For the 40th anniversary of the iconic Band Aid single ‘Do They Know It’s Christmas’, an ‘ultimate’ remixed version is set to be released later this month. The original single came out in 1984 for Band Aid, with iconic artists such as Boy George, Sting and George Michael.
The original single, created by Bob Geldof and Midge Ure in 1984, went to number 1 in the UK for five weeks and successfully sold over 3 million copies. The original inspiration to create Band Aid came as a reaction to the BBC news reports of October 1984 of countless people starving to death in Ethiopia. This prompted the general public to donate to worldwide children charities and eventually to Geldof and Ure to create the single, and with it, an immensely important legacy.
This tradition continues 40 years later. Band Aid 40 is set to feature a mix of previous artists, including pre-recorded voices of those who have since passed away, such as George Michael (2016) and Sinead O’Connor (2023). Overall, the Band Aid Charitable Trust has reportedly raised over £140 million in the past 40 years.
In 1985, the year following the original “Do They Know It’s Christmas’ release, the first ever Live Aid took place. The charity benefit concert was founded by Geldof and Ure following the success of the first single. It took place in Wembley Stadium, London, with a partner concert happening simultaneously in Pennsylvania, USA. The concert, which was shown in 150 countries, raised £114 million.
The single has been rerecorded on previous occasions, notably for the 20th and 30th anniversaries. In 2004 for the 20th anniversary version, more commonly known as Band Aid 20, artists such as Chris Martin of Coldplay, Bono of U2 and Fran Healy of Travis, all featured. On this occasion, the aim was to provide relief for Darfur, a region in the country of Sudan.
In 2014 for the 30th anniversary, known as Band Aid 30, artists such as One Directions, Rita Ora, Ed Sheeran and more all featured. This single aimed to raise money for the Ebola Crisis in Western Africa, which was rampant in 2014. According to The Guardian, when this single debuted on X Factor, the single raised £1 million in minutes.
Producer Trevor Horn has worked on the song to blend a mix of old and new voices. According to the BBC, artists including Ed Sheeran, Sting, Boy George, Sugababes, Sam Smith, Bono and Chris Martin will all be a part of the song, as well as Harry Styles, Rita Ora, Guy Garvey, Seal, Robbie Williams, Kool and the Gang, and Underworld. The new version is set to release on streaming services and radio on November 25. It will also be released in physical CD and LP form November 29.
