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The Latest Breaking News from Band Aid

What is Band Aid 40? The charity Christmas single that's causing controversy

Musicians are distancing themselves from the “colonial” Christmas single, but Bob Geldof refuses to change the lyrics

Evening Standard

Ed Sheeran: I wish I wasn’t on 40th-anniversary version of Band Aid

Singer says his ‘understanding of the narrative’ around Do They Know It’s Christmas? has changed since 2014 appearance

The Guardian - UK

“If I had the choice I would have respectfully declined the use of my vocals”: Ed Sheeran says he didn’t want to be on new Band Aid record

His vocals were used without his permission

MusicRadar

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Ed Sheeran didn't give Band Aid 40 'approval' to use his vocals

Ed Sheeran has claimed Bob Geldof and Midge Ure didn't ask for his permission to use his vocals on the '2024 Ultimate Mix' of 'Do They Know It's Christmas?'.

BANG Premier

Ed Sheeran shares statement accusing Band Aid of ‘dehumanising Africans’

Sharing a separate statement by Ghanaian-British star Fuse ODG, the singer-songwriter said his understanding of the narrative around Band Aid’s controversial charity singles had ‘changed’

The Independent UK

Band Aid at 40: how the problematic Christmas hit changed the charity sector

In November 1984, BBC journalist Michael Buerk presented a series of dispatches from the small town of Korem in northern Ethiopia. He described the scenes he encountered as a famine of “biblical proportions” and that aid workers in the region had told him it was “the closest thing to hell…

The Conversation

"Still stands as a rebuke to that period in which it was first heard": Bob Geldof announces new remixed version of Do They Know It’s Christmas for single’s 40th anniversary

But how effective will it be as a fundraiser?

MusicRadar

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Band Aid: New version of Do They Know It's Christmas? released for 40th anniversary

The 40th anniversary edition will feature a mix of voices from the three previous editions of the song in 1984, 2004, and 2014

Evening Standard

Band Aid back with new 40th anniversary mix of Do They Know It's Christmas?

Band Aid is back with the '2024 Ultimate Mix' to mark 40 years of the 'song that changed the world'.

BANG Premier

Do They Know It’s Christmas? The pop stars involved in the 2024 version

Organiser Sir Bob Geldof said the song serves as a rebuke to the Eighties notion that ‘greed is good’

The Independent UK

Band Aid’s Do They Know It’s Christmas? reissued as all-star mashup – including three generations of Bono

Fortieth-anniversary edition is spliced together by Trevor Horn from previous versions of the song, including snippets of George Michael, Ed Sheeran and more

The Guardian - UK

Unseen Band Aid footage set to air in Do They Know It's Christmas? documentary

Unseen footage from the very first Band Aid recording session for 'Do They Know It's Christmas?' will air in a new BBC documentary about the 1984 charity single.

BANG Premier

BBC to mark 40th anniversary of Band Aid single Do They Know It’s Christmas?

The chart-topping charity song brought together a number of British rock stars.

Evening Standard

Wrangling with Abba, risking jail for the Stone Roses … the lawyer behind pop’s big spats

John Kennedy sparred with the Swedes over Mamma Mia! and took on the Rolling Stones for Richard Ashcroft – he tells us why he’s still arguing with Bob Geldof after 40 years

The Guardian - UK

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Louder

“We hesitated to say yes. The chances of making fools of ourselves were so big”: Live Aid was Queen’s crowning glory. But they nearly turned it down

In the brand new issue of Classic Rock, Queen reveal how one of the greatest live performances in history almost didn’t happen

The Guardian - UK

Surrender: 40 Songs, One Story by Bono audiobook review – unexpected humility

The U2 frontman narrates his own autobiography, using music to look back on his life - Band Aid hubris, iTunes regrets and all

Louder

"Bob walked in and started berating everyone that was eating." How a furious Bob Geldof ruined a posh feast and inadvertently had Michael Jackson, Tina Turner, Springsteen and the rest eating chicken and waffles during We Are The World

This is one anecdote that seems to have been left off of Netflix's The Greatest Night In Pop documentary

MusicRadar

“Check your ego at the door”: The story of USA for Africa’s We Are The World (and why Prince and Madonna aren’t on it)

A new Netflix documentary is set to shed light on the making of the US chart’s fastest-selling hit. We look back at the making of song, and ask why two of the biggest stars of the ‘80s weren’t at the party

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news in one place.

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The Guardian - UK

Who is the only person to sing their own name in Do They Know It’s Christmas? Try our 2023 festive No 1s quiz

Big on Band Aid? Mad for Mad World? As much a savant of sausage rolls as LadBaby? It’s time to put your festive chart knowledge where your mouth is with our quiz

The Guardian - UK

Wham!’s Last Christmas finally reaches Christmas No 1, 39 years after release

‘Mission accomplished!’ says Andrew Ridgeley, while Cher becomes oldest woman to score a UK Top 40 hit

The Independent UK

‘It’s mission accomplished’: Wham! secure Christmas No 1 with ‘Last Christmas’ as Sam Ryder lands No 2

Eighties pop duo landed the top spot on the Christmas charts 39 years after the song’s original release, following a battle between four other heavyweights including Mariah Carey and The Pogues

MusicRadar

"Status Quo locked Spandau Ballet in the toilets": The story behind the recording of Band Aid's Do They Know It's Christmas?

"I had to record all these vocals and mix the record that night. It was a 24-hour gig": the recording engineer behind the first great charity record reveals all

Metal Hammer

"It's going to be chaotic!": Brian May shares amazing rare footage of Queen rehearsing for Live Aid, and being interviewed ahead of their iconic Wembley Stadium performance

Watch priceless footage of Queen rehearsing Bohemian Rhapsody, Radio Ga Ga and more ahead of their spectacular 1985 Live Aid performance

Evening Standard

Midge Ure’s former home up for sale: Chiswick house where Band Aid recorded 1984 charity hit listed for £3.5 million

The Ultravox singer came up with the melody for Do They Know It’s Christmas? in the kitchen of the Grosvenor Road address

Dublin Live

Bob Geldof receives backlash after misgendering Sam Smith on This Morning

The Dubliner received backlash online as he continued to refer to the the non-binary singer as 'he'.

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