Campaigning musicians: friends or foes?

Douglas Wright examines the role of musicians in campaigning.

''Almost everywhere you turn, a popstar, rapper, band, or musician has their name attached to something meaningful and worthwhile.'' ''I would say that working with celebrities has been crucial in the fundraising strategy.'' ''Music is a driving force - something that everyone can relate to no matter what language they speak, or what race they are - and if it’s the main force that helps charities succeed than so be it.''

After the launch of Oxjam - 31 days of live music - I started to question the role of music in campaigning, and whether or not it’s as important as it seems.

Music has had a dramatic effect on how people perceive charities and their involvement with them. Bob Gedolf and U2 set the benchmark with LiveAid and then others followed. There have been outspoken NME columns (Drew McConnell and co speaking out against racism), album artwork (Coldplay’s fair trade mentions), charities touring with bands, comments made at gigs (U2, Green Day etc), and the list goes on. Almost everywhere you turn - within some media outlet - a popstar, rapper, band, or musician has their name attached to something meaningful and worthwhile.

Music provides us with an array of icons to look up to. When a musician supports a charity it amplifies that cause to a wider audience and motivates those who wouldn’t necessarily normally get involved. For example, fans discuss their idols, and what they have to say, through fan sites and message boards on the Internet.

“For us, celebrities have made all the difference,” says Suzanne Mainwaring, director of the Noah’s Ark Appeal, which has raised millions towards the building of the Children’s Hospital for Wales in Cardiff. This is thanks, in part, to celebrity supporters - one of whom included Wales’ own Charlotte Church. “The well-known names who have supported our campaign have brought in enormous media interest, and then that has led to lots of donations. I would say that working with celebrities has been crucial in the fundraising strategy.”

However, some take the view that music, along with the celebrities involved, can tarnish the very nature of what some of these charities are trying to do. Musicians have an image to uphold and may therefore be quick to jump on the charity bandwagon to be seen as more caring and genuine. This causes problems as it raises the questions: Do the celebrities really care about the charity and will they remain loyal to it? It could be their vanity coming first, not their charity. But does this matter if awareness is being raised?

Musicians have the stage, quite literally, to be heard. They are in the position of role models who can influence their fans’ opinions about issues that need to be tackled. If you ask me, that’s a good thing and exactly where we need to be right now. Music is a driving force - something that everyone can relate to no matter what language they speak, or what race they are - and if it’s the main force that helps charities succeed than so be it.