Band Aid Single Released in Britain
LONDON – A new, star-studded recording of the 1984 charity single “Do They Know It’s Christmas?” hit British record stores Monday, many of which opened early in anticipation of large crowds.
The single features artists including Coldplay’s Chris Martin, former Beatle Paul McCartney, U2’s Bono, and Dido, and will raise money for victims of the ongoing strife in the Sudan, where fighting has killed thousands of people and created 1.8 million refugees.
HMV Records, one of Britain’s largest music retailers, opened more than 200 stores an hour early, at 8 a.m., and reported strong early-morning sales for the single.
“There wasn’t a huge rush of people, but a steady stream of customers this morning,” said Gennaro Castaldo, a spokesman for HMV. “I don’t know that it’s going to be the smash success that the original was, but I think it will do quite well and raise quite a bit of money for Africa.”
Castaldo said he expects the single to sell at least one million copies and to top the singles charts in Britain for several weeks.
Twins Sarah and Kirsty Burgess, 21, were the first in line to buy the single at HMV’s flagship store in London on Oxford Street, the city’s main shopping street.
“I thought I would come along because it’s a great cause,” said Kirsty. “I was about one when the first single was released, but I’ve heard it about 100 times. Hopefully, this one will raise lots of money, too.”
HMV and other retailers were selling the song for 3.99 pounds ($7.55). The song retails for 1.49 pounds ($2.82) at online distributors.
Apple’s iTunes, the popular online music store, was not carrying the single because it declined to sell the song for more than the service’s $1.50 base price. An Apple spokesman in London declined on Monday to comment on its dispute with the Band Aid trust over the cost of the recording.
The original single was released 20 years ago and was a smash success, raising millions of dollars for victims of starvation in Ethiopia. It featured artists including Boy George, Duran Duran, and Phil Collins. Bono is the only artist to appear on both versions of the song.
The new track also includes Robbie Williams, Jamelia, Ms. Dynamite, Will Young and members of the bands Busted, the Darkness and Sugababes.
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