Band Aid Announce Latest 40th Anniversary Mix Of 'Do They Know It's Christmas?' Featuring Bono, Harry Styles and more

A new version of Band Aid's 'Do They Know It's Christmas?' has been announced to celebrate the song's 40th anniversary.

The charity single, first released in 1984, has become a festive staple over the years and the Band Aid Charitable Trust has lifted up over £140 million ($178 million) to causes such as poverty in Africa; The song was first written and arranged by Bob Geldof and Midge Ure of Ultravox after a BBC mention the famine in Ethiopia and became one of the biggest selling singles of all time in the UK and beyond.

Now the 'Do they know it's Christmas? The 2024 Ultimate Mix', due for release on November 25, will combine vocals from the four existing versions of the track. The song was re-recorded in 1989, 2004 and 2014 with new contemporary singers. A new music video directed by Oliver Murray – who worked on the visuals for the Beatles' AI-assisted song 'Now and Then' – will be released on the same date. watch the trailer below.

Confirmed vocals will include: Sting, Boy George and George Michael from the 1984 version. Bananarama from the 1989 version. Sugababes, Chris Martin and Robbie Williams from the 2004 remake. Harry Styles, Ed Sheeran and Sam Smith from the 2014 edition, among others. U2's Bono – who has appeared on multiple versions of the single – will appear on vocals three times on the new version.

The Band Aid house band fuses instrumental takes over the years from Paul McCartney, Phil Collins, Thom Yorke, Paul Weller, Damon Albarn and more. The song was produced by Trevor Horn, whose credits include “Video Killed The Radio Star” by The Buggles and work by Spandau Ballet and Pet Shop Boys.

Upon release, the single became the UK's biggest-selling single of all time, until it was overtaken by Elton John's “Candle In the Wind” in 1997. Every version of the song reached No.1 Official Singles Chart in the UK, while the song peaked at No. 13 on the Billboard Hot 100.

The song's success spawned several events, including Live Aid in 1985 which took place for the first time at London's Wembley Stadium and Philadelphia's John F. Kennedy Stadium. However, the song and music video's portrayal of Africa has drawn criticism over the years with Moky Makura, executive director of the non-profit organization Africa No Filter writing in The Guardian that “[Live Aid’s] The depiction of Africa sparked the birth of a support industry whose mission was to 'save Africa'.