Roger Fingas
Apple's U.K. website is promoting a new charity single on iTunes, proceeds from which will go to help support people impacted by the Grenfell Tower fire in London, which is believed to have killed some 79 people and left many homeless or destitute.
The single, a cover of Simon and Garfunkel's "Bridge Over Troubled Water," is by a collection of over 50 musicians such as Stormzy, Rita Ora, and Liam Payne, with a choir of Grenfell survivors led by Gareth Malone. Apple is donating "at least 0.76" pounds from each download to the London Community Foundation.
The song can also be streamed on Apple Music, though it's not clear what amount if any Apple is donating from those plays.
The company is also directing people to a special webpage where people can donate above and beyond the charity single, in British pounds.
Apple often uses iTunes as a vehicle for supporting popular charity causes. The company's most favored charities there are typically the American Red Cross and (RED), though it will support others when appropriate.
Charles Martin
Christine McKee
Oliver Haslam
William Gallagher
11 Comments
Seems an odd choice of song to mark this dire event.
It's been done already. A mashup of the same song, sung by a National Health Service choir, was used as a fund raiser Christmas before last. The song was widely publicised in U.K. and got to no.1
https://www.google.co.uk/amp/www.bbc.co.uk/news/amp/35177842
0.76 Pounds, just say 76p (Pence).
Unless Americans say just 0.76 Dollars instead of 76 Cents, in which case it still sound stupid to me but I accept American English is different in use.