Every ‘Do They Know It’s Christmas?’ Singer: Where Are They Now?
An all-star ensemble dubbed Band Aid released the instant holiday classic "Do They Know It's Christmas?" in December 1984.
The recording session took place just a week prior to the charity single's release, and was organized by Boomtown Rats singer Bob Geldof and Ultravox's Midge Ure. They co-wrote the track and were also among the 37 artists who performed.
Others contributors included Bono and Adam Clayton of U2, Sting, Phil Collins, Duran Duran, George Michael and Boy George. Impressively, the celebrity clout continued on the single's B side, as Paul McCartney and David Bowie each recorded spoken-word messages for the project.
"Do They Know It's Christmas?" became fastest-selling single in U.K. chart history, before eventually being overtaken by Elton John's "Candle in the Wind 1997." Millions of copies were sold worldwide, with an estimated $24 million raised to fight famine in Ethiopia. It's often dismissed by critics, and decried for starting the celebrity charity-single trend, but the song remains a staple.
“As a record, it’s exceptional; as a moment in time, it’s phenomenal for what it was,” Ure admitted to Yahoo in 2019, “but as a song, meh. It’s no ‘White Christmas.’ I still think of it as an OK song that became something much better than it actually was.”
For some participants, "Do They Know It's Christmas?" was just another highlight in their long and impressive career. For others, it was the last moment in the musical spotlight before things came crashing down. Below, we look at all 37 featured performers, with updates on what happened next.
'Do They Know It's Christmas?' Artists: Where Are They Now?
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