Purpose-made "charity singles" however were not the first charity records.

Organizers of charity singles and benefit concerts know this, and turn consumption itself into a do-gooder's duty.

The episode features cultural references to charity singles such as "We Are the World".

Both songs were released as charity singles for benefits.

The biggest selling singles in most countries tend to be charity singles.

They also made one-off appearances in 2006 and 2008 to release charity singles.

Two charity singles have been released in aid of the hospital.

However released two charity singles in 2006 and 2008.

The reason that charity singles are worthy of academic study, she explains, is that they can tell us much about attitudes to society and to need.

"Their causes were moral rather than political," she points out, before going on to list some of the beneficiaries of charity singles.