Band Aid's 'Do They Know It's Christmas?' gets new version to mark 40th anniversary
The '2024 Ultimate Mix' has been produced by Trevor Horn
Band Aid’s fundraising single ‘Do They Know It’s Christmas?’ has been reimagined with a new ‘2024 Ultimate Mix’ to mark its 40th anniversary.
Songwriters Bob Geldof and Midge Ure and Band Aid producer Trevor Horn have come together once again to mastermind the fresh mix of the famous song, which was first recorded in 1984 to raise money for famine relief in Ethiopia.
Set to premiere on Monday 25th November – the 40th anniversary of the recording of the original song - ‘Do They Know It’s Christmas? – 2024 Ultimate Mix’ is an amalgam of three different versions of the song that have been recorded over the decades as Band Aid (1984), Band Aid 20 (2004) and Band Aid 30 (2014).
Trevor Horn has taken the three recordings and, through music production techniques, blended all the voices of those separate generations into one seamless whole.
Among the singers and musicians who feature in the 2024 mix include U2’s Bono (young and older versions), Sting, Radiohead’s Thom Yorke and Jonny Greenwood, Paul Weller, Damon Albarn, The Darkness’ Justin Hawkins, Midge Ure, Phil Collins, Roger Taylor, Paul McCartney, Supergrass’ Danny Goffey, Gary Kemp and John Taylor.
Legendary pop artist Peter Blake, who is now 93, has been enlisted to create the fresh artwork for the 2024 mix 40 years on from his original.
Director Oliver Murray has also helmed a new video for ‘Do They Know It’s Christmas?’, which will also premiere on 25th November. Murray directed the poignant video for The Beatles’ ‘Now and Then’ in 2023.
‘Do They Know It’s Christmas? – 2024 Ultimate Mix’ is available to download and purchase on 1CD and 12” vinyl formats on Friday 29th November. Proceeds will go to The Band Aid Charitable Trust.
The CD and vinyl versions include the 1984, 2004 and 2014 versions of ‘Do They Know It’s Christmas?’ together with the new mix.
You can pre-order it HERE
Check out every UK Christmas Number 1 single:
1952
Al Martino - 'Here in My Heart'
1953
Frankie Laine - 'Answer Me'
1954
Winifred Atwell - 'Let's Have Another Party'
1955
Dickie Valentine - 'Christmas Alphabet'
1956
Johnnie Ray - 'Just Walking in the Rain'
1957
Harry Belafonte - 'Mary's Boy Child'
1958
Conway Twitty - 'It's Only Make Believe'
1959
Emile Ford and The Checkmates - 'What Do You Want to Make Those Eyes at Me For?'
1960
Cliff Richard and The Shadows - 'I Love You'
1961
Danny Williams - 'Moon River'
1962
Elvis Presley - 'Return to Sender'
1963
The Beatles - 'I Want to Hold Your Hand'
1964
The Beatles - 'I Feel Fine'
1965
The Beatles - 'Day Tripper/We Can Work It Out'
1966
Tom Jones - 'Green, Green Grass of Home'
1967
The Beatles - 'Hello, Goodbye'
1968
The Scaffold - 'Lily the Pink'
1970
Dave Edmunds - 'I Hear You Knocking'
1971
Benny Hill - 'Ernie (The Fastest Milkman in the West)'
1972
Little Jimmy Osmond - 'Long Haired Lover from Liverpool'
1973
Slade - 'Merry Xmas Everybody'
1974
Mud - 'Lonely This Christmas'
1975
Queen - 'Bohemian Rhapsody'
1976
Johnny Mathis - 'When a Child is Born'
1977
Wings - 'Mull of Kintyre/Girls' School'
1978
Boney M - 'Mary's Boy Child/Oh My Lord'
1979
Pink Floyd - 'Another Brick in the Wall (Part 2)'
1980
St. Winifred's School Choir - 'There's No One Quite Like Grandma'
1981
The Human League - 'Don't You Want Me'
1982
Renée and Renato - 'Save Your Love'
1983
The Flying Pickets - 'Only You'
1984
Band Aid - 'Do They Know It's Christmas?'
1985
Shakin' Stevens - 'Merry Christmas Everyone'
1986
Jackie Wilson - 'Reet Petite'
1987
Pet Shop Boys - 'Always on My Mind'
1988
Cliff Richard - 'Mistletoe & Wine'
1989
Band Aid II - 'Do They Know It's Christmas?'
1990
Cliff Richard - 'Saviour's Day'
1991
Queen - 'Bohemian Rhapsody/These Are the Days of Our Lives'
1992
Whitney Houston - 'I Will Always Love You'
1993
Mr Blobby - 'Mr Blobby'
1994
East 17 - 'Stay Another Day'
1995
Michael Jackson - 'Earth Song'
1996
Spice Girls - '2 Become 1'
1997
Spice Girls - 'Too Much'
1998
Spice Girls - 'Goodbye'
1999
Westlife - 'I Have a Dream/Seasons in the Sun'
2000
Bob the Builder - 'Can We Fix It?'
2001
Robbie Williams & Nicole Kidman - 'Somethin' Stupid'
2002
Girls Aloud - 'Sound of the Underground'
2003
Michael Andrews and Gary Jules - 'Mad World'
2004
Band Aid 20 - 'Do They Know It's Christmas?'
2005
Shayne Ward - 'That's My Goal'
2006
Leona Lewis - 'A Moment Like This'
2007
Leon Jackson - 'When You Believe'
2008
Alexandra Burke - 'Hallelujah'
2009
Rage Against the Machine - 'Killing in the Name'
2010
Matt Cardle - 'When We Collide'
2011
Military Wives with Gareth Malone - 'Wherever You Are'
2012
The Justice Collective - 'He Ain't Heavy, He's My Brother'
2013
Sam Bailey - 'Skyscaper'
2014
Ben Haenow - 'Something I Need'
2015
Lewisham and Greenwich NHS Choir - 'A Bridge Over You'
2016
Clean Bandit featuring Sean Paul & Anne-Marie - 'Rockabye'
2017
Ed Sheeran & Beyoncé - 'Perfect'
2018
'We Built This City ...on Sausage Rolls' - LadBaby
2019
'I Love Sausage Rolls' - LadBaby