Biography
LONDON, November 17, 2004 - Marking the first, and fastest, rush-release of the digital download era, Band Aid 20's 'Do They Know It's Christmas?' was recorded on Sunday (14) afternoon, the label copy and artwork finalised on Monday, and the track digitally delivered to retail on Tuesday. The result will be available for music fans to buy as a download from early tomorrow (18th November). This record-breaking turnaround by Universal Music's Mercury Records has only been made possible by the co-operation of artists and retailers, just as it was twenty years ago with the original Band Aid release. The Band Aid 20 track can be downloaded for ?1.49, and the 'B side' - the 1984 recording - can be downloaded for ?0.99. A special bundle of the two tracks can be bought online for ?1.99. As with the physical CD release of 'Do They Know It's Christmas?' the proceeds from all sales will go to the Band Aid Trust to help famine relief in Africa. Arrangements for the international release of the recording are still being finalised. The official download will be available from numerous download sites in the U.K., including: My Coke Music, Tiscali, NTL, Wannadoo, Virgin Megastore, MSN, Virgin.net, MTV, HMV, and Napster, as well as from www.buybandaid20.com, which will also offer a link to pre-order the CD and the opportunity to make a financial donation to the trust. The original Band Aid version of 'Do They Know It's Christmas?' was recorded in London on November 25, 1984, and rush-released as a seven-inch vinyl single on December 7. It entered the U.K. chart at No. 1 on December 15, and stayed there for five weeks, selling more than three million copies. The final line-up of artists on Band Aid 20 reads like a who's who of contemporary British Rock, Pop, R&B and Urban Music. Keane, Paul McCartney, The Sugababes, Skye (Morcheeba), Robbie Williams, Dido, Bono, Jamelia, Justin Hawkins (Darkness), Chris Martin (Coldplay), Fran Healy (Travis), Beverley Knight, Busted, Ms Dynamite, Danny Goffey (Supergrass), Katie Melua, Will Young, Natasha Bedingfield, Snow Patrol, Shaznay Lewis, Joss Stone, Daniel Bedingfield Rachel Stevens, The Thrills, Roisin Murphy (Moloko), Lemar, Estelle, Neil Hannon (Divine Comedy), Feeder and Dizzee Rascal.
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