Simon Cowell-backed Haiti charity reworking of ‘Everybody Hurts’ gets first radio airplay
By APWednesday, February 3, 2010
Cowell’s Haiti charity single gets first airing
LONDON — A star-studded British single to raise money for victims of the earthquake in Haiti has had its first radio airplay.
The cover of R.E.M.’s 1993 ballad “Everybody Hurts” made its debut on breakfast-time broadcasts Tuesday.
Susan Boyle, Rod Stewart, Leona Lewis, Kylie Minogue and Robbie Williams are all featured on the track, coordinated by TV mogul Simon Cowell.
R.E.M. has agreed to waive royalties and the British government says the record will be exempt from sales tax.
It goes on sale by download Sunday and will be in stores starting Monday.
The song is one of several records raising money for victims of the Jan. 12 quake. Another is a re-recording of 1985 anthem “We Are The World” by 80 artists including Pink, Celine Dion and Kanye West.
