Brandon Flowers Explains How the Killers' Christmas Single Tradition Began

Brandon Flowers Explains How the Killers’ Christmas Single Tradition Began

2015-01-04

Story by Charles Ken

Brandon Flowers says U2 helped begin the Killers’ Christmas single tradition

The Killers are known for their rousing alternative rock music, but in addition, the guys are famous for releasing Christmas singles. Since 2006, the Las Vegas-based guys have released a new Christmas charity single every single year, even in years when the band wasn’t active.

Frontman Brandon Flowers says the first Killers Christmas single came about because U2 singer Bono asked the band to do an advertisement for The Gap for charity, according to an interview in the latest issue of NME.

“It really started from being asked to do the (RED) campaign,” Flowers explained, talking about Bono’s AIDS charity. “Bono asked if I wanted to do a Gap ad. And at the time I was feeling too cool to do a Gap ad, I guess. I’d probably do the ad now. December 1 was (World) AIDS Day, so I said, ‘Instead of doing the Gap ad, why don’t we give you a Christmas song?’ And it’s become a tradition now.”

All of the Killers’ Christmas singles, nine total, have benefited (RED). The band’s latest Christmas tune, 2014’s “Joel, the Lump of Coal,” features late night host Jimmy Kimmel.

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Charles Ken

Meet the expert - Charles Ken is a graduate of Michigan State University where he studied writing and history. He's a longtime music buff and covers classic rock for Audio Ink Radio. Contact him at ken@audioinkradio.com.