From Planet Rock,
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.
Band Aid © AlamY
The original Band Aid ensemble in 1984
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
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