Editing Live Aid (section)

=== Official Live Aid DVD ===
An official four-disc DVD set of the Live Aid concerts was released on 8 November 2004. A [[premiere]] to launch the new DVD was held on 7 November and shown in [[DTS (sound system)|DTS]] surround sound featuring a short compilation of the four-disc set. The screening was held at the [[Odeon Cinema]] in [[Kensington]], London and included guests such as [[Brian May]], [[Anita Dobson]], [[Roger Taylor (Queen drummer)|Roger Taylor]], Bob Geldof and partner Jean Marie, Annie Lennox, Midge Ure, [[Michael Buerk]], [[Gary Kemp]] and [[The Darkness (band)|The Darkness]].<ref>{{cite news|url=https://brianmay.com/queen/queennews/queennewsnov04a.html|title=Live Aid DVD Launch|work=Brianmay.com|date=8 November 2004|access-date=25 October 2019|archive-date=25 October 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191025021616/https://brianmay.com/queen/queennews/queennewsnov04a.html|url-status=dead}}</ref> Other theatrical premieres were held in [[Zürich]], Milan, [[Rome]], Vienna, Hamburg and [[Berlin]].<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20041112005099/en/Live-Aid-DVD-Premiere-European-Cinemas-DTS |title=Live Aid DVD |date=12 November 2004 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200522114909/https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20041112005099/en/Live-Aid-DVD-Premiere-European-Cinemas-DTS|archive-date=22 May 2020|url-status=live}}</ref> A 52-minute compilation was later released as a limited edition DVD in July 2005 titled ''20 Years Ago Today: Live Aid''.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.dvdmg.com/20yearsagotodayliveaid.shtml |title=Live Aid: 20 Years Ago Today (1985) |date=3 July 2005 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060217021521/http://www.dvdmg.com/20yearsagotodayliveaid.shtml|archive-date=17 February 2006|url-status=live}}</ref> The box set contains 10-hour partial footage of the 16-hour length concert. The DVD was produced by Geldof's company, Woodcharm Ltd., and distributed by [[Warner Music Vision]]. The DVD has since been [[out of print]] and is no longer available in stores. The decision to finally release it was taken by Bob Geldof nearly 20 years after the original concerts after he found a number of unlicensed copies of the concert on the Internet.<ref>{{cite news|last=Youngs |first=Ian |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/music/3530269.stm |title=Geldof thwarts 'Live Aid pirate' |work=BBC News |date=3 March 2004 |access-date=6 March 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20040312104442/http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/music/3530269.stm|archive-date=12 March 2004|url-status=live}}</ref>

The most complete footage that exists is used from the [[BBC]] source, and this was the main source of the DVD. During production of the official DVD, [[MTV]] lent Woodcharm Ltd. their B-roll and alternate camera footage where MTV provided extra footage of the Philadelphia concert (where ABC had erased the tapes from the command of Bob Geldof). Songs that were not originally interrupted with advertisements were also used on the official DVD.

Working from the BBC and MTV footage, several degrees of dramatic licence were taken to release the concert on DVD. Many songs had their soundtracks altered for the DVD release, mainly in sequences where there were originally microphone problems. In one of those instances, Paul McCartney had re-recorded his failed vocals for "Let It Be" in a studio the day after the concert (14 July 1985). Beatles biographer Keith Badman explains, "because of what happened, he decided to re-record his vocals for any future film of the concert. That's the version you'll hear when the DVD comes out."<ref>"Perfectionist McCartney Re-records Live Aid". contactmusic.com. 4 August 2004</ref> Also, in the US finale, the original USA for Africa studio track for "We Are the World" was overlaid in places where the microphone was absent (consequently, it includes the vocals of [[Kenny Rogers]] and [[James Ingram]], two artists who did not even take part in Live Aid).

Some artists did not want their performances to be featured on the DVD. At their own request, [[Led Zeppelin]] and [[Santana (band)|Santana]] were omitted. The former defended their decision not to be included on the grounds that their performance was "sub-standard", but to lend their support, [[Jimmy Page]] and [[Robert Plant]] pledged to donate proceeds from the DVD release of ''Page & Plant: No Quarter'' to the campaign, and [[John Paul Jones (musician)|John Paul Jones]] pledged proceeds from his American tour with [[Mutual Admiration Society (collaboration)|Mutual Admiration Society]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/entertainment/3534576.stm |title=Zeppelin defend Live Aid opt out |website=BBC News |date=4 August 2004 |access-date=29 July 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071214125914/http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/entertainment/3534576.stm|archive-date=14 December 2007|url-status=live}}</ref>

Judicious decisions were also made on which acts would be included and which ones would not due to either technical difficulties in the original performances, the absence of original footage, or music rights reasons. [[Rick Springfield]], [[the Four Tops]], [[the Hooters]], [[The Power Station (band)|the Power Station]], [[Billy Ocean]] and [[Kool and the Gang]] were among those acts that were left off the DVD. Several artists who did feature on the DVD also had songs that were performed omitted. [[Madonna]] performed three solo songs in the concert, but only two were included on the DVD ("Love Makes the World Go Round" was omitted). Phil Collins played "Against All Odds" and "In the Air Tonight" at both Wembley and JFK, but only the London performance of the former and the Philadelphia performance of the latter were included on the DVD. The JFK performance of "Against All Odds" was later included in Collins' ''Finally ... The First Farewell Tour'' DVD. [[Tom Petty]] performed four songs, and only two were included on DVD. Patti LaBelle played six songs, but only two songs were included.

In 2007, [[Queen (band)|Queen]] released a special edition of ''[[Queen Rock Montreal]]'' on [[Blu-ray]] and DVD formats containing their 1981 concert from [[Montreal Forum|The Forum]] in Montreal, Canada, and their complete Live Aid performance, along with Freddie Mercury and Brian May performing "[[Is This the World We Created...?]]" from the UK Live Aid finale, all re-mixed in DTS 5.1 sound by Justin Shirley-Smith. Also included is their Live Aid rehearsal and an interview with the band from earlier in the week.

On its release, the then British [[Chancellor of the Exchequer]], [[Gordon Brown]], decided the [[VAT]] collected on sales of the Live Aid DVD would be given back to the charity, which would raise an extra £5 for every DVD sold.<ref>{{cite web |title=New Live Aid DVD to get VAT cash |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/politics/3990253.stm |website=BBC News |date=7 November 2021 |access-date=30 December 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081205013632/http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/politics/3990253.stm|archive-date=5 December 2008|url-status=live}}</ref>

On 14 November 2004, the DVD entered the UK Official [[UK Music Charts|Music Video Chart]] at number one and stayed in the top position for twelve consecutive weeks.<ref name="Official Music Video Chart Top 50">{{cite web|url=https://www.officialcharts.com/charts/music-video-chart/20041114/13/ |date=20 November 2004|title=Official Music Video Chart Top 50|website=Official charts|access-date= 28 June 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190221054704/https://www.officialcharts.com/charts/music-video-chart/20041114/13/|archive-date=21 February 2019|url-status=live}}</ref>

====Charts====
{| class="wikitable unsortable plainrowheaders"
|-
! Charts (2004)
! Peak<br />position
! {{abbr|Ref(s)|Reference(s)}}
|-
|scope="row"| Dutch Music DVDs Chart
| align="center"|2
| align="center"|<ref>{{cite web|url=https://dutchcharts.nl/weekchart.asp?year=2004&date=20041127&cat=d |title=Dutch Music DVDs Chart Week commencing 27 November 2004|access-date= 28 June 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171203160155/https://dutchcharts.nl/weekchart.asp?year=2004&date=20041127&cat=d|archive-date=3 December 2017|url-status=live}}</ref>
|-
|scope="row"| Spanish Music DVD Chart ([[Promusicae]])
| align="center"|8
| align="center"|<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.promusicae.es/listas/semana/785-dvd-semana-46-2004|title=Promusicae Music DVDs Chart Lista de los titulos mas vendidos del 08.11.04 al 14.11.04|access-date= 28 June 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190221112028/https://www.promusicae.es/listas/semana/785-dvd-semana-46-2004|archive-date=21 February 2019|url-status=live}}</ref>
|-
|scope="row"| UK Music Video Chart ([[Official Charts Company|OCC]])
| align="center"|1
| align="center"|<ref name="Official Music Video Chart Top 50"/>
|-
|scope="row"| US Top Music Video (''[[Billboard charts|Billboard]]'')
| align="center"|2
| align="center"|<ref>{{cite magazine|url=https://www.billboard.com/biz/charts/2004-12-04/music-video |title=Music Video Sales – as compiled by Nielsen... |magazine=[[Billboard (magazine)|Billboard]] |date=4 December 2004|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190731233120/https://www.billboard.com/biz/charts/2004-12-04/music-video|archive-date=31 July 2019|url-status=live}}</ref>
|-
|}

====Certifications====
{{Certification Table Top}}
{{Certification Table Entry|type=video|relyear=2004|artist=Diverse|title=Live Aid (DVD)|region=Australia|certyear=2005|award=Platinum|number=2}}
{{Certification Table Entry|type=video|relyear=2004|artist=Diverse|title=Live Aid (DVD)|region=Austria|certyear=2004|award=Gold}}
{{Certification Table Entry|type=video|relyear=2004|artist=Various Artists|title=Live Aid|region=Canada|certyear=2004|award=Diamond|number=2}}
{{Certification Table Entry|type=video|relyear=2004|artist=COMPILATION|title=LIVE 8|region=France|certyear=2009|award=Platinum|relmonth=11|certmonth=12}}
{{Certification Table Entry|type=video|relyear=2004|artist=Diverse Interpreten|title=Live Aid|region=Switzerland|certyear=2005|award=Platinum}}
{{Certification Table Entry|type=video|relyear=2004|artist=Various Artists|title=Live Aid|region=United Kingdom|certyear=2013|certmonth=7|award=Platinum|number=6|id=9446-1509-5}}
{{Certification Table Entry|type=video|relyear=2005|artist=Various Artists|title=Live Aid - 20 Years Ago Today|region=United Kingdom|certyear=2013|certmonth=7|award=Gold|id=9447-1509-5|note=20 Years Ago Today ''version''}}
{{Certification Table Entry|type=video|relyear=2004|artist=VARIOUS|title=LIVE AID|region=United States|certyear=2005|award=Platinum|number=10}}
{{Certification Table Bottom}}