Band Aid 30's charity remake of Do They Know It's Christmas? has become the fastest-selling single of the year after just one day of release.Sir Bob Geldof's song to help fight Ebola in West Africa has sold 206,000 copies since it was officially released on Tuesday morning, according to Official Charts Company early sales data. The song, which features One Direction, Ed Sheeran, Coldplay and Bono, is on track to be number one in this Sunday's Official Charts.
The shot to success marks the biggest start to the week of any single since Military Wives hit Christmas number one in 2011 with Wherever You Are. Other big name acts that gathered in Notting Hill last weekend to record the single include Ellie Goulding, Chris Martin, Sam Smith, Rita Ora and Sinead O'Connor.The original track sold 200,000 copies in two days in 1984, while Band Aid 20's 2004 effort sold 297,000 copies in its first week.
Martin Talbot, Chief Executive of the Official Charts Company, said: "Everyone expected a strong start from Bob Geldof and his team, but they have outperformed expectations with a truly exceptional first day's sales." The track and its accompanying video premiered on The X Factor results show on Sunday, after Bob introduced it with a poignant speech. "This thing could arrive here on the plane at any time," he said of Ebola, "the most anti-human disease".
"We can stop it and we will stop it and we will support the doctors and nurses who are going down there, and the government who are leading the world in this. "Despite its success, the single has been surrounded by a certain degree of criticism for its negative depiction of Africa. Rapper Fuse ODG turned down his invitation to take part, while Adele also chose to personally give to charity as opposed to featuring in the remake. Blur frontman Damon Albarn, meanwhile, has suggested that there are "problems with our idea of charity".