Rage Against the Machine’s “Killing in the Name” was named the No. 1 song on the U.K. Christmas Week pop chart, beating out favored X Factor winner Joe McElderry’s holiday version of Miley Cyrus’ “The Climb.” RATM had called their efforts to take the top spot a grassroots effort, one that would raise money for homelessness and as promised, RATM will play a free concert in the U.K. The date is yet to be announced.
Dec 20
2009
04:33 PM ET
Rage Against the Machine wins No. 1 spot in U.K. Christmas Week chart
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This news made me smile.
High five, U.K.! That’s great news
Its always “nice” to see an act manipulate the charts to land at #1, sort of like Mariah Carey did getting all those U.S. #1′s in the 1990′s by selling singles for 49 cents. It’s such a “credible” victory for RATM.
Yeah, because yesterday’s sudden drop of the xfactor single price to under 30p was in no way an unsporting and desperate attempt by the record label to claw back against what they suddenly realised was a very real threat to their cash cow before the count closed for xmas no.1.
+1 for Jenn
Either one would’ve merited basically the same point from me.
I get the point about manufactured pop, but protesting manipulation with manipulation? And was there no better way to make a point than embarrassing an 18-year old whose great sin was winning a talent competition? I know he still did quite well, but the best way to protest if you think crap music is being pushed at you….don’t buy it!
CORRECT! If you think it sucks, don’t buy it, and the music conglomerates will get the message where it hurts…the profit margin.
The fight for xmas no1 used to be noteworthy and fun until xfactor took it over – this was all done to make a point. It only runs for this week, and there is no doubt that next week, the xfactor winner will get his no. 1. As for not buying it, well, this clearly hasn’t worked for the last 3 years, and everyone who doesn’t like xfactor is just plain sick of it. If you can’t make a point through inaction, then sometimes it is just time to act. RATM was only useful in so far as the band name made the desired statement, and represents everything Simon Cowell’s manufactured outputs are not.
Quite a tribute to the power of social media. The people who thought Twitter freaks Ashton Kutcher and John Mayer have a screw loose are probably re-thinking…
Hmm well I like Idol so…
And it’s not Idol, it’s xfactor, a poor relation to the show that gave us the talent of Will Young, so…
Xfactor produced Leona Lewis and Alexandra Burke. It’s all pretty much the same. XFactor has more fun.
It’s not even lashing out against the X Factor. Loads of my friends love the X Factor but still backed Rage. The fact is, the X Factor is not a music show, it’s an entertainment programme. If talented musicians have emerged for it that’s great, but people bought Rage because the expectation by the producers of the show that we would buy absolutely any rubbish that was thrown at us simply because it was the X Factor Chrimstas single was completely insulting. Also, it was fun, and we were all curious to see if we could actually pull it off purely through the power of social networking and downloads, rather than paid for marketing and physical sales. It was a fascinating experiment, and one that reminded us of a fabulous, substantial song. What’s to complain about?
RAGE RULES!!!
I am SOO glad ther’re number 1. go Rage
Very glad to see a grassroots effort like this pay off. This just proves how timeless RATM is, and I’m so glad that they’re giving the profits to charity–good on them.
They’re not timeless, they’re irrelevant. The guys who started the campaign could have picked any older act who hasn’t been on the radar in years. But you’re right…good on them for giving the money to charity.
You clearly have no idea what you are talking about. Rage is just as prevalent today as they were when they were making music together. Did you happen to see pictures of the crowd at Lollapalooza in 08′. They still have a huge following and if they released new music today it would be flying off the shelf and their concerts would be sold out. They may not be making new music but the fans that were there before are still there and kids are still getting in to them today. Their messages are still relavent just like other timeless bands.
A RATM song full of F-bombs top the UK pop chart and a sweet Susan Boyle CD tops the Billboard Top 200 album chart – which country gets it right?
Neither, as there’s no right or wrong. SuBo is no. 1 on the UK album chart too by the way. There’s no ‘winner’ here.
Actually Susan Boyle topped our album chart in the UK this week, So I don’t think that’s a valid argument.
This was more in protest to overproduced pop and the idea that just because someone won a talent contest entitles them to a number one. Yes it’s got a F-Bombs in it but it has a message that many people agree with
Personally, I was hoping that “The Official Bbc Children In Need Medley” would climb back to the top.
Well, our country (America) put the Black Eyed Peas at #1 for TWENTY SIX FRICKIN WEEKS this year. So I’m pretty sure we’re getting it about as wrong as humanly possible.
It’s a shame last year’s grassroots effort to put Jeff Buckley’s cover of Leonard Cohen’s ‘Hallelujah’ at No. 1 for Christmas fell a little short.
I think a commenter (Alison) from the previous article mentioned above said it best “surely the xmas no 1 should be the song that lifts our spirit and makes us glad to be a part of christmas in the uk, not some american trash…”
OK to the point about an uplifting No. 1 at Christmas, but….American trash? Let’s not go there…plenty of musical trash has come at us from the UK. Can’t people express an opinion without attacking?
About the comment by Alison: please. I love people putting down American culture while they lap it up, and imitate it. Everyone’s entitled to an opinion, but not to be insulting.
PLEASE do not let this degenerate into an America vs. England flame thread. I’ve seen them way too many times on the comment section of a video on YouTube, especially when the subject of the video in question happens a rock band who’s either of American or English origin. And usually, rap music, Big Macs and dental care get dragged into the dispute as some of the many faults of both countries.
Agreed, that would be totally pointless. Stick to debating music on its merits, don’t make it a cultural attack. The original comment by ‘Alison’ was unnecessary.
Yeah, we all found out which country is better back in 1776. Those limey Brits got punked by a bunch of farmers.lol
Real life Love Actually on our hands.
First thing that popped into my head.
I’m not sure how Joe McElderry won X-factor. He’s a horrible singer. Sometimes completely out of tune. Several songs had key change to help him with his limited range.
Whatever the method, I hope it sends a message to Simon Cowell. I’m not British but Christmas Number One has been a fun historical competition he has ruined for the past few years. He’s taken all the surprise out of it. I hope he gets that people hate him for it.
Exactly! Everyone trying to accuse the Rage fans of deluding themselves that they’re making a political statement or saying it was ‘mean’ to McElderry are just sore losers who are taking it all much too seriously themselves. All that really happened is that the people who bought RATM decided to buy into a more traditional tacky popularity contest than the fans who decided to support X Factor, and also thought the Rage song is better, for all that it’s seventeen years old. Which it is. I don’t think anyone hates Simon Cowell for ruining Christmas number one, they’re just tired of his arrogance and presumption that it is somehow the birthright of whoever wins X Factor.
We don’t want X Factor dominating the Christmas charts, we want it free for silly, novelty songs and songs about Christmas (Proper Crimbo being a good example!).
Let them move X-Factor to another part of the year.