Supergroup (music)
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- "Supergroup" redirects here. For other uses, see Supergroup (disambiguation).
In the late 1960s, the term supergroup was coined to describe music groups composed of members who had already achieved fame or respect in other groups or as individual artists. The term took its name from the 1968 album Super Session with Al Kooper, Mike Bloomfield, and Stephen Stills. The coalition of Crosby, Stills and Nash (later Crosby, Stills, Nash, and Young) is another early example, given the success of their prior bands (The Byrds, Buffalo Springfield, and The Hollies).
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The term has sometimes been applied more loosely by certain music writers to groups that sold huge numbers of albums and headlined massive concerts regardless of the previous fame of their individual members, especially after the success of Cream (of whom only Eric Clapton was widely known). However, the term as correctly applied refers to the architecture of the group, not the achievements. "Supergroup" also generally does not encompass existing bands whose members achieved individual fame after the band's founding, though some have chosen to retroactively deem such bands (including Genesis and Yes) to be supergroups. There are also instances in which an existing band added a prominent new member or members, where the resulting group might have been considered a supergroup had it not kept its original band name, such as Van Halen after recruiting Sammy Hagar and Gary Cherone, and The Eagles after hiring Joe Walsh and Timothy B. Schmit. By any standards, it is not a rigidly defined category and has become, more than anything, a marketing term.
Supergroups (of the strict definition) tend to be short-lived, often lasting only for an album or two, perhaps because of the natural conflict of egos between established stars. Additionally, supergroups are often formed as side-projects that are not intended to be permanent.
[edit] List of notable supergroups
This list is of each band's founding line-up, and members who joined within a year of founding.
This list contains only groups which have performed more than a single song or live show together.
[edit] Charity supergroups
These were usually one-shot projects, organized to create a charity record to raise money or awareness for a cause or charity.
| Founded | Band/project name | Project co-ordinator(s) | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1971 | The Concert for Bangladesh |
concert to raise awareness of refugee problems in Bangladesh, raised funds to benefit UNICEF relief fund, released a film of the concert and an album, The Concert for Bangla Desh | |
| 1979 | Rockestra |
recorded "Let It Be", "Lucille", "Rockestra Theme", and "So Glad to See You Here" at the Concerts for the People of Kampuchea, to benefit people of Cambodia suffering from Pol Pot's regime; released as a promotional EP and film | |
| 1983 | ARMS Charity Concert |
concert at Royal Albert Hall to support multiple sclerosis research | |
| 1984 | Band Aid | recorded "Do They Know It's Christmas?" charity single for famine relief in Ethiopia | |
| 1985 | Northern Lights | recorded the charity single "Tears Are Not Enough" for famine relief in Ethiopia | |
| 1985 | USA for Africa | recorded "We Are the World" charity single for famine relief in Ethiopia | |
| 1985 | Hear 'n Aid | recorded the charity single and album "Stars" for famine relief in Africa | |
| 1985 | Artists United Against Apartheid | recorded the song and album "Sun City" to protest apartheid in South Africa | |
| 1989 | Band Aid II | re-recording of "Do They Know It's Christmas?" charity single, also for famine relief in Ethiopia | |
| 1991 | Voices That Care | recorded charity single "Voices That Care" to raise the morale of U.S. troops in Operation Desert Storm and benefit the International Red Cross | |
| 2001 | All Star Tribute | covered "What's Going On" to benefit Artists Against AIDS Worldwide | |
| 2004 | Band Aid 20 | re-recording of "Do They Know It's Christmas?" 20th anniversary charity single, for famine relief in Ethiopia | |
| 2004 | Dreamtime Christmas All-Stars | covered "Twelve Days of Christmas" | |
| 2005 | One World Project | recorded the charity single "Grief Never Grows Old" to benefit 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami relief |
[edit] See also
List of grunge supergroupscs:Superskupina de:Supergroup es:Supergrupo fr:Supergroupe gl:Supergrupo he:סופרגרופ nl:supergroep pl:supergrupa ru:Супергруппа fi:Superyhtye sv:supergrupp
