Bob Geldof emotionally paid tribute to Liam Payne on BBC Radio 2 on Monday, as the revamped Band Aid 40 charity single was played on air for the first time. 

To celebrate the iconic charity track’s 40th Anniversary, a brand new version – Do They Know It’s Christmas ? 2024 Ultimate Mix – alongside a special video, has been released.

Do They Know It’s Christmas? has been recorded on three separate occasions, Band Aid (1984), Band Aid 20 (2004) and Band Aid 30 (2014), offering snapsH๏τs at some of music’s biggest stars, and how they’ve changed throughout the decades.  

Liam, whose voice features on the song, died aged 31 on October 16 after falling from the third-floor balcony of a H๏τel in the Argentine capital Buenos Aires.

As creator Bob and radio host Zoe Ball played the track for listeners to hear, the Irish musician, 73, got choked up as he heard Liam’s vocals during One Direction’s part of the remix.

He gushed that in the song, Liam is ‘alive with us’ and ‘with his mates, doing this for others’.

 Bob Geldof emotionally paid tribute to Liam Payne on BBC Radio 2 on Monday, as the revamped Band Aid 40 charity single was played for the first time (pictured earlier this month)

Liam died aged 31 on October 16 after falling from the third-floor balcony of a H๏τel in the Argentine capital Buenos Aires

Band Aid has become one of the most iconic tracks in pop history, after being originally created by Sir Bob Geldof and Midge Ure in a bid to raise funds for anti-famine efforts in Ethiopia.

One Direction featured in the last version of Band Aid to be released, which was back in 2014. 

After the song played on the radio, Zoe quipped: ‘That’s made me feel all kinds of emotion Bob, what an extraordinary record. You hear Sinead’s voice and then you hear David.’

She added: And those guitars when they come in, the strings.’

Bob admitted: ‘I mean I thnk it’s a work of art – aren’t the voices incredible? I think it is one of the greatest production art that has ever been done in British rock and roll I mean genuinely.’

Talking about the people who feature on the song who are no longer with us, the singer got choked up.

‘I know Bob, we’ve both had a cry,’ said Zoe, ‘It is that thing, there are so many people involved in that’ who perhaps aren’t with us anymore and this time of year we always think of those.’

Bob emotionally continued: ‘Liam, I mean, I was thinking about it at the funeral and I just thought well he’s here, he’s here with his mates, he’s alive with us. He’s doing it for others.’

‘His voice lives on in his music. It is beautiful’ said Zoe.

Pictured: Midge Ure and Bob Geldof in 2004 when Band Aid 20 was released

As creator Bob and radio host Zoe Ball played the track for listeners to hear, the Irish musician, 73, got choked up as he heard Liam’s voice (pictured at the Band Aid recording in 2014)

Read More Band Aid 40 listeners brand revamped charity single a ‘H๏τ mess’ and claim it’s ‘absolutely ruined’

After listening to the song, Zoe, 54, remarked: ‘that’s made me all kinds of emotional. What an extraordinary record’

To which Bob replied: ‘It is…’, with the artist then taking an emotional intake of breathe.

Listening to all the voices featuring on the track, he said: ‘I think it’s a work of art.

‘Aren’t the voices incredible! I think it’s one of the greatest production art that has ever been done in British rock and roll. Genuinely.’

However, some listeners who were not fans of the remix made their thoughts very clear about the revamped single.

They penned on X: ‘What the f**king f**k have they done to #BandAid?’

‘Oh god. It’s just so bad’; ‘Well this is a load of sh*te. Absolutely ruined it’

‘Just heard the new version…Utterly crap; ‘I’m sorry but that’s a H๏τ mess’

‘Not feeling the new Band Aid single’; ‘What fresh hell is this’

To celebrate the  charity track’s 40th Anniversary, a brand new version has been released (the stars of the original 1984 track are pictured)

Sharing their thoughts on the platform, formerly known as Twitter, listeners made their thoughts very clear about the revamped single

However, some listeners had a differing view and instead praised the song, with one admitting they were left in ‘tears’ at the track

‘#BandAid40 have set back famine relief forty one years.’

However, some listeners had a differing view and instead praised the song, with one admitting they were left in ‘tears’ at the track.

‘Wasn’t expecting much but it was a lot better than I thought it would be’; ‘heart full listening to it’

‘Hearing @PaulYoungParlez and that opening line bought a tear to my eye, very good! #BandAid40’

They penned: ‘Sir Bob has done the song proud, I was worried about another version but it was good and had me sat in the car in tears doing the sch run! Such an iconic song for such a good cause.’

Unveiled on 25th November, on Band Aid – 2024 Ultimate Mix sees a young Sting sing alongside a young Ed Sheeran, a young Boy George with a young Sam Smith, a young George Michael beside a young Harry Styles.

The young Bono with an older Bono, Chris Martin with Guy Garvey, the Sugababes and Bananarama, Seal and Sinead O’Connor, Rita Ora and Robbie Williams, Kool and the Gang and Underworld.

Other stars featuring include Paul McCartney, Sting, John Taylor, Phil Collins, Roger Taylor, Paul Weller, Damon Albarn, Midge Ure, Johnny Greenwood, Gary Kemp and Justin Hawkins.

The song was unveiled on Monday November 25 with plays across UK breakfast time radio, with the video being unveiled later in the evening.

 ob broke down in tears as he joined presenter Zoe Ball on her morning show to listen to the track, as he hailed it a ‘work of art’ 

Band Aid’s first version offered a snapsH๏τ of some of the 1980s’ biggest stars, with names including George Michael, Boy George, Spandau Ballet and Banarama all featuring.

A second recording of the track was released in 2004, and featured Noughties favourites such as Busted, Robbie Williams, Daniel Bedingfield, Snow Patrol and The Sugababes.

In 2014, the last version of Band Aid was released, and despite featuring names such as One Direction, Olly Murs, Paloma Faith and Rita Ora, though lyrics were changed to reflect its effort to raise funds for the Ebola outbreak in Africa.

This move came under fire from some critics, with some saying the lyrics are outdated and perpetuate negative stereotypes of African countries which could harm their world image.

It comes after Ed Sheeran has claimed he wasn’t asked permission from Band Aid 40 organisers to use his vocals on the a new version of the charity single Do They Know It’s Christmas?

The musician, 33, originally featured on the 2014 version of the track – spearheaded by Bob Geldof and Midge Ure – alongside the likes of Sting and Harry Styles which aimed to raise money for the Ebola relief efforts.

However amid the upcoming release of the 2024 Ultimate Mix of the song to celebrate its 40th anniversary, Ed has told how he would have denied permission to add his voice to the song had he’d been asked.

Taking to his Instagram stories on Sunday, the Shape Of You hitmaker re-shared a message from Ghanaian-British musician Fuse ODG, who has been vocal in his criticism of the charity single claiming it ‘dehumanises Africans and destroys our pride and idenтιтy in the name of ‘charity’.’

It comes after Ed Sheeran claimed he wasn’t asked permission from Band Aid 40 organisers to use his vocals on the  new version

Ed has told how he would have denied permission to add his voice to the song had he’d been asked [Ed pictured heading to record Band Aid 30 in 2014]

Taking to his Instagram stories last Sunday, Ed re-shared a message from Ghanaian-British musician Fuse ODG, who has been vocal in his criticism of the charity single claiming it ‘dehumanises Africans and destroys our pride and idenтιтy in the name of ‘charity’’

Fuse ODG, who worked with Ed on the track Boa Me, posted a statement claiming the famous song ‘perpetuates damaging stereotypes’.

Read More Now Ethiopia’s PM says Band Aid 40 could ‘do more harm than good’ after Ed Sheeran criticised it

Ed wrote: ‘My approval wasn’t sought on this new Band Aid 40 release and had I had the choice I would have respectfully declined the use of my vocals.

‘A decade on and my understanding of the narrative ᴀssociated with this has changed, eloquently explained by @fuseodg. This is just my personal stance, I’m hoping it’s a forward-looking one. Love to all x.’

Ed’s words are in support of rapper Fuse ODG’s strong stance on the charity song – fronted by Bob Geldof – which comes a decade after he ‘refused’ to be part of the Band Aid 30 song.

Fuse ODG, who worked with Ed on the track Boa Me, posted a statement claiming the famous song ‘perpetuates damaging stereotypes’.

The artist, who is releasing his own track We Know It’s Christmas, penned: ‘Ten years ago, I refused to participate in Band Aid because I recognised the harm initiatives like it inflict on Africa.

‘While they may generate sympathy and donations, they perpetuate damaging stereotypes that stifle Africa’s economic growth, tourism and investment, ultimately costing the continent trillions and destroying its dignity, pride and idenтιтy.

‘By showcasing dehumanising imagery, these initiatives fuel pity rather than partnership discouraging meaningful engagement.’

The artist went on to say that he’s making it his mission to ‘to reclaim the narrative, empowering Africans to tell their own stories, redefine their idenтιтy, and position Africa as a thriving hub for investment and tourism.’

He continued: ‘Today, the diaspora drives the largest flow of funds back into the continent, not Band Aid or foreign aid proving that Africa’s solutions and progress lies in its own hands.’

MailOnline contacted Band Aid representatives for comment at the time.