Artists United Against Apartheid, Sun City - Compilation

Artists Include - Bono, Dylan, Davis, Benatar and Geldof

Dub, Electro,  Hip Hop and Rock

Artists United Against Apartheid – Sun City

Artist: Artists United Against Apartheid (Various Artists)

Title: Sun City

Album Type: Protest / Benefit Album

Original Release Date: December 7, 1985

Label: Manhattan Records / EMI

Genre: Rock / Hip Hop / Soul / R&B

Background & Production Sun City was a groundbreaking protest album conceived by Steven Van Zandt (Little Steven) and record producer Arthur Baker. The project was created to protest the South African policy of apartheid and specifically targeted the Sun City luxury resort, which lured international performers despite a UN cultural boycott. Unlike other mid-80s benefit records, Sun City was explicitly political and musically diverse. It was one of the first major projects to successfully fuse established rock royalty with the emerging stars of early Hip Hop, bringing together over 50 artists at United Western Studios and several other locations globally.

Musical Composition & Key Performances The album is a sonic collage that blends rock anthems, heavy percussion, and political rap, making it one of the most sonically aggressive benefit albums of the era.

• The Title Track: "Sun City" features an unprecedented lineup including Bruce Springsteen, Miles Davis, Lou Reed, Bob Dylan, Pat Benatar, Ringo Starr, and Keith Richards.

• The Hip Hop Influence: The album was revolutionary for its time by featuring rap icons like Run-D.M.C., Grandmaster Melle Mel, Afrika Bambaataa, and Kurtis Blow, giving the genre a massive platform for social activism.

• Experimental Edge: Tracks like "The Struggle Continues" (featuring Miles Davis) and "Revolution" (featuring Jackson Browne and Peter Gabriel) blend world-music rhythms with jazz and rock textures.

• The Message: The lyrics were a direct "refusal to play" at the resort, making the line "I ain't gonna play Sun City" a powerful global chant for human rights.

Legacy & Collector Notes The album was a critical triumph and raised millions for anti-apartheid causes and political prisoners. It is historically significant for its role in the global movement that eventually led to the release of Nelson Mandela. For vinyl collectors, the original Manhattan Records pressing is a fascinating piece of history, often featuring a gatefold sleeve with extensive liner notes about the apartheid system. It is a must-have for Shopify stores focusing on protest music, 80s political history, or "supergroup" collaborations.

• Keywords: Sun City, Artists United Against Apartheid, Steven Van Zandt, Bruce Springsteen, Run-DMC, Protest Music, 1985 Vinyl, Anti-Apartheid, Little Steven, Hip Hop History.

• Collection Ideas: Music as Activism, 80s Supergroup Projects, Hip Hop & Rock Crossover, Political Protest Classics.

• Related Artists: Little Steven, Bruce Springsteen, Peter Gabriel, Run-D.M.C., Lou Reed.

MINT - sealed

NM - likely never played - almost perfect

VG+ - light scuffs, light scratches wont effect play

VG -  signs of wear, light scratches you can feel

GOOD -  surface noise, visible groove wear

POOR / FAIR- some damage, causing issues like skipping & distorted audio

OIS - original inner sleeve