Listeners tuning in to hear the revamped Band Aid 40 charity single have branded it a ‘hot mess’ and claimed the song has been ‘absolutely ruined’.
To celebrate the iconic charity track’s 40th Anniversary, a brand new version – Do They Know It’s Christmas? 2024 Ultimate Mix – alongside a special video, has been released on Monday.
Do They Know It’s Christmas? has been recorded on three separate occasions, Band Aid (1984), Band Aid 20 (2004) and Band Aid 30 (2014), offering snapshots at some of music’s biggest stars, and how they’ve changed throughout the decades.
To mark the occasion, producer Trevor Horn has taken the three recordings and, through extraordinary music production techniques, blended all the voices of those separate generations into one seamless track.
However, the latest offering hasn’t gone down well with listeners hearing the first glimpse of the track on BBC Radio 2, with many taking to X to slam the song.
Meanwhile, the song’s creator Bob Geldof broke down in tears as he joined presenter Zoe Ball on her morning show to listen to the track, as he hailed it a ‘work of art’.
Listeners tuning in to hear the revamped Band Aid 40 charity single have branded it a ‘hot mess’ and claimed the song has been ‘absolutely ruined’ [the song’s creators Midge Ure and Bob Gelfof in 2004]
Band Aid has returned with a brand new version to mark the iconic charity track’s 40th Anniversary (the stars of the original 1984 track are pictured)
Sharing their thoughts on the platform, formerly known as Twitter, listeners made their thoughts very clear about the revamped single.
They penned: ‘What the f**king f**k have they done to #BandAid?’
‘Oh god. It’s just so bad’; ‘Well this is a load of sh*te. Absolutely ruined it’
‘Just heard the new version…Utterly crap; ‘I’m sorry but that’s a hot mess’
‘Not feeling the new Band Aid single’; ‘What fresh hell is this’
‘#BandAid40 have set back famine relief forty one years.’
However, some listeners had a differing view and instead praised the song, with one admitting they were left in ‘tears’ at the track.
They penned: ‘Sir Bob has done the song proud, I was worried about another version but it was good and had me sat in the car in tears doing the sch run! Such an iconic song for such a good cause.’
Sharing their thoughts on the platform, formerly known as Twitter, listeners made their thoughts very clear about the revamped single
‘Wasn’t expecting much but it was a lot better than I thought it would be’; ‘heart full listening to it’
‘Hearing @PaulYoungParlez and that opening line bought a tear to my eye, very good! #BandAid40’
Meanwhile, ahead of the mixed response from listeners, Bob Geldof, 73, became emotional and choked back as he listened to the song on the radio for the first time.
He told Zoe, 54: ‘I think it’s a work of art. Aren’t the voices incredible? I think it’s one of the greatest production art that has ever been done on a rock and roll record.’
Unveiled on 25th November, on Band Aid – 2024 Ultimate Mix sees a young Sting sing alongside a young Ed Sheeran, a young Boy George with a young Sam Smith, a young George Michael beside a young Harry Styles.
The young Bono with an older Bono, Chris Martin with Guy Garvey, the Sugababes and Bananarama, Seal and Sinead O’Connor, Rita Ora and Robbie Williams, Kool and the Gang and Underworld.
Other stars featuring include Paul McCartney, Sting, John Taylor, Phil Collins, Roger Taylor, Paul Weller, Damon Albarn, Midge Ure, Johnny Greenwood, Gary Kemp and Justin Hawkins.
The song was unveiled on Monday November 25 with plays across UK breakfast time radio, with the video being unveiled later in the evening.
However, some listeners had a differing view and instead praised the song, with one admitting they were left in ‘tears’ at the track
Meanwhile, the song’s creator Bob Geldof broke down in tears as he joined presenter Zoe Ball on her morning show to listen to the track, as he hailed it a ‘work of art’
Band Aid’s first version offered a snapshot of some of the 1980s’ biggest stars, with names including George Michael, Boy George, Spandau Ballet and Banarama all featuring.
A second recording of the track was released in 2004, and featured Noughties favourites such as Busted, Robbie Williams, Daniel Bedingfield, Snow Patrol and The Sugababes.
In 2014, the last version of Band Aid was released, and despite featuring names such as One Direction, Olly Murs, Paloma Faith and Rita Ora, though lyrics were changed to reflect its effort to raise funds for the Ebola outbreak in Africa.
This move came under fire from some critics, with some saying the lyrics are outdated and perpetuate negative stereotypes of African countries which could harm their world image.