11 June 1988 – NELSON MANDELA’s 70th Birthday Tribute Event At Wembley In LONDON

11 June 2025

On 11 June 1988, 37 years ago today the 70th birthday of South-African, anti-apartheid revolutionary NELSON MANDELA was celebrated by the music world with a massive event at Wembley Stadium in London. It featured an impressive cats of big stars, such as Whitney Houston, Phil Collins, Dire Straits, Stevie Wonder, Tracy Chapman, George Michael, Eric Clapton, Chrissie Hynde UB40, Eurythmics, Simple Minds and actors Richard Gere and Whoopi Goldberg.

The celebration was broadcast live on BBC 2
to 40 different countries with an estimated
audience of 1 billion.

At the time Mandela was still in prison for his anti-apartheid politics.
After 27 years he was finally a free man. He became South Africa‘s
president from 1991 to 1997. He passed away in 2013, aged 93.

Three memorable concert moments.

– PETER GABRIEL –

– SIMPLE MINDS –

– WHOOPI GOLDBERG –

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Band: THE POGUES

Single: DARK STREETS OF LONDON
Their debut 7″
Released: 1984

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Band: THE SPECIAL AKA

Single: NELSON MANDELA
Released: 8 March 1984
Score: #9 in the UK, #1 in New Zealand

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Band: ECHO & THE BUNNYMEN

Single: THE KILLING MOON
Released: 20 January 1984
Score: #9 in the UK, #7 in Ireland

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Artist: PRINCE

Single: WHEN DOVES CRY
Released: 16 May 1984
Score: #1 in the US, #4 in the UK

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Band: REDSKINS

Single: KEEP ON KEEPING’ ON
Released: 1984

Pride by U2

Jump by VAN HALEN

In The Ghetto by NICK CAVE AND THE BAD SEEDS

Dancing In The Dark by BRUCE SPRINGSTEEN

I Feel For You by CHAKA KHAN