The Birth of the Benefit Concert: George Harrison’s Concert for Bangladesh

The first modern benefit concert took place on August 1st 1971 proving music could do more than entertain

On August 1, 1971, something completely new happened in the world of music. George Harrison, fresh off his Beatles years, brought together some of the biggest names in rock and soul for what would become the first major benefit concert in modern music history: The Concert for Bangladesh.

The show took place at Madison Square Garden in New York, and while the music was a major draw, the real goal was to support those in need. At the time, Bangladesh was a new nation facing the horrors of civil war and a widespread famine. Harrison learned about the crisis from his friend and musical partner Ravi Shankar, a renowned sitar player from India. Once Harrison heard the details, he immediately began organizing a response.

The result was two sold-out shows in one day with more than 40,000 people in the seats and a star-studded cast on stage. The lineup included Bob Dylan, Eric Clapton, Ringo Starr, Leon Russell, Billy Preston, and members of Badfinger. It was a one-of-a-kind mix of rock legends and soulful performers, brought together not for money or ego, but to make a difference.

Harrison wasn’t just organizing a concert. He was pioneering a new idea—that music could mobilize people and raise real money for global causes. The concert raised more than $250,000 that day, but more importantly, it raised global awareness. The live album from the show would later hit No. 1 in the UK and win the Grammy for Album of the Year.

By 1969, large outdoor festivals had already shown they could draw huge crowds and top-tier performers. The Atlantic City Pop Festival, which took place just two weeks before Woodstock, is one example—featuring artists like Janis Joplin, Santana, The Byrds, CCR, Joe Cocker, and Joni Mitchell, who walked off stage when the crowd wasn't paying attention. But those festivals were about the music itself, not built around a larger purpose.

The Concert for Bangladesh broke that mold. It shifted how people viewed music’s ability to create real-world impact.

After that, the idea of a benefit concert took off. The 1980s brought massive follow-ups like Live Aid in 1985, organized by Bob Geldof and Midge Ure to raise money for the Ethiopian famine. It was broadcast around the world and featured artists like Queen, U2, David Bowie, and Led Zeppelin.

Farm Aid followed soon after, started by Willie Nelson, Neil Young, and John Mellencamp to support American farmers. Live 8 in 2005 took the benefit model global again, focused on poverty and debt relief in Africa.

Even today, benefit concerts remain a trusted way for artists to raise money and attention for urgent causes. From disaster relief to political activism, the format that Harrison and Shankar created back in 1971 is still being used.

What makes The Concert for Bangladesh so remarkable is that it wasn’t just about stars getting on stage. It was thoughtful, urgent, and impactful—and it all started because one artist listened to a friend, then used his platform to help.