MUMBAI: Hope For Haiti Now; A Global Benefit for Earthquake Relief” featured one-of-a-kind performances by Wyclef Jean, Madonna, Bruce Springsteen, Jennifer Hudson, Mary J. Blige, Shakira and Sting in New York, Alicia Keys, Christina Aguilera, Dave Matthews, John Legend, Justin Timberlake, Stevie Wonder, Taylor Swift, Emeline Michel and a group performance by Keith Urban, Kid Rock, and Sheryl Crow in Los Angeles and Beyonc?©, Coldplay and a group performance by Bono, The Edge, Jay-Z and Rihanna in London.
The telethon has already broken fundraising records by gathering more than $61 million in public donations to aid the people of the devastated Caribbean nation. It drew a cumulative audience of more than 83 million viewers and a gross average audience of more than 24 million viewers in the United States, according to Nielsen Media Research. Across the Web and mobile, “Hope for Haiti Now” attracted 1.9 million video streams during the live broadcast. Between the live broadcast and replays of the performances available on MTV.com and other sites, “Hope for Haiti Now” attracted 5.8 million total streams throughout the weekend, including more than 150,000 mobile streams.
All proceeds from the $7.99 Hope for Haiti album — which was available for pre-order through iTunes before Friday’s all-star telethon and is now also available through Amazon’s MP3 service and Rhapsody — will be donated to the Haiti relief funds.
Also it will be the first time in the 54-year history of Billboard chart that a digital-only release has hit the top spot.
Of the 19 available songs, “Stranded” by Jay-Z, Bono, The Edge & Rihanna (131,000) moves the most downloads, featuring at a No. 8 debut on Digital Songs and a No. 16 start on the Hot 100.
The only other track from the Haiti benefit to debut on the charts is “Hallelujah” by Justin Timberlake & Matt Morris featuring Charlie Sexton which sold 64,000 downloads and entered Hot Digital Songs at No. 24 and the Hot 100 at No. 48.