Home > News & Reviews > Rage Against The Machine

Rage Against The Machine Beat X-Factor To Christmas Number One!
Sunday, 20 December 2009 Written by Stereoboard.com
ratm christmas number one

Nobody would have believed it just a few weeks ago, many would have thought it impossible just a few days ago but rather incredibly Rage Against The Machine are the UK's official 2009 Christmas number one, with their iconic (and ironic?) track 'Killing In The Name' beating the X-Factor winner Joe McElderry to the festive number one spot.

The band have been propelled back into the worldwide spotlight thanks to a facebook campaign against the X-Factor monopoly on the UK Christmas charts, which had taken the festive top spot rather predictably for four years running. The grassroots movement swelled into a facebook group with over 950,000 members, capturing the attention of the world media and the imagination of the nation.

Yesterday the band vowed, if victorious, to play a free gig in the UK next year to celebrate a campaign which has toppled the Simon Cowell hype machine.

Rage Against The Machine's 'Killing In The Name' has become the first download only track to hit the top spot, having sold 502,672 downloads while X-Factor winner Joe McElderry's 'The Climb' sold 450,838 singles and downloads.

While Cowell has been arguably contemptuous towards the campaign, McElderry has been more gracious and understanding about the chart battle: "Fair play to the guys who have organised the Facebook campaign - it's been exciting to be part of a much-hyped battle and they definitely deserve congratulations," he said. "This time last year I never thought for one minute that I'd win The X Factor, never mind about having a debut single out, so I'm just delighted to be in the charts.”

Cowell however did offer his congratulations to the couple behind the facebook campaign, Jon and Tracy Morter.

He said: "I am gutted for Joe because a number one single meant a lot to him but I have to congratulate Jon and Tracy, who started the Facebook campaign.

"I called Jon on Saturday to congratulate the two of them that, win or lose, they turned this into a very exciting race for the Christmas number one. I am proud of Joe - he worked really hard this week, but he has a great year ahead of him."

Speaking on BBC Radio 1’s Chart Show, RATM frontman Zach de la Rocha said his band getting to number one said: "more about the spontaneous action taken by young people throughout the UK to topple this very sterile pop monopoly and less about the song and the band. We are very proud to have had the song chosen as the vehicle by which to do this."

NOTE FROM THE EDITOR

We don't run any advertising! Our editorial content is solely funded by lovely people like yourself using Stereoboard's listings when buying tickets for live events. To keep supporting us, next time you're looking for concert, festival, sport or theatre tickets, please search for "Stereoboard". It costs you nothing, you may find a better price than the usual outlets, and save yourself from waiting in an endless queue on Friday mornings as we list ALL available sellers!


Let Us Know Your Thoughts




Related News

Tue 02 Apr 2024
Rage Against The Machine's Tom Morello To Play Solo London Show In June
Thu 04 Jan 2024
Rage Against The Machine Will Not Tour Or Play Live Again According To Drummer Brad Wilk
 
< Prev   Next >