He was also the maestro behind the extraordinary 1985 ensemble single “We Are the World,” which became the best-selling single of the year and raised money for the African famine. Over the course of his career, he has also been involved in composing some of the most famous songs in film and television history; the theme songs too The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air And Sanford and son along with the Oscar-nominated film score for the 1985s The color purple all had Jones' magic touch. He also helped found a defining hip-hop magazine under his company Quincy Jones Entertainment Mood together with Qwest Broadcasting.

“When an album doesn't do well, everyone says, 'It was the producer's fault'; So if things go well, it should be your “fault,” Jones told the Library of Congress in 2016. “The traces don’t suddenly appear. The producer must have the skill, experience and ability to bring the vision to completion.”

Jones was married three times; with Jeri Caldwell (1957-1966), Ulla Anderson (1967-1974) and Peggy Lipton (1974-1990) and was later in a relationship with Nastassja Kinski from 1991-1995. He is survived by his seven children; daughters Rashida Jones, Jolie Jones Levine, Rachel Jones, Martina Jones, Kidada Jones and Kenya Kinski-Jones, his son Quincy Jones III and his brother Richard Jones and sisters Theresa Frank and Margie Jay.