Sun City (song)

"Sun City" is a 1985 protest song written by Steven Van Zandt and recorded by Artists United Against Apartheid. The song and album of the same name were created to protest the apartheid policy of racial segregation and discrimination in South Africa. Specifically, the song targeted Sun City, a luxury resort located in Bophuthatswana, a nominally independent bantustan (homeland) created by the South African government. Artists were being paid significant sums to perform at Sun City, effectively breaking the cultural boycott against South Africa.

The lyrics directly challenged artists to refuse to perform at Sun City and by extension, to boycott South Africa in protest of apartheid. The song named specific artists who had performed there, and others who pledged not to.

The project was a collaborative effort involving a wide range of musicians from various genres, including rock, hip hop, R&B, and jazz. Notable artists featured on the track include Bruce Springsteen, Bono, Lou Reed, Run-DMC, Public Enemy, Jackson Browne, Gil Scott-Heron, Miles Davis, and many others.

"Sun City" was both commercially successful and politically significant. It reached the top 40 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart and helped raise awareness of the apartheid regime. All profits from the song and album were donated to organizations fighting against apartheid. The song is considered a landmark achievement in music as a tool for social and political change.