When I was growing up, I didn’t just want my MTV, I needed my fix of the then cutting-edge music videos along with occasional pauses for updates on what else was going on in the world daily. Like everyone, I had my favorite artists, but at the time, you could turn on MTV (and later, VH1) and let the hours pass by while video after video played. The artists were superstar talents with enough reach to turn the dial on culture and direct attention to global issues. It helped that many of these figures had a larger-than-life personality that worked in tandem with their music or other claim to fame. As the years have gone by, the idea of celebrity, wealth, and influence has taken on a different tune, creating notable vacancies on pedestals where the storied greats once sat.

In this new era marked by cultural upheavals and the relentless pursuit of social change, the Netflix documentary The Greatest Night in Pop (recently premiering at the Sundance Film Festival in Park City, UT) profoundly explores artistic collaboration and philanthropy. Directed by Bao Nguyen, the film meticulously dissects the creation of the iconic pop anthem “We Are the World,” weaving a narrative tapestry that transcends mere music history you could read about online. Organized by executive Ken Kragen at the behest of Harry Belafonte and written by Lionel Richie and Michael Jackson to benefit famine relief in Africa, the single would sell over 20 million copies and remains in the top 10 of best-selling physical singles ever.

At its core, the documentary serves as a time capsule, transporting viewers back to the palpable energy of the 1980s, a period marked by this unprecedented assembly of musical luminaries converging at the storied A&M Recording Studios in Hollywood on the night of the American Music Awards (how else do you coordinate the schedules of in-demand artists constantly on the move?). The roster who showed up that January night, a veritable who’s who of the industry, included luminaries such as Dionne Warwick, Bette Midler, Bob Dylan, Cyndi Lauper, Kenny Loggins, Steve Perry, Smokey Robinson, Al Jarreau, and Stevie Wonder, each a maestro in their own right.

The Greatest Night in Pop excels in chronicling the song’s creation and delving into the motivations that propelled this extraordinary collaboration. Through insightful interviews with the artists, the documentary unveils the emotional resonance behind “We Are the World,” a song conceived as an anthem and a beacon of hope during a tumultuous time in global history. Hearing the song come together through Jackson and Richie’s early working sessions to its full-voiced final product emerges as the documentary’s glittering centerpiece. A symphony of voices, each distinct yet harmoniously woven together, is a testament to the artistic expertise on display. The film skillfully examines the layers of vocal arrangements, shedding light on the meticulous craftsmanship and off-the-cuff riffs that went into transforming a simple melody into a global anthem.  It’s worth it to hear Jackson trying out shiver-inducing melodic transposing of phrases or Lauper’s incredible range being encouraged by her peers to be used to its full belting potential.

The film’s visual aesthetic mirrors the era’s cultural zeitgeist, with Nguyen employing archival footage to recreate the electric atmosphere of that historic night. The “fly on the wall footage” evokes a sense of behind-the-scenes nostalgia, grounding the narrative in a bygone era where the notion of “charity through music” took center stage. (The entire idea was influenced by the UK’s Band Aid which was formed to combat similar famine in Africa).  Bearing a strong resemblance in structure to D.A. Pennebaker’s groundbreaking 1970 documentary Original Cast Album: Company, viewers are taken through the night’s events in fine detail as the musicians lay down their vocals as a group and then individually.  While the film’s deliberate and contemplative pacing allows for a nuanced exploration of the collaborative process, it stretches the run time slightly further than it needs to. Ultimately, it finds the most level way to navigate the fine line between revealing the creative tensions that simmered beneath the surface and preserving the overall harmony that eventually defined the unforgettable track.

The Greatest Night in Pop isn’t just a documentary; it’s a celebration of humanity, compassion, and the enduring power of music.  Whether you lived through the era of “We Are the World” or are somehow just discovering it for the first time (is that even possible?), this film is a must-watch for anyone who believes in the transcendent power of a united melody.