40 years after Bob Geldof and Bono released Band Aid’s charity single Do They Know It’s Christmas?, a brand new mix is being released.
Teased earlier this year, the single celebrates the 40th anniversary of the extraordinary 1984 song, in a new mix masterminded by Bob Geldof, Midge Ure and producer Trevor Horn.
An official statement said: “On Band Aid – 2024 Ultimate Mix you will hear a young Sting sing alongside a young Ed Sheeran. A young Boy George with a young Sam Smith. A young George Michael beside a young Harry Styles. The young Bono with an older Bono, Chris Martin with Guy Garvey, the Sugababes and Bananarama, Seal and Sinead O’Connor, Rita Ora and Robbie Williams, Kool and the Gang and Underworld.”
The single also features musical contributions from Paul McCartney, Phil Collins, Queen’s Roger Taylor, Paul Weller, Damon Albarn, Thom Yorke and Midge Ure.
Band Aid 40 remix
The song was originally recorded by the Band Aid supergroup of music stars assembled by Geldof and Ure in 1984 to raise money to fight famine in Ethiopia. Two other versions followed for its 20th and 30th anniversaries in 2004 and 2014, featuring other groups of singers and musicians.
Bob Geldof said that Do They Know It’s Christmas?, “tells the story not just of unbelievably great generational British talent, but still stands as a rebuke to that period in which it was first heard. The 80s proclaimed that ‘greed is good’. This song says it isn’t. It says it’s stupid.”
Proceeds from the new single will benefit the Band Aid Charitable Trust, and it is released on 25 November 2024.
Also soon to be celebrating its 40th anniversary is Live Aid, the global concert phenomenon that took place on 13 July 1985, organised by Bob Geldof and Midge Ure to raise money for the Ethiopian famine crisis.
Bob Geldof is involved in new West End musical Just For One Day – The Live Aid Musical, which is coming to the West End’s Shaftesbury Theatre in London in May 2025.
Just For One Day will play a central part in celebrating the Live Aid milestone, with a special gala performance on 13 July 2025.
Just For One Day – The Live Aid Musical Trailer
Directed by Luke Sheppard (& Juliet, Starlight Express), Just For One Day is written by John O’Farrell (Mrs Doubtfire, Something Rotten), with Live Aid’s Bob Geldof collaborating on the project, and will once again star Craige Els (Doctor Who, Matilda The Musical) as Bob Geldof, following his acclaimed performance in The Old Vic production, with further casting to be announced.
The songs in Just For One Day are many of the hits performed at the Live Aid event, including songs from Bob Dylan, David Bowie, The Who, U2, Queen, The Police, Elton John, Paul McCartney, The Pretenders, The Cars, Status Quo, Paul Weller, Sade, The Boomtown Rats, Bryan Adams, Diana Ross, Ultravox and more.
Just For One Day is playing at the Shaftesbury Theatre in London from 15 May 2025, booking to 10 January 2026.
Currently playing at the Shaftesbury Theatre is Mrs Doubtfire, until 26 April 2025.
Buy Do They Know It’s Christmas? here.
Book tickets to Just For One Day at the Shaftesbury Theatre in London
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