Band Aid

Band Aid was a multi-member supergroup set up in 1984 by Bob Geldof in order to make a record to raise money for anti-famine efforts in Ethiopia. Geldof was moved by a BBC News report on famine conditions in the country and contacted Midge Ure in order to write a song to be performed by leading UK and Irish pop artists of the time.

The recording of Do They Know It's Christmas? took place in one day on Sunday 25 November 1984 and the single was released four days later, going straight to no.1 in the UK the following week. The Band Aid project spawned the global Live Aid event in July 1985 as well as several similar projects such as Ferry Aid, USA For Africa, Band Aid II, Band Aid 20 and Band Aid 30.