ABOUT MUSIC AID
The organization launched in 1998 with a special event in London attended by over 100,000 people! Rolling Stone Ronnie Wood and other friends donated personal items in support, chats with Carlos Santana gave us some great ideas and suggestions, and the sale of signed guitars and album covers from major artists funded work and projects.
Since launching the organization has worked closely with the United Nations UNV program managing hundreds of United Nations Volunteers and aid projects worldwide as a music partner. We operated as a UK government registered charity - The WMF - for over six years until officially becoming an international non-governmental organization (NGO) in 2005. We have worked with many organizations, partners and events including The United Nations, UNV, UNICEF, The BBC, Net Aid, Al Gore´s Live Earth event, Rock In Rio, World Concert Day, World NGO Day and many more. Who is the founder? See the FAQs below.
BEGINNINGS
The main website and media project at musicaid.org was created in 1998 with one simple mission: "to make the world a better place through music". USA Today described its launch as "the most exciting new project in music and media" and awarded musicaid.org "Website Of The Year". Musicians and supporting friends involved in the launch event included Rolling Stone Ronnie Wood who donated his original artwork. The sale of donated celebrity memorabilia, artworks, signed guitars and album covers from artists including Paul McCartney, John Lee Hooker, Oasis, Prince, Eric Clapton, Bob Dylan, Mick Jagger and Bono funded the organization´s early work with the United Nations and with NetAid. Our launch event - known also as "The Art of Music Festival" - was sponsored by AOL, Whitely´s of London and Tower Records. It occupied the entire top floor of the large Whitley's Center in central London and ran for a full week with over 100,000 visitors who enjoyed seven days of art exhibits, live music and dance shows. This event holds the record for the largest exhibition of music related art staged anywhere in the world, with many valuable original art works on display by Andy Warhol, John Lennon, Peter Max and others. Funds raised at the launch provided schooling and aid for poor rural village children in SE Asia, and for the following six years Music Aid operated as an official UK Government Registered International Charity working with the United Nations UNV online volunteer program and the UN Net Aid initiative in the areas of poverty relief and education.
MUSIC SCHOOLS PROGRAM
The Music Aid Schools Program is a global free music school and aid network. It builds on Music Aid´s early work with NetAid and the "NetAid World Schoolhouse" program which provided schooling to over 85,000 children in developing countries. The Music Aid Schools Program is designed to provide free music classes, teachers and resources to all children, underprivileged communities and underfunded schools that request this. The program nurtures, supports, educates and gives hope and joy where it is most needed. In addition, the program is also gateway to other services, counseling, local charity and aid projects, music therapy, government schemes and general support. Learn more about the program and get involved here.
MUSICAID.FM
The music player musicaid.fm is an online music platform where everyone can discover and stream new music together with the world´s most famous artists and composers. 100% of all proceeds from this non-profit venture support Music Aid charities, projects and causes. Music Aid FM is free to use and instantly streams on any device from phone to smart TV to laptop. It was built to be the most complete free music service available with instant access to millions of tracks and includes song lyrics, artists bios, Wikipedia entries plus the official music video for each song in association with YouTube Music and Vevo.
PARTNERS, CHARITIES AND CAUSES
Music Aid work with Child Aid programs and supports childrens´ charities, causes and local projects. We provide educational resources and scholarships and we have helped thousands of music students. We have provided school shoes, study materials, uniforms and aid to many children and families in our rural SE Asia programs; we were official project manager for hundreds of United Nations Volunteers worldwide with the UNV and NetAid; we distributed free musical instruments with the "Instrument Amnesty" in partnership with The BBC and Youth Music, and we provide free music lessons and free teaching resources to underprivileged communities and schools worldwide. Other partnerships have included retail partnerships with iTunes, Amazon and other commercial music websites, music contests and services. Our music contests and award events support good causes worldwide with over $500,000 in career sponsorship prizes awarded to participants.
EVENTS
Music Aid has worked with many large music events including Al Gore's Live Earth Event and festivals including Rock In Rio. Our events have funded aid projects on five continents. We also regularly support benefit music events that raise funds for UNICEF - the United Nations International Childrens Fund. Global annual international events that we work with include World NGO Day, Giving Tuesday and World Concert Day and with these events we promote, support and fundraise for many charities and causes worldwide including local hospices, UNICEF, The Covid-19 Solidarity Response Fund, the NHS, Dementia UK, the Breathe Life Campaign, IMPACT, Amazon Watch and many more.
The MusicAid logo ™ has been well-known interationally for over 25 years. It is trademarked protected under international law agreements and blockchain registered with its own blockchain nft - musicaid.nft
BEGINNINGS
The main website and media project at musicaid.org was created in 1998 with one simple mission: "to make the world a better place through music". USA Today described its launch as "the most exciting new project in music and media" and awarded musicaid.org "Website Of The Year". Musicians and supporting friends involved in the launch event included Rolling Stone Ronnie Wood who donated his original artwork. The sale of donated celebrity memorabilia, artworks, signed guitars and album covers from artists including Paul McCartney, John Lee Hooker, Oasis, Prince, Eric Clapton, Bob Dylan, Mick Jagger and Bono funded the organization´s early work with the United Nations and with NetAid. Our launch event - known also as "The Art of Music Festival" - was sponsored by AOL, Whitely´s of London and Tower Records. It occupied the entire top floor of the large Whitley's Center in central London and ran for a full week with over 100,000 visitors who enjoyed seven days of art exhibits, live music and dance shows. This event holds the record for the largest exhibition of music related art staged anywhere in the world, with many valuable original art works on display by Andy Warhol, John Lennon, Peter Max and others. Funds raised at the launch provided schooling and aid for poor rural village children in SE Asia, and for the following six years Music Aid operated as an official UK Government Registered International Charity working with the United Nations UNV online volunteer program and the UN Net Aid initiative in the areas of poverty relief and education.
MUSIC SCHOOLS PROGRAM
The Music Aid Schools Program is a global free music school and aid network. It builds on Music Aid´s early work with NetAid and the "NetAid World Schoolhouse" program which provided schooling to over 85,000 children in developing countries. The Music Aid Schools Program is designed to provide free music classes, teachers and resources to all children, underprivileged communities and underfunded schools that request this. The program nurtures, supports, educates and gives hope and joy where it is most needed. In addition, the program is also gateway to other services, counseling, local charity and aid projects, music therapy, government schemes and general support. Learn more about the program and get involved here.
MUSICAID.FM
The music player musicaid.fm is an online music platform where everyone can discover and stream new music together with the world´s most famous artists and composers. 100% of all proceeds from this non-profit venture support Music Aid charities, projects and causes. Music Aid FM is free to use and instantly streams on any device from phone to smart TV to laptop. It was built to be the most complete free music service available with instant access to millions of tracks and includes song lyrics, artists bios, Wikipedia entries plus the official music video for each song in association with YouTube Music and Vevo.
PARTNERS, CHARITIES AND CAUSES
Music Aid work with Child Aid programs and supports childrens´ charities, causes and local projects. We provide educational resources and scholarships and we have helped thousands of music students. We have provided school shoes, study materials, uniforms and aid to many children and families in our rural SE Asia programs; we were official project manager for hundreds of United Nations Volunteers worldwide with the UNV and NetAid; we distributed free musical instruments with the "Instrument Amnesty" in partnership with The BBC and Youth Music, and we provide free music lessons and free teaching resources to underprivileged communities and schools worldwide. Other partnerships have included retail partnerships with iTunes, Amazon and other commercial music websites, music contests and services. Our music contests and award events support good causes worldwide with over $500,000 in career sponsorship prizes awarded to participants.
EVENTS
Music Aid has worked with many large music events including Al Gore's Live Earth Event and festivals including Rock In Rio. Our events have funded aid projects on five continents. We also regularly support benefit music events that raise funds for UNICEF - the United Nations International Childrens Fund. Global annual international events that we work with include World NGO Day, Giving Tuesday and World Concert Day and with these events we promote, support and fundraise for many charities and causes worldwide including local hospices, UNICEF, The Covid-19 Solidarity Response Fund, the NHS, Dementia UK, the Breathe Life Campaign, IMPACT, Amazon Watch and many more.
The MusicAid logo ™ has been well-known interationally for over 25 years. It is trademarked protected under international law agreements and blockchain registered with its own blockchain nft - musicaid.nft
FAQs
How can I support Music Aid?
1. Share on your social pages and follow on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
2. Use musicaid.fm for music streaming, playlists, music searches etc. Share this app with others.
3. Join us on international event days: World Concert Day, World NGO Day, Giving Tuesday etc.
4. Donate. Every donation, no matter how small, makes a difference.
Can I work with Music Aid?
Positions for internships, volunteers, fundraising partners, festival workers etc are posted on the official musicaid.org main organization website. Check this site for current listed opportunities. Look for the Music Aid ™ logo and check the .org suffix to be sure you are on the official organization website.
Is Music Aid an NGO?
We operate as a Social Enterprise Organization (SEO) and an NGO (Non-Governmental Organization) with similar legal status, model and structure to other well known SEOs and NGOs. As an NGO we participate in a number of international events including World NGO Day.
Who founded Music Aid?
The Music Aid Organization was founded by a well-connected member of the international music community who has chosen to remain anonymous. Many famous artists and musician friends were involved in the launch. The organization grew from the founder´s private conversations with guitarist Carlos Santana in Rio de Janeiro during the Rock In Rio concerts at the Maracana Stadium. During this week-long event the two men discussed their ideas for organizations that could use music to do good. Carlos Santana returned home to the USA and launched the Milagro Foundation in California. Music Aid´s founder, a UK based music professional, launched the organization behind this website at a major event in London with support from friends in the music industry. Both organizations were launched in the same year - 1998.
Is Music Aid a USA 501(c) organization?
501(c) registration is a tax exemption status registration in the USA and it is only applicable to USA resident organizations. Donations etc may be tax deductable in some countries in the same way as donations to a US 501(c), and Music Aid partners with US projects and services. However, because Music Aid operates internationally from a european base, it does not require or seek 501(c) registration in the USA.
How can I support Music Aid?
1. Share on your social pages and follow on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
2. Use musicaid.fm for music streaming, playlists, music searches etc. Share this app with others.
3. Join us on international event days: World Concert Day, World NGO Day, Giving Tuesday etc.
4. Donate. Every donation, no matter how small, makes a difference.
Can I work with Music Aid?
Positions for internships, volunteers, fundraising partners, festival workers etc are posted on the official musicaid.org main organization website. Check this site for current listed opportunities. Look for the Music Aid ™ logo and check the .org suffix to be sure you are on the official organization website.
Is Music Aid an NGO?
We operate as a Social Enterprise Organization (SEO) and an NGO (Non-Governmental Organization) with similar legal status, model and structure to other well known SEOs and NGOs. As an NGO we participate in a number of international events including World NGO Day.
Who founded Music Aid?
The Music Aid Organization was founded by a well-connected member of the international music community who has chosen to remain anonymous. Many famous artists and musician friends were involved in the launch. The organization grew from the founder´s private conversations with guitarist Carlos Santana in Rio de Janeiro during the Rock In Rio concerts at the Maracana Stadium. During this week-long event the two men discussed their ideas for organizations that could use music to do good. Carlos Santana returned home to the USA and launched the Milagro Foundation in California. Music Aid´s founder, a UK based music professional, launched the organization behind this website at a major event in London with support from friends in the music industry. Both organizations were launched in the same year - 1998.
Is Music Aid a USA 501(c) organization?
501(c) registration is a tax exemption status registration in the USA and it is only applicable to USA resident organizations. Donations etc may be tax deductable in some countries in the same way as donations to a US 501(c), and Music Aid partners with US projects and services. However, because Music Aid operates internationally from a european base, it does not require or seek 501(c) registration in the USA.
