Simon Cowell signs stars for Haiti charity single

Rod Stewart, Leona Lewis, Michael Bublé and JLS have all agreed to take part in the Haiti charity single, which has been organised by Simon Cowell.

The artists will record a cover of REM's 1993 ballad ‘Everybody Hurts’.

The Sun newspaper, which has teamed up with Cowell, said Robbie Williams, Coldplay, Take That and Sir Paul McCartney have been approached, and Will Young, X Factor winner Joe McElderry and hip-hop trio N-Dubz are said to have expressed an interest in singing.

The proceeds from the single, will be split between the official Disasters Emergency Committee (DEC) and the Sun's Helping Haiti campaign.

The government has already agreed to waive VAT on the single and REM, who own the rights to the song, have also waived royalties on the charity track.

Prime Minister Gordon Brown, who apparently requested Cowell organise the charity track, said he thought the single would make a big difference.

The song will be produced by renowned music industry figure Steve Robson, and with modern recording technology the artists will not all have to be in the studio at the same time.

The single will be released later this month by Sony, who has agreed to give studio time free.

An estimated 1.5 million people were left homeless by the 7.0-magnitude quake, which is believed to killed as many as 200,000.

At least 75,000 bodies have so far been buried in mass graves, the government has said. Many more remain uncollected in the streets.

Disasters Emergency Committee chief executive Brendan Gormley said: "Buying the charity single will greatly aid our work and help us build new lives from the ruins."