The charity single for Haiti staring Susan Boyle, supported by Simon Cowell has sold around 250,000 copies in just 2 days in the UK, and is on course to achieve one of the biggest first-week sales this century. The cover of the REM classic, ‘Everybody Hurts’ features a string of A-list acts including Kylie Minogue, Robbie Williams, Jon Bon Jovi, Mariah Carey, Susan Boyle, Michael Buble, Cheryl Cole and Leona Lewis. All of the artists recorded their parts in a very short time, in various studio locations around the world.

Under the collective name of Helping Haiti, the record is now outselling the rest of the Top 20 combined, according to official sales figures. It is now estimated that sales are likely to top 500,000 by the end of the week. There is no challenge for the number one position this week, with Owl City’s ‘Fireflies’ selling approximately 10% of the sales of ‘Everybody Hurts’. A video for the single has now been released to promote the single further.

On the foot steps of U.S. remaking of  ”We Are the World” byAmerican megastars,  Susan alongwith Mariah Carey also recorded a charity single in a bid to bring relief to Haiti. They remix R.E.M.’s “Everybody Hurts” and it is suggested that the recording session has been completed in a London studio on Saturday, January 30 night. Leona Lewis reportedly opens the track with her vocal, while the chorus has Kylie Minogue teaming up with Robbie Williams. The other Take That stars Gary Barlow and Mark Owen also contribute on separate lines along with Westlife’s Shane Filan and Mark Feehily.

The song is expected to be released Monday, February 8 with all royalty payments from the song have been scrapped by R.E.M. Proceeds will benefit The Sun’s Helping Haiti and the Disasters Emergency Committee. Simon Cowell and Steve Robson are the masterminds behind the upcoming single.