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The Latest Breaking News from Band Aid

Band Aid 40 fails to reach UK Top 40 in opening week

All-star version of Do They Know It’s Christmas?, spliced together from previous versions, falls short of the No 1 success of those earlier hits

The Guardian - UK

Bob Geldof received emotional thank you from Ethiopian waiter for changing his life

Bob Geldof received an emotional thank you from an Ethiopian waiter whose life was changed by Band Aid.

BANG Premier

Ed Sheeran announces ‘biggest ever’ India tour

Grammy winner performed a sold-out show in Mumbai earlier this year

The Independent UK

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Bob Geldof wants to 'have a talk' with Ed Sheeran

Bob Geldof plans to "have a talk" with Ed Sheeran following his criticism of the new Band Aid 40 release but insisted he thinks the 'Shape of You' singer is a "really good bloke".

BANG Premier

Liam Payne’s Vocals Have Been Used Posthumously On The Same Christmas Song Slammed By Ed Sheeran

“Had I had the choice, I would have respectfully declined,” Sheeran said of his involvement in the song.

Pedestrian.tv

Band Aid sang ‘feed the world’ 40 years ago – where is hunger still an issue today?

The 40th-anniversary remake of Band Aid’s Do They Know It’s Christmas? charity hit was released on November 25. The new mix, which features vocals recycled from previous versions of the single, still includes the original track’s “feed the world” message and lyrics.

The Conversation

The Long Wave: How Brazil is celebrating its Black heritage

Afro-Brazilians marked Black Consciousness Day as a national holiday for the first time, but the celebrations are facing resistance. Plus, a fertility ‘miracle’ rattles Nigeria and Kendrick Lamar’s surprise drop

The Guardian - UK

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Ricky Gervais leaves Bob Geldof unimpressed after cracking joke about Band Aid star on One Show

BBC series’s host Angellica Bell placed her head in her hands after Gervais made the quip

The Independent UK

Bob Geldof says he will chat to Ed Sheeran after his criticism of Band Aid 40 charity single

The singer-songwriter said he didn’t give permission for his vocals to be used on the latest iteration of the classic song

Evening Standard

Bob Geldof says he’ll ‘chat’ to Ed Sheeran as listeners call Band Aid 40 song ‘awful’

‘The debate must be made and it means we can argue our point of view even more strongly’

The Independent UK

Mike Stock hits out at Bob Geldof for omitting Band Aid II from Do They Know It's Christmas? Ultimate Mix

Record producer Mike Stock has hit out at Bob Geldof for reducing 1989's Band Aid II to a "footnote" as it is not included in the new 40th anniversary 'Ultimate Mix' of 'Do They Know It's Christmas?'.

BANG Premier

‘Everyone was happy, but it became annoying’: Ethiopians look back on Band Aid

London cafe owner Yared Markos, 48, saw ‘aeroplanes, biscuits, sweets and cake all over Addis Ababa’ after song’s release

The Guardian - UK

Bob Geldof tells Band Aid 40 critics to ‘shut up’ as he declares charity single is ‘perfect’

Bob Geldof has defended the Band Aid 40 charity single release following backlash from several artists.

The Independent UK

“We were on our way to our Christmas party when Bob Geldof called us and said ‘It’s your turn’”: The story of Band Aid II, the Do They Know It’s Christmas? they tried to forget

With the 40th anniversary remix featuring nothing from 1989’s version, let’s take a deep dive into the big-selling charity single that no one remembers

MusicRadar

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Evening Standard

Band Aid stars hit out at Ed Sheeran over vocal permission complaint on charity single

Spandau Ballet’s Tony Hadley and the song’s producer, Trevor Horn, defended the intentions behind the charity single

The Independent UK

Live Aid promoter dismisses ‘woke do-gooders’ questioning Band Aid after Ed Sheeran statement

Harvey Goldsmith’s comments come after Sheeran said he had changed his stance on the charity single ‘Do They Know It’s Christmas?’

Evening Standard

Band Aid 40 branded 'horrific' by listeners as Bob Geldof breaks down in tears over 'work of art' charity song

Listeners said the charity single doesn’t have ‘a patch on the original’ after it aired on BBC Radio 2 Monday morning - but others have leapt to defence of song

Evening Standard

Bob Geldolf praises Liam Payne as he's left in tears sharing Band Aid 40 first listen

Geldof released a new version of the charity song to mark the 40th anniversary of Band Aid fhat features the late One Direction star

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BANG Premier

Bob Geldof defends Band Aid 40

Bob Geldof has brushed off Ed Sheeran's criticism of the new Band Aid 40 release and pledged to continue to help the poorest people in Africa.

Evening Standard

Bob Geldof defends Band Aid single: This pop song has kept millions alive

Ed Sheeran said last week that they did not ask for permission to re-use his vocals from when he sang on Band Aid 30 in 2014.

The Independent UK

Bob Geldof responds to Ed Sheeran statement on Band Aid song ‘Do They Know It’s Christmas?’

Sheeran said his perspective on the song had changed after listening to fellow musician Fuse ODG

The Guardian - UK

As Band Aid marks 40th anniversary critics take aim at Africa stereotypes

Latest version of Do They Know It’s Christmas fundraiser reignites debate about ‘problematic’ lyrics and imagery

The Guardian - UK

Ed Sheeran should know Band Aid did a lot of good, but development is better

Letter: The pop star has spoken out against his inclusion on the latest single – reflecting a common point of confusion about aid, writes Benny Dembitzer

Evening Standard

Christmas number one contenders revealed: Will Wicked or Band Aid take top spot?

Last year Wham! claimed the top spot with Last Christmas.

MusicRadar

“Bono took me aside and asked if I was sure I wanted him to sing this line”: Bob Geldof remembers what the U2 singer said to him before he recorded his vocals on Band Aid’s Do They Know It’s Christmas?

“I was able to say, this is not soggy liberalism; this is coded anger,” Geldof recalls

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