Sir Bob Geldof has said that he’s already thrilled with the response to the new Band Aid 30 single, claiming it has already raised £1 million after just one day on sale.
SEE MORE:
A new version of ‘Do They Know It’s Christmas?’ was released on Monday, featuring vocals from contemporary artists such as Rita Ora, Paloma Faith and One Direction, with proceeds going towards helping the Ebola crisis in Africa.
Speaking on Radio 4’s Today programme on Monday, Bob thanked the public for their “extraordinary” reaction to the new song, claiming it took just “four or five minutes” to raise £1 million.
Sir Bob Geldof
He said: “From what we've seen from iTunes it's gone bonkers… I love living in this country at moments like this.
“We really can stop this... foul little plague.”
While the track is already available to download from the iTunes store, a CD version will be released in three weeks at a cost of £4, “100%” of which will go towards fighting Ebola, according to the Boomtown Rats frontman.
It’s now been 30 years since the original version of ‘Do They Know It’s Christmas’ topped the charts, raising £8 million towards famine relief in Africa, and inspiring the epic live music event, Live Aid, the following summer.
After weeks of speculation, the new track was confirmed at a London press conference last week, and recorded over the weekend at the same Notting Hill recording studio as the first Band Aid single.
Band Aid 30
Britain Band AId 30 Recording Arrival(01 of37)
Singer Bob Geldof waves to fans as he arrives at a music studio to record his segment of the new Band Aid 30 charity single in London, Saturday, Nov. 15 2014. Musicians including Bono and One Direction are going to record a reworked version of the 1984 charity record, with the proceeds this time helping fight the spread of Ebola. (Photo by Jonathan Short/Invision/AP) (credit:Jonathan Short/Invision/AP)
Britain Band AId 30 Recording Arrival(02 of37)
Singer Bono arrives at a music studio to record his segment of the new Band Aid 30 charity single in London, Saturday, Nov. 15 2014. Musicians including Bono and One Direction are going to record a reworked version of the 1984 charity record, with the proceeds this time helping fight the spread of Ebola. (Photo by Jonathan Short/Invision/AP) (credit:Jonathan Short/Invision/AP)
Band Aid 30 Recording - Arrivals(03 of37)
LONDON, ENGLAND - NOVEMBER 15: Chris Martin attends to record the Band Aid 30 single on November 15, 2014 in London, England. (Photo by Karwai Tang/WireImage) (credit:Karwai Tang via Getty Images)
BRITAIN-HEALTH-EBOLA-ENTERTAINMENT(04 of37)
British singer Louis Tomlinson (R) of boy band One Direction arrives at a west London studio to record the new Band Aid 30 single on November 15, 2014. Bob Geldof, One Direction, Bono and some 30 other stars gathered in a studio in London on Saturday to record a 30th anniversary version of the Band Aid charity single to raise money to fight Ebola. Led Zeppelin's Robert Plant, Coldplay's Chris Martin and Sinead O'Connor were also among the rockers brought together by Geldof to sing the fourth version of 'Do They Know It's Christmas?' Musicians began arriving in the early morning and were expected to record all day and into the night before the single is aired for the first time on Sunday and then officially released on Monday. AFP PHOTO / ANDREW COWIE (Photo credit should read ANDREW COWIE/AFP/Getty Images) (credit:ANDREW COWIE via Getty Images)
Britain Band AId 30 Recording Arrival(05 of37)
Singer Louis Tomlinson arrives at a music studio to record his segment of the new Band Aid 30 charity single in London, Saturday, Nov. 15 2014. Musicians including Bono and One Direction are going to record a reworked version of the 1984 charity record, with the proceeds this time helping fight the spread of Ebola. (Photo by Jonathan Short/Invision/AP) (credit:Jonathan Short/Invision/AP)
Britain Band AId 30 Recording Arrival(06 of37)
Singer Ellie Goulding arrives at a music studio to record her segment of the new Band Aid 30 charity single in London, Saturday, Nov. 15 2014. Musicians including Bono and One Direction are going to record a reworked version of the 1984 charity record, with the proceeds this time helping fight the spread of Ebola. (Photo by Jonathan Short/Invision/AP) (credit:Jonathan Short/Invision/AP)
Britain Band AId 30 Recording Arrival(07 of37)
Singer Paloma Faith arrives at a music studio to record her segment of the new Band Aid 30 charity single in London, Saturday, Nov. 15 2014. Musicians including Bono and One Direction are going to record a reworked version of the 1984 charity record, with the proceeds this time helping fight the spread of Ebola. (Photo by Jonathan Short/Invision/AP) (credit:Jonathan Short/Invision/AP)
Britain Band AId 30 Recording Arrival(08 of37)
Singer Niall Horan arrives at a music studio to record his segment of the new Band Aid 30 charity single in London, Saturday, Nov. 15 2014. Musicians including Bono and One Direction are going to record a reworked version of the 1984 charity record, with the proceeds this time helping fight the spread of Ebola. (Photo by Jonathan Short/Invision/AP) (credit:Jonathan Short/Invision/AP)
Britain Band AId 30 Recording Arrival(09 of37)
Singer Emeli Sande arrives at a music studio to record her segment of the new Band Aid 30 charity single in London, Saturday, Nov. 15 2014. Musicians including Bono and One Direction are going to record a reworked version of the 1984 charity record, with the proceeds this time helping fight the spread of Ebola. (Photo by Jonathan Short/Invision/AP) (credit:Jonathan Short/Invision/AP)
Britain Band AId 30 Recording Arrival(10 of37)
Singer Bob Geldof arrives at a music studio to record his segment of the new Band Aid 30 charity single in London, Saturday, Nov. 15 2014. Musicians including Bono and One Direction are going to record a reworked version of the 1984 charity record, with the proceeds this time helping fight the spread of Ebola. (Photo by Jonathan Short/Invision/AP) (credit:Jonathan Short/Invision/AP)
Britain Band AId 30 Recording Arrival(11 of37)
Singer Harry Styles arrives at a music studio to record his segment of the new Band Aid 30 charity single in London, Saturday, Nov. 15 2014. Musicians including Bono and One Direction are going to record a reworked version of the 1984 charity record, with the proceeds this time helping fight the spread of Ebola. (Photo by Jonathan Short/Invision/AP) (credit:Jonathan Short/Invision/AP)
BRITAIN-HEALTH-EBOLA-ENTERTAINMENT(12 of37)
British singer-songwriter Liam Payne (L) of boy band One Direction arrives at a west London studio to record the new Band Aid 30 single on November 15, 2014. Bob Geldof, One Direction, Bono and some 30 other stars gathered in a studio in London on Saturday to record a 30th anniversary version of the Band Aid charity single to raise money to fight Ebola. Led Zeppelin's Robert Plant, Coldplay's Chris Martin and Sinead O'Connor were also among the rockers brought together by Geldof to sing the fourth version of 'Do They Know It's Christmas?' Musicians began arriving in the early morning and were expected to record all day and into the night before the single is aired for the first time on Sunday and then officially released on Monday. AFP PHOTO / ANDREW COWIE (Photo credit should read ANDREW COWIE/AFP/Getty Images) (credit:ANDREW COWIE via Getty Images)
BRITAIN-HEALTH-EBOLA-ENTERTAINMENT(13 of37)
British musician Olly Murs arrives at a west London studio to record the new Band Aid 30 single on November 15, 2014. Bob Geldof, One Direction, Bono and some 30 other stars gathered in a studio in London on Saturday to record a 30th anniversary version of the Band Aid charity single to raise money to fight Ebola. Led Zeppelin's Robert Plant, Coldplay's Chris Martin and Sinead O'Connor were also among the rockers brought together by Geldof to sing the fourth version of 'Do They Know It's Christmas?' Musicians began arriving in the early morning and were expected to record all day and into the night before the single is aired for the first time on Sunday and then officially released on Monday. AFP PHOTO / ANDREW COWIE (Photo credit should read ANDREW COWIE/AFP/Getty Images) (credit:ANDREW COWIE via Getty Images)
Band Aid 30 Recording - Arrivals(14 of37)
LONDON, ENGLAND - NOVEMBER 15: Bob Geldof, Paul Epworth and Midge Ure attend to record the Band Aid 30 single on November 15, 2014 in London, England. (Photo by Karwai Tang/WireImage) (credit:Karwai Tang via Getty Images)
Band Aid 30 Recording - Arrivals(15 of37)
LONDON, ENGLAND - NOVEMBER 15: Bob Geldof, Paul Epworth and Midge Ure attend to record the Band Aid 30 single on November 15, 2014 in London, England. (Photo by Karwai Tang/WireImage) (credit:Karwai Tang via Getty Images)
Britain Band AId 30 Recording Arrival(16 of37)
Singer Emeli Sande arrives at a music studio to record her segment of the new Band Aid 30 charity single in London, Saturday, Nov. 15 2014. Musicians including Bono and One Direction are going to record a reworked version of the 1984 charity record, with the proceeds this time helping fight the spread of Ebola. (Photo by Jonathan Short/Invision/AP) (credit:Jonathan Short/Invision/AP)
Britain Band AId 30 Recording Arrival(17 of37)
Singer Ellie Goulding arrives at a music studio to record her segment of the new Band Aid 30 charity single in London, Saturday, Nov. 15 2014. Musicians including Bono and One Direction are going to record a reworked version of the 1984 charity record, with the proceeds this time helping fight the spread of Ebola. (Photo by Jonathan Short/Invision/AP) (credit:Jonathan Short/Invision/AP)
Britain Band AId 30 Recording Arrival(18 of37)
Singer Rita Ora leaves a music studio after recording her segment of the new Band Aid 30 charity single in London, Saturday, Nov. 15 2014. Musicians including Bono and One Direction are going to record a reworked version of the 1984 charity record, with the proceeds this time helping fight the spread of Ebola. (Photo by Jonathan Short/Invision/AP) (credit:Jonathan Short/Invision/AP)
Britain Band AId 30 Recording Arrival(19 of37)
Singer Bob Geldof, right, waves to fans as he arrives with Midge Ure at a music studio to record their segment of the new Band Aid 30 charity single in London, Saturday, Nov. 15 2014. Musicians including Bono and One Direction are going to record a reworked version of the 1984 charity record, with the proceeds this time helping fight the spread of Ebola. (Photo by Jonathan Short/Invision/AP) (credit:Jonathan Short/Invision/AP)
Britain Band AId 30 Recording Arrival(20 of37)
Singer Bob Geldof, right, waves to fans as he arrives with Midge Ure at a music studio to record their segment of the new Band Aid 30 charity single in London, Saturday, Nov. 15 2014. Musicians including Bono and One Direction are going to record a reworked version of the 1984 charity record, with the proceeds this time helping fight the spread of Ebola. (Photo by Jonathan Short/Invision/AP) (credit:Jonathan Short/Invision/AP)
Britain Band AId 30 Recording Arrival(21 of37)
Singer Gus Garvey arrives at a music studio to record his segment of the new Band Aid 30 charity single in London, Saturday, Nov. 15 2014. Musicians including Bono and One Direction are going to record a reworked version of the 1984 charity record, with the proceeds this time helping fight the spread of Ebola. (Photo by Jonathan Short/Invision/AP) (credit:Jonathan Short/Invision/AP)
Britain Band AId 30 Recording Arrival(22 of37)
Singer Bob Geldof waves to fans as he arrives at a music studio to record his segment of the new Band Aid 30 charity single in London, Saturday, Nov. 15 2014. Musicians including Bono and One Direction are going to record a reworked version of the 1984 charity record, with the proceeds this time helping fight the spread of Ebola. (Photo by Jonathan Short/Invision/AP) (credit:Jonathan Short/Invision/AP)
Band-Aid 30 Line-Up(23 of37)
(24 of37)
U2's Bono (credit:Kevin Mazur via Getty Images)
(25 of37)
One Direction (credit:Andrew Estey/Invision/AP)
(26 of37)
Coldplay's Chris Martin (credit:Powers Imagery/Invision/AP)
(27 of37)
Sam Smith (credit:Jim Ross/Invision/AP)
(28 of37)
Paloma Faith (credit:Joel Ryan/Invision/AP/Invision/AP)
(29 of37)
Ellie Goulding (credit:Joel Ryan/Invision/AP)
(30 of37)
Foals (pictured: Yannis Philippakis) (credit:Paul A. Hebert/Invision/AP)
(31 of37)
Olly Murs (credit:ASSOCIATED PRESS)
(32 of37)
Emeli Sande (credit:Frank Micelotta/Invision/AP)
(33 of37)
Bastille (credit:Katie Darby/Invision/AP)
(34 of37)
Sinead O'Connor (credit:ASSOCIATED PRESS)
(35 of37)
Rita Ora (credit:ASSOCIATED PRESS)
(36 of37)
Bob has asked David Bowie to introduce the video. (credit:Yui Mok/PA Wire)
(37 of37)
Guy and Howard Lawrence, better known as Disclosure, will be creating a remix of the track. (credit:Jordan Strauss/Invision/AP)