Band Aid Brian Aris / Band Aid
A brand new model of Band Aid’s “Do They Know It’s Christmas?” has been introduced to rejoice the tune’s fortieth anniversary.
The charity single, first launched in 1984, has change into a festive staple through the years and the Band Aid Charitable Trust has raised over £140 million ($178 million) for causes equivalent to poverty in Africa. The tune was first written and arranged by Bob Geldof and Ultravox’s Midge Ure following a BBC report into famine in Ethiopia, and have become one of many best-selling singles of all-time within the U.Ok. and past.
Now the “Do They Know It’s Christmas? 2024 Ultimate Mix,” due out on Nov. 25, will mix voices from the 4 current variations of the monitor. The tune was re-recorded in 1989, 2004 and 2014 with new up to date singers. A brand new music video directed by Oliver Murray — who labored on the visuals for The Beatles’ AI-assisted tune “Now and Then” — might be launched on the identical date; watch the trailer under.
The confirmed vocal takes will embrace: Sting, Boy George and George Michael from the 1984 model; Bananarama from 1989’s version; Sugababes, Chris Martin and Robbie Williams from 2004’s re-record; Harry Styles, Ed Sheeran and Sam Smith from 2014’s model, amongst others. U2’s Bono – who has appeared on a number of variations of the only – will seem as a vocalist thrice within the new model.
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The Band Aid home band fuses instrumental takes through the years from Paul McCartney, Phil Collins, Thom Yorke, Paul Weller, Damon Albarn and extra. The tune has been produced by Trevor Horn, whose credit embrace The Buggles’ “Video Killed The Radio Star” and work by Spandau Ballet and the Pet Shop Boys.
Upon launch, the only grew to become the fastest-selling U.Ok. Single of all time, till it was toppled by Elton John’s “Candle In the Wind” in 1997. Every model of the tune has hit No.1 on the Official Singles Chart within the U.Ok., whereas the tune peaked at No. 13 on the Billboard Hot 100.
The success of the tune spawned a number of occasions together with Live Aid in 1985 which first befell at London’s Wembley Stadium and Philadelphia’s John F. Kennedy Stadium. The tune and music video’s depiction of Africa, nevertheless, has drawn criticism through the years with Moky Makura, govt director of non-profit group Africa No Filter writing in The Guardian that “[Live Aid’s] portrayal of Africa triggered the birth of a patronizing industry whose mission it was to ‘save Africa.’”
