A new version of Band Aid’s charity single, “Do They Know It’s Christmas?,” will be released on November 25 to celebrate the song’s 40th anniversary. The benefit song was originally released back in 1984, ultimately raising over £140 million ($178 million) for Band Aid Charitable Trust to help fight against poverty in Africa. The song was written and organized by Bob Geldof and Ultravox’s Midge Ure, becoming one of the best-selling singles of all-time in the U.K. The tune was subsequently re-recorded in 1989, 2004, and 2014, featuring a new lineup of contemporary singers in each different version.
The upcoming release of “Do They Know It’s Christmas? 2024 Ultimate Mix,” will combine the various voices from all four existing versions of the track. Sting, Boy George and George Michael (1984), Bananarama (1989), Sugababes, Chris Martin, and Robbie Williams (2004), Harry Styles, Ed Sheeran, and Sam Smith (2014) will all be featured vocalists, along with U2’s Bono, who appeared on multiple versions of the single and will appear three times in the new mix. (Billboard)