Ed Sheerhan adds a note of controversy to 40th anniversary release

As a child of the ’80s, I vividly remember the impact “Do They Know It’s Christmas?” and Live Aid had on me and the world. The spirit of unity and charity that these events embodied was truly inspiring. So, when I heard about the 40th-anniversary version of the song, I was overjoyed to see a new generation coming together for a cause.


This year celebrates the 40th milestone since Bob Geldof and Midge Ure coordinated the Band-Aid charity single, “Do They Know It’s Christmas,” showcasing numerous music legends. The following year saw the staging of the iconic Live Aid concerts. As the anniversary nears, there are reports of a revamped version of the song and a hint of controversy as well.

In 1984, the song made a massive global impact upon its release. Notably, it brought together numerous artists to perform it. This single subsequently generated enormous amounts for charity and initiated the Live Aid concerts for additional fundraising, aiming to assist with aid for the famine in Africa. It is widely known that the Band Aid Charitable Trust has accumulated more than £140 million over the years through these efforts.

For the fourth decade milestone, it’s not unexpected that a unique 40th anniversary version is unveiled, built upon remixes from three prior celebrations. This new rendition showcases an array of vocal performances spanning various years, with a host of celebrated artists contributing once more. The roster includes Harry Styles, George Michael, Sinead O’Connor, Ed Sheeran, among others. Notably, Trevor Horn continues to orchestrate the harmonious blend and mix of these talented voices for this latest production.

Ed Sheeran has a concern over Band Aid anniversary single

It turns out that there’s an unexpected situation for Ed Sheeran: According to the BBC report, he expressed on Instagram that he was not granted permission to use his voice once more. Sheeran stated that he would not have consented if asked for approval in this instance.

Originally, I wasn’t consulted about the latest Band Aid 40 release, but if given the opportunity, I would have politely declined using my voice for it.

Musician FuseODG shared on Instagram that he had previously declined a request to lend his voice to a song, which has added an element of intrigue to the track. However, this isn’t uncharted territory for Geldof, as he has been no stranger to controversy throughout his career.

Without a doubt, the generous and perhaps festive spirit will conquer any obstacles. The album is set to drop on November 24th. Additionally, there’ll be a fresh video from Oliver Murray, who produced the one for The Beatles’ “Now And Then” single. It’s also anticipated that this video will incorporate old footage as well.

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2024-11-19 17:00