RATM Christmas No.1 - Are You Happy About This?

Hayden

Well, as most of you SHOULD know, Rage Against the Machine's 17-year-old-song "Killing in the Name" went to #1 in the UK charts for the Christmas period as a result of an incredibly successful Facebook group. The Facebook group, started by Jon and Tracey Morter, was created to urge UK residents to purchase "Killing in the Name" from the 13th of December up until the 20th in order to prevent yet another no. 1 single by the winner of the television show X-Factor. The group attracted hundreds-of-thousands of people and by the 20th, there were close to 1 million group members. On the 20th of December, it was announced that Rage Against the Machine had gained top spot on the UK singles chart, edging out X-Factor winner, Joe McElderry's cover of Miley Cyris's "The Climb" by 52,000 sales.

"Killing in the Name" became the first song to top the UK charts of digital sales alone, selling 500,000 copies. The band also gave proceeds to charity, raising 60,000 pounds for the charity Shelter. The band have also promised to play a live gig in Britain in celebration of this victory.

So, I myself am over the moon that "Killing in the Name" managed to top the UK carts and defeat another annoying power-ballad cover produced by one of many pop-star-creating, reality TV programs. But how do you feel about it? Voice your opinions people!

ShaggE

Methinks they're running out of Machines to Rage Against, so they decided to just find a Toaster to Display Mild Annoyance In The General Direction Of. I hate flavor-of-the-month pop sensations as much as the next person, but clearly somebody out there likes them, so let 'em like them.

Eh, at least a charity is getting something out of it.

(Also, while I like the band's music, I feel a need to point out that they helped pioneer rap-metal, and as such are indirectly responsible for Limp Bizkit's existence. With this in mind, their "battle for musical integrity" seems a bit humorous.)

Ray-The-Sun

I don't even CARE who the band was, the mere fact that we didn't get that prat from that damned TV show satisfies me to no end. Hopefully next year we can get the worst singers to win so we can get that damned show off the frikkin' air.

skankityspence

That's hilarious. haha Glad it happened, but I gotta say Rap-metal hurts my ears. I'm more of a punk rock guy. Mostly ska, obviously. :P

Definitely kudos to them, though!

Rawr

I honestly couldn't care less. Neither of them deserved the top spot. Not only that, I also haven't cared about the charts in years, since it was flooded by the crap they call RnB and Rap.

puzzlebox

The charts don't really mean anything to me - I'm not cool enough to keep up with the happenin' tunes. But I think it speaks volumes about the power of social networking to mobilise people with a common cause. And I like that.

jp-30

I bet the Sony UK execs are rolling around in big swimming pools filled with money like Scrooge McDuck. Both the x-factor single and RATM are signed to that company.

Lena_P

Isn't Miley Cyrus Hannah Montana? I'm just amazed that a grown man can cover a song by Miley Cyrus and not weep himself to sleep at nights ...

puzzlebox

jp-30 wrote: »

I bet the Sony UK execs are rolling around in big swimming pools filled with money like Scrooge McDuck. Both the x-factor single and RATM are signed to that company.

This is actually very amusing... no doubt it was a Sony exec who started the Facebook group, they'll be in for a nice bonus next year. :rolleyes:

Ash735

I think it was worth it to have Simon Cowell frown upon those people, and moan about the injustice done to Joe and how they've ruined this boys dreams, whilst he continues his nice holiday on his yacht.

FitzoliverJ

Both records were pretty poor. It shoulda been Queen/The Muppets with "Bohemian Rhapsody" for No. 1

floweroftheforest

puzzlebox wrote: »

This is actually very amusing... no doubt it was a Sony exec who started the Facebook group, they'll be in for a nice bonus next year. :rolleyes:

I thought it was a load of overhyped nonsense too no doubt cooked up to get more records sold on the back of it.
Both songs are crap anyway.

Hayden

jp-30 wrote: »

I bet the Sony UK execs are rolling around in big swimming pools filled with money like Scrooge McDuck. Both the x-factor single and RATM are signed to that company.

At least RATM are signed to a separate part of Sony to Cowell's pop-clones though, so that Cowell doesn't benefit from it. I actually don't mind Simon Cowell as a person, I think he is a funny man and quite a good person to be honest, but the whole "RATM for Christams No.1" would've just gotten laughed at if even ANY of the money from sales was going to Simon Cowell. But that's not the point anyway, the whole campaign was just about sticking it to X-Factor and shows similar to X-Factor, and there's very few songs better to use than "Killing in the Name" by Rage Against the Machine (for reasons other than the actual quality of the song).

JedExodus

jp-30 wrote: »

I bet the Sony UK execs are rolling around in big swimming pools filled with money like Scrooge McDuck. Both the x-factor single and RATM are signed to that company.

Let me just say "lol"

I like RATM and all, but i'd have prefered to have a good Christmas song at number one rather than Rage in a national case of trying too hard.

City Of Delusion

Intersting fact: RATM managed no.2 in the Republic of Ireland's charts. No prizes for guessing what made no. 1.