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DO THEY KNOW IT'S CHRISTMAS?
by BAND AID

Band Aid's Do They Know It's Christmas? was inspired by a BBC News report on the famine in Ethiopia, Boomtown Rat Bob Geldof contacted Ultravox’s Midge Ure with a view to writing a song in order to raise some money, and assembled some of 1984’s top hitmakers into SARM Studios to record it.

Called Band Aid, the 37 performers at that point claimed 23 Number 1 singles between them, including Sting (with The Police), George Michael (both solo and with Wham!), Paul Weller (with The Jam), Paul Young, Phil Collins, Culture Club, Spandau Ballet, Duran Duran, Boomtown Rats and Status Quo. Also present were members of U2, Ultravox, Kool & The Gang, Bananarama, Heaven 17 and singers Marilyn and Jody Watley.

Do They Know It’s Christmas was rush-released on December 3, 1984 and entered the UK Official Singles Chart at Number 1 for five weeks selling over a million copies in its first week and claiming the Christmas Number 1 1984 crown.

The legacy of Band Aid has continued, with three subsequent sequels; Band Aid II in 1989, Band Aid 20 in 2004 and Band Aid 30 in 2014 each with a new group of pop stars, all three of which also claimed Number 1 in the UK.

Do They Know It's Christmas - Band Aid

Music video

Official Charts logo Official Singles Chart

Chart facts

  • Peak position1
  • LabelMERCURY
  • Catalogue numberFEED1
  • First Chart Date

Weeks on chart

  1. 5No1
  2. 18Top 10
  3. 40Top 20
  4. 58Top 40
  5. 94Top 75
  6. 105Top 100

Chart run

= Peak position = This week

13 weeks - 15/12/1984 to 09/03/1985

7 weeks - 07/12/1985 to 18/01/1986

1 week - 08/02/1986

3 weeks - 20/12/1986 to 03/01/1987

4 weeks - 15/12/2007 to 05/01/2008

4 weeks - 13/12/2008 to 03/01/2009

4 weeks - 12/12/2009 to 02/01/2010

4 weeks - 11/12/2010 to 01/01/2011

4 weeks - 10/12/2011 to 31/12/2011

4 weeks - 08/12/2012 to 29/12/2012

3 weeks - 14/12/2013 to 28/12/2013

6 weeks - 29/11/2014 to 03/01/2015

4 weeks - 17/12/2015 to 07/01/2016

4 weeks - 15/12/2016 to 05/01/2017

5 weeks - 07/12/2017 to 04/01/2018

5 weeks - 06/12/2018 to 03/01/2019

5 weeks - 05/12/2019 to 02/01/2020

7 weeks - 26/11/2020 to 07/01/2021

6 weeks - 02/12/2021 to 06/01/2022

6 weeks - 01/12/2022 to 05/01/2023

6 weeks - 30/11/2023 to 04/01/2024

Buy

Official Charts logo Official Singles Chart Update

Chart facts

  • Peak position7
  • LabelMERCURY
  • Catalogue numberGBF088400001
  • First Chart Date

Weeks on chart

  1. 0No1
  2. 5Top 10
  3. 24Top 20
  4. 31Top 40
  5. 44Top 75
  6. 49Top 100

Chart run

= Peak position = This week

6 weeks - 25/11/2014 to 30/12/2014

3 weeks - 13/12/2015 to 27/12/2015

3 weeks - 11/12/2016 to 25/12/2016

3 weeks - 10/12/2017 to 24/12/2017

4 weeks - 09/12/2018 to 30/12/2018

6 weeks - 01/12/2019 to 05/01/2020

7 weeks - 22/11/2020 to 03/01/2021

5 weeks - 28/11/2021 to 02/01/2022

5 weeks - 27/11/2022 to 01/01/2023

6 weeks - 26/11/2023 to 31/12/2023

1 week - 24/11/2024

Buy

Official Charts logo Official Singles Sales Chart

Chart facts

  • Peak position36
  • LabelMERCURY
  • Catalogue numberGBF088400001
  • First Chart Date

Weeks on chart

  1. 0No1
  2. 0Top 10
  3. 0Top 20
  4. 7Top 40
  5. 38Top 75
  6. 46Top 100

Chart run

= Peak position = This week

5 weeks - 29/11/2014 to 27/12/2014

4 weeks - 10/12/2015 to 31/12/2015

4 weeks - 08/12/2016 to 29/12/2016

5 weeks - 07/12/2017 to 04/01/2018

4 weeks - 13/12/2018 to 03/01/2019

5 weeks - 05/12/2019 to 02/01/2020

5 weeks - 03/12/2020 to 31/12/2020

5 weeks - 09/12/2021 to 06/01/2022

5 weeks - 08/12/2022 to 05/01/2023

4 weeks - 14/12/2023 to 04/01/2024

Buy

Official Charts logo Official Singles Downloads Chart

Chart facts

  • Peak position6
  • LabelMERCURY
  • Catalogue numberGBF088400001
  • First Chart Date

Weeks on chart

  1. 0No1
  2. 4Top 10
  3. 6Top 20
  4. 23Top 40
  5. 72Top 75
  6. 83Top 100

Chart run

= Peak position = This week

4 weeks - 11/12/2004 to 01/01/2005

4 weeks - 16/12/2006 to 06/01/2007

5 weeks - 08/12/2007 to 05/01/2008

4 weeks - 13/12/2008 to 03/01/2009

4 weeks - 12/12/2009 to 02/01/2010

4 weeks - 11/12/2010 to 01/01/2011

4 weeks - 10/12/2011 to 31/12/2011

4 weeks - 08/12/2012 to 29/12/2012

3 weeks - 14/12/2013 to 28/12/2013

5 weeks - 29/11/2014 to 27/12/2014

4 weeks - 10/12/2015 to 31/12/2015

4 weeks - 08/12/2016 to 29/12/2016

5 weeks - 07/12/2017 to 04/01/2018

4 weeks - 13/12/2018 to 03/01/2019

5 weeks - 05/12/2019 to 02/01/2020

5 weeks - 03/12/2020 to 31/12/2020

5 weeks - 09/12/2021 to 06/01/2022

5 weeks - 08/12/2022 to 05/01/2023

5 weeks - 07/12/2023 to 04/01/2024

Buy

Official Charts logo Official Irish Singles Chart

Chart facts

  • Peak position7
  • LabelMERCURY
  • Catalogue numberGBF088400001
  • First Chart Date

Weeks on chart

  1. 0No1
  2. 3Top 10
  3. 18Top 20
  4. 30Top 40
  5. 32Top 75
  6. 32Top 100

Chart run

= Peak position = This week

4 weeks - 14/12/2017 to 04/01/2018

4 weeks - 13/12/2018 to 03/01/2019

4 weeks - 12/12/2019 to 02/01/2020

5 weeks - 10/12/2020 to 07/01/2021

5 weeks - 09/12/2021 to 06/01/2022

5 weeks - 08/12/2022 to 05/01/2023

5 weeks - 07/12/2023 to 04/01/2024

Buy

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