Artist News Media Releases

Dave Grohl thanks BBC, as Times Like These charity cover battles with The Weeknd for number one

By Andy Malt | Published on Friday 1 May 2020

Dave Grohl has written to the BBC thanking the broadcaster for using his song ‘Times Like These’ for its big new charity single. The Foo Fighters frontman says that he “had to fight back tears” when he first learned of the project.

The BBC announced plans for an all-star recording of the Foo Fighters song last month, with artists including Dua Lipa, Chris Martin, AJ Tracey, Bastille, Royal Blood and Dave Grohl himself appearing on the final version, all recording their segments from home during the COVID-19 lockdown.

After being debuted on BBC radio and TV, the finished track was then released last week to raise money for Children In Need and Comic Relief in the UK, and the WHO’s COVID-19-Solidarity Response Fund from international sales and streams.

Grohl previously announced that all royalties that come his band’s way for the song rights would also be re-directed to the charities the recording is supporting.

In his thank you letter, Grohl writes: “When my manager first called and explained the project to me, I literally had to fight back tears – that’s how flattered I was that the BBC would consider one of my songs for such an important cause. To all those amazing artists who took the time to learn and sing the words that I scribbled on a bit of hotel stationery nearly 20 years ago – I am beyond humbled. You have no idea”.

“I hope this new version of the song helps lift people’s spirits a little, and that the proceeds we’re donating to Comic Relief and Children In Need reach as many people affected by COVID-19 as possible”, he adds. “Thanks again, for giving me the chance to be a part of something so much bigger. I look forward to the day that we’ll all be back in a muddy field again, singing our hearts out together”.

The big question now is, where in the UK singles chart will the charity track appear later today? Last week it made the top five, despite having only been out for twelve hours at the cut off point for the calculation of that particular chart. And at the beginning of this week it was on course for number one. However, it’s been facing stiff competition from The Weeknd’s ‘Blinding Lights’.

The same was true for last week’s charity single number one, Captain Tom Moore and Michael Ball’s version of ‘You’ll Never Walk Alone’. In fact, that was trailing The Weeknd until he tweeted that people should stop listening to his track (which had already had eight weeks at the top, in two sittings) and support Captain Tom instead.

Sadly, this week, The Weeknd has been busy tweeting far too much about his upcoming episode of ‘American Dad’ to support another charity project. And so, with this particular chart battle, it’s too close to call.

“After a mammoth chart battle last week, we have another on our hands this week – The Weeknd vs Radio 1’s Live Lounge Allstars looks set to be a photo finish”, said Official Charts Company boss Martin Talbot last night. “It is fantastic to see that both battles involve a charity record, a fact which demonstrates the British public’s continuing passion for a good cause, especially at challenging times like these”.

The final chart positions of each track will be announced by Scott Mills on BBC Radio 1’s Official Chart Show this afternoon.