause, they could have just made a different one. This new version looked messy w/ too many singers. No wonder the director had a hard time w/ the deadline.
Sunday, February 14, 2010 5:22AM
the old one is much better. They tryed to put rap into it and ruined it. What a shame. They had good singers but couldn"t put it together like before…. Maybe they needed Michael there.
Sunday, February 14, 2010 5:39AM
like both – but love what they've done with the new one! so … new!
Sunday, February 14, 2010 6:38AM
Up front, as an old fan of MJ, i have to say i very much resent Lionel Richies misleading the public by claiming that he and MJ wrote "We Are The World" according to MJ's vision of the world. This is totally dishonest because MJ wrote and recorded "We Are The World" on demo prior to meeting with Lionel Richie and Quincy Jones. MJ played his demo for Quincy Jones and Lionel Richie, and Lionel Richie changed a couple of words and added a couple of lines to the song as well as his name as cowriter. But, We Are The World is MJ's song, one of many that MJ wrote about humanity and the planet. Lionel Richie does not have a history of writing songs about humanity or the planet. His one deviation from writing songs about love between man and woman is "Jesus Is Love."
Now, i definitely like the old version of "We Are The World" better because the singing is better, no one can outshine the harmony of the host of stars on the old version, as MJ, Ray Charles, Dionne Warwick, Steve Wonder, Diana Ross, Cindy lauper, Bruce Springsteen, Kenny Loggins, and etc. Singing on the new version is shrill and not pleasant at all to listen to.
Sunday, February 14, 2010 6:43AM
The original is always better. I do like the original better however the remake isn't horrible. I would replace a few "singers"…how can an amazing talent such as Mr. Quincy Jones even think that little bitty Justin Beiber can hold a candle to Lionel Ritchie? And there are SO many other artists that could have out performed Miley Cyrus, the Pussycat Dolls chick, and the girl from Dancing With the Stars tuned "singer."
On a more positive note, the addition of Lil' Wayne and T-Pain I liked as well as the part with LL Cool J. My favorite new addition was PINK. I think she kept it as close to the original as possible!!!! Still it's for a good cause…
Sunday, February 14, 2010 7:11AM
well,i definetly think that some of the artists need to be taken out of the new one.i was surprised at who the solos were given to some of them,however.i do see that it appeals to the younger artists which is good.i believe anyone who vividly remembers the eighties however,will not agree with the remake.nuf said
Sunday, February 14, 2010 8:07AM
I love you Jamie!! It was sooo good for my spirit to hear you do "Ray Charles", he was the soul of the original song! I simply loved the remake, from the beginning to the very end!
Sunday, February 14, 2010 9:39AM
Every single artist using AutoTune should be excluded from this. The original had a fantastic assembly of vocal talent. Not necessarily the best, but definitely the best ever recorded for one song. The new version took every piece of AutoTuned garbage on mainstream radio and put them all into one place. Would have been a good opportunity to tracheotomize every last one of them and clean up the music scene again. Then again, even a tracheotomy would not stop them from continuing to "sing" with AutoTune.
Tuesday, February 16, 2010 12:43AM
The old one is just so much more full of love . . .
Tuesday, February 16, 2010 7:26PM
One word HORRIBLE!
Tuesday, February 16, 2010 7:41PM
The old one outshines the new. The original singers were Iconic. Not everyoneone was invited. This one was filed with an odd assortment of "stars". Nicole Richie? Talent in the room was wasted, Harry Connik was ignored, and the same few people were used over and over, such as Toni Braxton. Auto tune took away the heart and it was wird having Micheal sing. They should have had janet do the part alone in his spirt. What they should have done was write a new song.
Sunday, February 21, 2010 2:44AM
maria my daughters name is maria love god bless the children
Monday, February 22, 2010 1:07AM
When i first heard the new one i thought it was nice for everyone to get together and do what they did and i liked it a bit…but, there were a few people in the new version that shouldn't have been there, as there was other and better talent. I wasn't a big fan of the rap part either…it just doesn't fit.
Then i decided to listen to the old version to see what i was missing out on…although i didn't know most of the people who sang in the old version, it was, by far, way better.
Saturday, February 27, 2010 5:48PM
I personally like the new one. It was pretty good. and i loved justin biebers oprninh
Monday, March 8, 2010 3:47AM
I have fond memories of the original, and definitely vote old school; however, as much as I normally do NOT like rap, I rather enjoyed that part. It was very original. The rest was shrill, except for Pink and Jennifer Hudson.
Saturday, March 13, 2010 4:15AM
The old one is a classic. And the ridiculous electronic voice guy in the new one? The rap crap is in bad taste. Too bad Babs didn't do the original.
Sunday, April 11, 2010 5:05PM
Wow…so many problems with the new version. The old version made me feel proud and warm inside because it was really about the cause and not about blatant self-promotion. The new version was just too painful to watch and listen to and made me feel sorry for all of the "artists" involved. Way too many people and not a lot of talent.
Those who did well:
celine dion
jennifer hudson
pink
usher
As for the rest of the highlighted singers, they should not have been in it at all. Can someone tell me why in the hell the Pussy Cat Dolls singer was in this? Who is she? Also, t-pain and lil'wayne, and wyclef screaming and not singing? Where were Alicia Keys, John Mayer, Beyonce, coldplay, and other real artists? This was just one big embarrassment. I agree with the comment about the weird superimposing and how fake it looked. sad.
Saturday, February 12, 2011 2:51PM
Who is the 3rd woman singing? the one with short blond hair