RATM - Christmas No. 1?

Anybody else seen the groups/pages on Facebook promoting this?

Basically there's going to be thousands of people buying Rage Against The Machine's 'Killing in the Name Of' in an attempt to stop X Factor reaching the No. 1 spot again.

It seems to be working!!

Just looked on iTunes and currently the song is the second most downloaded track after the X Factor one. That's just iTunes though - would be interesting to see what's happening with other music download sites and physical purchases also.

I bet RATM are loving it aren't they!

Anybody know why it was this particular band/song chosen to try and compete? Or was it just a case of whoever started the campaign wanted this to be the song?

It just started off as a joke I think, but it gathered momentum thanks to FB.

One of my mates said on Twitter that he checked play.com and hmv and they were number one on those two sites. As well as being number two on iTunes.

Power to the people.

Indeed.

If the band didn't know anything about it then they must be wondering what the hell is going on!

Wonder how much money they're making in the space of a couple of weeks!

RATM don't care about money, which is probably why people have chosen a song of theirs, it's a political activist band. 'Killing in the Name' especially, is quite a well known political activist song. Not that this even remotely seems like political activism.

isn't the most explicit song to be played in full on British radio? 16 f***'s and a muthaf****!?

i've bought it, would be great giggle to see the XFactor get Number2 behind it.

Its a good song - I hope it beats the X Factor sh*te just for the fun of it.

RATM don't care about money, which is probably why people have chosen a song of theirs, it's a political activist band. 'Killing in the Name' especially, is quite a well known political activist song. Not that this even remotely seems like political activism.

Yeah.

But of course they care about money. Not having any of that.

On the news before. Really making progress this!

Anyone here Simon Cowell talking about it? Really ripped into people about it!

Found it hilarious, an I hope they get to number 1!

Anyone here Simon Cowell talking about it? Really ripped into people about it!

Found it hilarious, an I hope they get to number 1!

No, what did he say?!

Simon Cowell: Rage Against The Machine Vs 'X Factor' is 'very Scrooge'

Simon Cowell has branded the Facebook campaign to get Rage Against The Machine to the UK singles Christmas Number One slot ahead of Joe McElderry "very Scrooge".

The X Factor mogul claimed that despite the campaign to get 'Killing In The Name' to the top spot the reality TV show winner would still be victorious.

McElderry's cover of Miley Cyrus' 'The Climb' is set to be released physically today (December 16). Rage Against The Machine had taken an early lead in the chart race this week.

"We've got 500,000 singles going out on Wednesday and Joe WILL be Number One," Cowell told the Daily Star.

He added: "Why not let the kid have his moment? It's all very Scrooge. It's miserable to put down young talent. We should celebrate it. I am! I’ve had a glass of champagne or two."

Cowell had already slammed the campaign previously, branding it "stupid" and "cynical".

Rage Against The Machine's Tom Morello issued a rallying call on Twitter, writing, "England! Now is your time!" when he heard about the campaign.

Simon Cowell: Rage Against the Machine campaign is 'stupid'

It takes a lot to get Simon Cowell rattled, but rattled he appears to be. At a press conference today, Cowell acknowledged the Facebook campaign to get Rage Against the Machine's 1992 song, Killing in the Name, to Christmas No 1, saying it was "dismissive" of the public as it was directed at him.

"If there's a campaign, and I think the campaign's aimed directly at me, it's stupid. Me having a No 1 record at Christmas is not going to change my life particularly," Cowell said. "I think it's quite a cynical campaign geared at me that is actually going to spoil the party for these three."

The campaign was started by Tracy and Jon Morter, who launched the Facebook group "Rage Against the Machine for Christmas No 1" earlier this month with the words: "Fed up of Simon Cowell's latest karaoke act being Christmas No 1? Me too ... So who's up for a mass-purchase of the track 'KILLING IN THE NAME' from December 13th (DON'T BUY IT YET!) as a protest to the X Factor monotony?"

Jon Morter told NME.com: "It's been taken on by thousands in the group as a defiance to Cowell's 'music machine'. Some certainly see it as a direct response to him personally." So far, more than 500,000 people have joined.

Only time will tell whether Rage Against the Machine have a chance of beating this year's as yet undecided X Factor winner. Last year's No 1, Alexandra Burke's cover of Leonard Cohen's Hallelujah, sold 576,000 copies in its opening week, which means that every single member of the Facebook group backing Rage Against the Machine would need to purchase the song to ensure their chance of victory.

However, Leon Jackson, who won the competition in 2007, was able to clinch the coveted Christmas top spot after selling 275,000 copies of his single When You Believe in its opening week. That's almost exactly half the number of people who have promised to buy Killing in the Name on Sunday.

Last year a similar internet campaign saw fans trying to get Jeff Buckley's version of Hallelujah to No 1 instead of Burke's. Buckley's version made it to No 2, but Leonard Cohen's original, however, only made it to No 36.

He shouldn't be such an obnoxious  c**t then should he?
It's his own fault if people don't like him and it's further proof of his ignorance/arrogance that he takes it for granted that everything he touches makes millions.
          The music itself doesn't stand up without all the hype which is courtesy of Cowell anyway so the challenge is the best thing that could happen,he doesn't know sh*t about music all he does know about is making money.

Im gonna buy RATM when I nip into town. Cos Im cool and go with the trends.

Im gonna buy RATM when I nip into town. Cos Im cool and go with the trends.

Haha! Made me laugh that.

Anyone know what Tom Morello's Twitter link is?

Sorry this is not fair, if the likes of Leon where number one at christmas because of the X factor, surely Joe deserves to be number one as he actually does have a great voice.

F**k YOU I WON'T DO WHAT YOU TELL ME!

MOTHERFUCKER!!!

 

I'd love nothing more for Christmas than to see this at number one rather than whiny voice Joe.  Love this song.

The comedy thing is that RATM are signed to a subsidiary of Sony Music Inc. and Simon Cowell works for and owns part of....

That's right, Sony Music BMG.


So really the money is still going into his pocket regardless, incidentally I didn't buy it as I think RATM are a giant bag of festering arsecrack.



That is all.

The comedy thing is that RATM are signed to a subsidiary of Sony Music Inc. and Simon Cowell works for and owns part of....

That's right, Sony Music BMG.


So really the money is still going into his pocket regardless, incidentally I didn't buy it as I think RATM are a giant bag of festering arsecrack.



That is all.

He is a smug b***ard and no mistake.

Rage Against the Machine battles Simon Cowell for UK chart supremacy: Whose side are you on?

For reasons I would need a large academic grant and three or four years to fully explain, my homeland of Britain is absolutely obsessed with the question of who is going to have the No. 1 single at Christmas. In recent times, however, this has become something of a one-horse race, with the lucrative honor going to whoever wins the hugely popular, Simon Cowell-adjudged X Factor reality show. Then, earlier this year, some impish, Cowell-hating types began a Facebook campaign to get Rage Against the Machine’s awesome, and awesomely foul-mouthed, 1992 single “Killing in the Name” topping the charts instead.

Last week, Simon Cowell described the campaign as “stupid.” But over the past few days the battle has gotten a lot hotter. On Sunday, an 18-year-old named Joe McElderry won this year’s X Factor and yesterday he released his Christmas single, a version of the Miley Cyrus single “The Climb.” Then, this morning, RATM appeared on BBC Radio Five Live. Guitarist Tom Morello described the effort to get them to number one as, “a real, completely grassroots campaign, started by real fans of music.” Meanwhile, another band member (frontman Zack de la Rocha, I’m 99.9 percent certain) described Simon Cowell as someone who “seems to have profited greatly off humiliating people on live television.”

The band then proceeded to play a version of “Killing in the Name” that included a flurry of F-bombs, to the obvious horror of the BBC presenters who yanked the performance and made clear they had told the band to keep matters radio-friendly (though, as the main offending lyric is, of course, “F— you, I won’t do what you tell me,” you would have thought the DJs might have seen this turn of events coming). You can hear the whole shebang below. Meanwhile, it seems the chart race itself remains extremely close.

What do you think about all this? Would you consider buying “Killing in the Name” or even buying it again, just to tick off Simon Cowell (and to help the homeless charity Shelter, which is benefiting from sales of the track)? Feel free to compare and contrast the respective singles by RATM and McElderry and send me your report. Maybe I’ll get that academic grant yet!

http://music-mix.ew.com/2009/12/17/rage-against-the-machine-simon-cowell/

I'm not really a fan of rage, but I found this hilarious in it's own way. That was until BR78 pointed out the Sony link. Now I don't care.

Though reading about the UK Xmas #1 thing made me think of Bill Nighy in "Love Actually". Hilarious! 

To be fair though, I'm not so sure this is being to done to go against Cowell, I think it's more the fact that X Factor artists comfortably get the number 1 spot every year and it's boring.

Im very behind this campaign.  Have been from the start. RATM are one of my fave bands.

I like the X Factor, up until the live shows.  But lets be honest, it is 4 untalented sheep who make a living humiliating deluded idiots oin front of a live audience and 10million viewers.  What annoys me most is that these people are hand picked before they see the flat headed Cowell c**t.

Its televised bullying and it has totally ruined the modern day music industry.

I heard a scary fact the other day.  Simon Cowell and Simon Fuller (co creator) have pocketed 150million each this decade from X Factor and American Idol, making them this decades Beatles in terms of earning.

RATM have nothing tao do with this, they didnt re-release the single it is purely fan power.  And if it stops the stranglehold the X Factor has on the Christmas Number 1 i will be so happy

Never mess with us real fans

X Factor's Joe McElderry brands Rage Against The Machine's 'Killing In The Name' 'dreadful'

X Factor winner Joe McElderry has branded Rage Against The Machine's 'Killing In The Name' "dreadful" after finally hearing his chart nemesis.

The star, who is currently 11,000 sales ahead of the Los Angeles band with 'The Climb', said he hated the track.

"They can't be serious!" he said. "I had no idea what it sounded like. It's dreadful and I hate it. How could anyone enjoy this? Can you imagine the grandmas hearing this over Christmas lunch?

"I wouldn't buy it. It's a nought out of ten from me. Simon Cowell wouldn't like it. They wouldn't get through to boot camp on The X Factor - they're just shouting."

Simon Cowell has already branded the Facebook campaign to get Rage Against The Machine to the UK singles Christmas Number One slot ahead of Joe McElderry "very Scrooge".

The X Factor mogul claimed that despite the campaign to get 'Killing In The Name' to the top spot the reality TV show winner would still be victorious.

Now, McElderry has defended Cowell and said his own track deserves to be Christmas Number One.

http://www.nme.com/news/rage-against-the-machine/48964


What a knob. Didn't need to say anything.

Plus, telling The sh*t? Get a grip.

RATM are the official #1.

End of.

X Factor's Joe McElderry brands Rage Against The Machine's 'Killing In The Name' 'dreadful'

X Factor winner Joe McElderry has branded Rage Against The Machine's 'Killing In The Name' "dreadful" after finally hearing his chart nemesis.

The star, who is currently 11,000 sales ahead of the Los Angeles band with 'The Climb', said he hated the track.

"They can't be serious!" he said. "I had no idea what it sounded like. It's dreadful and I hate it. How could anyone enjoy this? Can you imagine the grandmas hearing this over Christmas lunch?

"I wouldn't buy it. It's a nought out of ten from me. Simon Cowell wouldn't like it. They wouldn't get through to boot camp on The X Factor - they're just shouting."

Simon Cowell has already branded the Facebook campaign to get Rage Against The Machine to the UK singles Christmas Number One slot ahead of Joe McElderry "very Scrooge".

The X Factor mogul claimed that despite the campaign to get 'Killing In The Name' to the top spot the reality TV show winner would still be victorious.

Now, McElderry has defended Cowell and said his own track deserves to be Christmas Number One.

He told The Sun:"I think people are jumping on this to have a go at Simon and The X Factor rather than me. But Simon gives people a shot."

"I will be really disappointed if it doesn't go to No1 after all the effort I've put in to this and winning the show."

http://www.nme.com/news/rage-against-the-machine/48964


What a knob. Didn't need to say anything.

Plus, telling The sh*t? Get a grip.

... he speaks to the rag, 'nuff said.

Ross I've taken that Scum quote out.

Other than that I'm F***ing made up that rock & roll truley prevails.  I couldn't give two shits about Joe - he's the most boring X Factor winner in years.

This hopefully is a rock and roll revolution and that all of those soft gets who's been bumming the X Factors winners tracks are in complete misery over hearing RATM's track.

This isn't the end ladies and gents.  ROCK & ROLL!

Even though I'm not a huge fan of RATM, I hate the X factor and Simon Cowell more. Add to that that this Joe bellend has gone and spoken to the S*n, I think i'll buy the RATM track.

Rock on. I've never heard the song like, but rock on.

I also like Joe McElderberry bush.

Rage Against The Machine - Killing In The Name Live on BBC Radio 5 Live Video Full and Uncensored

Watch until the end.  F***ing love it! 

Is right!

Tom Morello is a f*cking scouser!

Is right!

Tom Morello is a f*cking scouser!

You wish! 

That's pure rock attitude right there.

I don't like the fact that these lads are xmas number 1.
I'm not keen on the X Factor taking it either, but I would have like to see a charity single like Peter Kay's song at number 1 for xmas.
Ah well, it is what it is!

Glad the X-Factor didn't get number 1 again but cant stand RATM.

but I would have like to see a charity single like Peter Kay's song at number 1 for xmas.
Ah well, it is what it is!

£80k was raised via Facebook and RATM are donating a large portion of their royalties from 'Killing...' to the charity, for the homeless: Shelter.

http://england.shelter.org.uk/news/december_2009/big_thanks_to_rage_against_the_machine_campaign!  

£80k was raised via Facebook and RATM are donating a large portion of their royalties from 'Killing...' to the charity, for the homeless: Shelter.

http://england.shelter.org.uk/news/december_2009/big_thanks_to_rage_against_the_machine_campaign! 

Well that's something at least.
I stand corrected! 

Self indulgent sh*te, both songs.

Got X Factor saying follow your dream and you can acheive anything, which is not necessarily true, then you have RATM who are saying we are being controlled by the ruling class burgoisse.

I'm afraid the truth lies in the middle, of course people have obstacles put in their way, but it is also true that people shape their own lives, have their own ideas (however people try to change them). People choose to still read the s*n for instance when they know it is total sh*te, then whinge about being manipulated.

As for the Facebook group, it became obvious that people were in it to make themselves feel important, and to look "cool" as they were part of a revolutionary act, which most probably don't fully understand what they are protesting against.

Should just be left for people to decide, no gangs/cults/sects/groups, just left for the most popular track to be number one, which probably would be Cowell and the X factor. Why? Cos people like to here songs of hope, rather than neice rock music. Teens, mums and Grans, that is basically how the christmas number one is decided.

Should just be left for people to decide, no gangs/cults/sects/groups, just left for the most popular track to be number one, which probably would be Cowell and the X factor. Why? Cos people like to here songs of hope, rather than neice rock music. Teens, mums and Grans, that is basically how the christmas number one is decided.

Hmmm, "left for people to decide", eh. Well i guess that's just what happened young fields; "the people" who were manipulated by facebook bought more records than "the people" (Teens, Mums and Grans) who are constantly manipulated by the machine that is Cowell and X-Factor.

I'm sure wee Joe, (bless him), will have a great future on the back of his undeniable talent. When i say great future, i mean success, of course, something akin to the popularity, longevity, album sales and world-wide acclaim of RATM, not a future like that of Shayne Ward and Leon Jackson - the other 'blokes' that Cowell guided to X-Factor fame and Xmas number 1.

See, the thing is, i reckon "the people" knew exactly what they were rebelling against.

The difference is though Simon sets out a show which suits the mainstream pop market, people like it, so he provides it. If the majority of people like Hardcore Punk/Rock, he would probably cater for that, all Simon does is give the majority of the people what they want.

I am of the opinion that if alternative music was to become not so alternative, that it would lose its appeal. As it is people like to be seen to be different, it is cooler to like RATM than it is to like Joe Mcelderry, if you are teens through to 30 (and beyond for the old rockers out there ).

It was basically TV Vs Internet, TV being majority older, internet being majority younger, the internet won, but I can be pretty sure that people who voted for Joe to win the X factor didn't do it to look "cool", whereas those who were part of the Facebook campaign, a vast amount of the members will have done it to feel a part of something, jump on the bandwagon, give them a feel of self importance, basically, they don't really have a problem with Cowell (I bet a few of them secretly watch the show regularly.)

I have no problem in admitting I find it quite entertaining, the key is to watch it for laughs and giggles, its a good timewaster before MOTD comes on

I get your point about people watching X-Factor - up to £15m every week, we're told. A sad indictment then that only 450k of them could be arsed to buy the song.

If we're honest, the song is pish and was only bought by those that really don't like, or know, music. Setting aside RATM, it's a F***ing shame that sh*te music tops the charts simply because it's the X-Factor winner.

There are way better 'pop' songs on release that wee Joe's contrived, cynical, pish! Pop song's that deserve to sell more and are better crafted than that X-Factor sh*te.

Both songs are crap, should of gone to the muppets cover of Boheiman Rhapsody! Was brill!