"Listen Up! The Official 2010 FIFA World Cup Album" Raises Over $2 Million for African Causes

"Listen Up! The Official 2010 FIFA World Cup Album" Raises Over $2 Million for African Causes

Shakira's 'Waka Waka' Drives Successful Fundraising Efforts to Benefit Various African Causes Including FIFA's '20 Centres for 2010' Initiative

NEW YORK, Jan. 30, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Sony Music Entertainment today announced that "Listen Up! The Official FIFA World Cup 2010 Album," the star-studded music collection that served as the soundtrack to the 2010 FIFA World Cup(TM) in South Africa, has raised over $2.5 million for African causes through worldwide sales of the album and its singles.

The majority of the proceeds from the project - in excess of $2.3 million - has been designated by the artists featured on the album and FIFA to be contributed to "20 Centres for 2010" the official campaign of the 2010 FIFA World Cup South Africa(TM). The campaign aims to encourage positive social change in disadvantaged communities by building twenty Football for Hope Centers for education, public health, and football across Africa. The remainder of the proceeds has been designated by other participating artists to be donated to various other charitable causes benefiting Africa.

Sony Music has agreed to waive all profits from this project to make these donations possible.

"We are delighted about this additional extensive investment into the legacy project of the FIFA World Cup that is bringing change to disadvantaged communities across Africa. Sony has already been an invaluable partner for many of our social projects, and we are very glad to continue this collaboration," said Federico Addiechi, Head of FIFA Corporate Social Responsibility.

"Listen Up," features original collaborations between music's hottest artists and African writers, producers and performers in an effort to showcase the vast talents within Africa, and includes the smash single, "Waka Waka (This Time For Africa)" by Shakira featuring Freshlyground.

The song--which also served as the Official Song of the 2010 FIFA World Cup(TM)-- has sold more than 3 million digital copies around the world, and went to #1 in 15 countries, including Spain, France, Germany, Italy and Portugal. In the four weeks of the FIFA World Cup(TM) alone, it sold more than one million copies, making it the fastest and biggest-selling FIFA World Cup single of the digital age.

The 12-track compilation album also includes the Official Anthem of the 2010 FIFA World Cup(TM),"Sign of A Victory" by R. Kelly and Soweto Spiritual Singers, and the Official Mascot song, "Game On" by Pitbull, TKZee and Dario G.

For more information, please visit www.listenupalbum.com.

About Sony Music Entertainment
Sony Music Entertainment is a global recorded music company with a current roster that includes a broad array of both local artists and international superstars. The company boasts a vast catalog that comprises some of the most important recordings in history. It is home to premier record labels representing music from every genre, including American Recordings, Arista Nashville, Beach Street Records, BNA Records, Columbia Nashville, Columbia Records, Day 1, Epic Records, Essential Records, Flicker Records, Kemosabe Records, LaFace Records, Legacy Recordings, MASTERWORKS, Polo Grounds, RCA Records, RCA Nashville, RCA Red Seal, Reunion Records, Roc Nation, Sony Classical, Sony Music Latin, Star Time International, Syco Music, Verity Gospel Music Group, and Volcano Entertainment. Sony Music Entertainment is a wholly owned subsidiary of Sony Corporation of America.

SOURCE Sony Music Entertainment

Sony Music Entertainment

CONTACT: CONTACT: Brian Garrity, +1-212-833-5891

Web Site: http://www.sony.com

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