Why didn't Madonna participate in we are the world?

Answer 1

Although it may not seem as big of a deal today as it did in the early 80s, Madonna's sexual nature had a lot to do with it. Madonna took what Donna Summer started in the 1970s (a sexual image in music) and continued with it; and Madonna had the additional benefit of Music Videos during her start in music. That sexual image Madonna had at that time, which was really in-your-face for the 1980s, and the fact that she wasn't a terrific singer -she was more image driven- led Quincy Jones, Michael Jackson, and Lionel Ritchie to take a pass on her. She was just not taken seriously by the industry. Even an early 80s issue of Billboard Magazine, the music magazine of ALL magazines, stated she would only be around another 6 months before she disappeared off the music scene. Madonna's 'Material Girl" could have been another #1 song for her, but it was kept out of the top spot by "We Are The World", so it peaked at #2. But Madonna got her satisfaction later for not being invited; her "Crazy For You" was the song that finally displaced "We Are The World" from the #1 spot on the American chart.

Answer 2

If you mean the one that was recorded in the 1980's, he was, right next to Diana Ross, sequined glove and all :)