Band Aid 40: Where the original singers are now as Do They Know It's Christmas? returns for 2024

Bob Geldof arrives for the recording of the Band Aid 30 single at Sarm Studios in Notting Hill, London in 2014 (Anthony Devlin/PA Archive)
Bob Geldof arrives for the recording of the Band Aid 30 single at Sarm Studios in Notting Hill, London in 2014 (Anthony Devlin/PA Archive)

It has long been considered a classic Christmas song and now Do They Know It’s Christmas? is receiving a refresh to mark its 40th anniversary.

Originally released in 1984, the song – and the trust formed to administer the funds raised from it – have raised over £140 million to tackle poverty in Africa.

The new version of the charity single will blend the voices of the stars featured on three previous editions of the song. A second version of the hit featured Kylie Minogue and Bananarama in 1989; however, the upcoming version will feature the audio of the original song, the 20th-anniversary version released in 2004 (which included Dizzee Rascal, Robbie Williams and the Sugababes) and the Band Aid 30 version released in 2014 (which the likes of Ed Sheeran, Rita Ora and One Direction contributed to).

However not everyone is happy with the plans for the song, which is due to be released on November 25. In an Instagram story posted on November 17, Sheeran wrote: “My approval wasn’t sought on this new Band Aid 40 release and had I had the choice I would have respectfully declined the use of my vocals,” the Grammy Award-winner wrote.

“A decade on and my understanding of the narrative associated with this has changed, eloquently explained by @fuseodg. This is just my personal stance, I’m hoping it’s a forward-looking one. Love to all x.”

The singer’s statement was featured in a repost of a story by rapper Fuse ODG, who said that he “refused” to be a part of the Band Aid 30 version as he feels the song perpetuates “damaging stereotypes that stife Africa’s economic growth, tourism and investment”.

As we gear up for yet another version of the song, where are the singers that featured on the original 1984 hit now?

Bob Geldof

Geldof, pictured here in 2023, has been at the helm of all released versions of the song (Vianney Le Caer/Invision/AP)
Geldof, pictured here in 2023, has been at the helm of all released versions of the song (Vianney Le Caer/Invision/AP)

The rock legend was one of the organisers of the original supergroup, although his late ex-wife Paula Yates was said to have rallied many of its famous members. The 73-year-old, who came to prominence in the 1970s as the lead singer of the Boomtown Rats, has worked behind the scenes on every version of the song released since, but has otherwise kept a low profile in recent years, focusing on his activism and charity work dedicated to causes including the Africa Progress Panel and Ukrainian refugees.

Geldof has suffered loss many times in his life, including losing ex-wife Yates to a heroin overdose in 2000 and 25-year-old daughter Peaches to the same fate in 2014.

Bono

Bono has won 22 Grammy Awards as part of U2 (PA Archive)
Bono has won 22 Grammy Awards as part of U2 (PA Archive)

The U2 frontman and activist has featured on every version of the song released so far and will be as a vocalist on the upcoming version.

Aside from touring the world and collecting a trophy cabinet worth of Grammy Awards (22) with the band, in recent years the 64-year-old has immersed himself in HIV activism, line drawing, film and in 2022 released a best-selling memoir, Surrender. His daughter is actress Eve Hewson.

Phil Collins

Collins, pictured here with his daughter Lily in 2012, continues to perform (Todd Williamson/Getty Images For Relativity Media)
Collins, pictured here with his daughter Lily in 2012, continues to perform (Todd Williamson/Getty Images For Relativity Media)

These days, the 73-year-old In The Air Tonight hitmaker is still performing, despite suffering from a number of health conditions including pancreatitis. In 2021 he reunited with his Genesis bandmates for a tour of the United States and Europe and in 2017 performed his biggest solo concert at London’s BST Hyde Park. His daughter, Lily Collins, stars in Netflix series Emily in Paris.

George Michael

The late George Michael is said to have sold over 125 million records around the world (PA Archive)
The late George Michael is said to have sold over 125 million records around the world (PA Archive)

First gaining recognition for his career in pop duo Wham! and later for his solo career, George Michael was one of the most successful recording artists of all time, with 13 UK No 1 singles to his name.

An LGBTQIA+ rights campaigner and gay icon, his tumultuous personal life made headlines in the late Nineties before he made a musical comeback with his critically and commercially successful (and final) studio album Patience in 2004. Michael died on Christmas Day in 2016 due to natural causes aged 53.

Midge Ure

The Thin Lizzy and Slik star has been open about his struggles with alcoholism in the past (PA Archive)
The Thin Lizzy and Slik star has been open about his struggles with alcoholism in the past (PA Archive)

With Geldof, Midge Ure was one of the original organisers of Band Aid, after enjoying success in Ultravox, Slik and Thin Lizzy. A trustee of the Band Aid Trust, he celebrated his 70th birthday with a special performance at the Royal Albert Hall last year and has opened up about the personal struggles he experienced later in life, including alcoholism, which he detailed in his 2005 memoir If I Was.

Boy George

Boy George has continued to perform and star in reality TV shows (Chris Pizzello/Invision/AP)
Boy George has continued to perform and star in reality TV shows (Chris Pizzello/Invision/AP)

George, 63, embarked on a solo career after Culture Club disbanded shortly after the release of Do They Know It’s Christmas? After serving a four-month prison sentence for imprisoning a male escort in the late Noughties, George has appeared on a number of television programmes, including a stint as a judge on BBC’s The Voice UK, as an I’m a Celeb campmate and cameos in The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills and RuPaul’s Drag Race UK.

Paul McCartney

The ex-Beatle Paul McCartney became the oldest solo performer to headline Glastonbury in 2022 at the age of 80 (PA Archive)
The ex-Beatle Paul McCartney became the oldest solo performer to headline Glastonbury in 2022 at the age of 80 (PA Archive)

The Beatles legend continued his very successful solo career after the single’s release. In 2005 he headlined the Super Bowl XXXIX, in 2022 he headlined Glastonbury (becoming the oldest solo headliner in the festival’s history) and later that year he won a Primetime Emmy Award as a producer of the documentary The Beatles: Get Back.

David Bowie

David Bowie died from liver cancer in 2016 (PA Archive)
David Bowie died from liver cancer in 2016 (PA Archive)

David Bowie is of the most acclaimed of all musical artists. The shapeshifting art rock icon announced an end to his live performances in 2006 but he continued making music until his death from liver cancer in 2016, including his critically acclaimed final album, Blackstar, which was released two days before his death. The album won three Grammys and album of the year award at the 2017 Brit Awards.

Bananarama

The band’s original lineup reunited for a series of performances in 2017 and 2018 (Getty Images)
The band’s original lineup reunited for a series of performances in 2017 and 2018 (Getty Images)

Once a trio and now a duo, the pop group enjoyed continued chart success after performing on Band Aid’s original and 1989 versions. Siobhan Fahey, who left the group in 1988, rejoined in 2017 for the band’s sold-out UK and US tours. Although she has since departed, founding members Sara Dallin and Keren Woodward released the band’s most recent album, Masquerade, in 2022.