Rage Against The Machine beats Joe McElderry to Christmas number one

This is fantastic.

It's about time people realised that X Factor is nothing but a shameless way of exploiting those poor suckers who actually think they can have a lasting music career from a glorified karaoke contest. It's only ever about a nice christmas bonus for the producers as they're guaranteed at least one number 1 single a year!

I'm sure Joe will fade into obscurity just as quickly as some of his predecessors...

I'd name them, but there-in lies the rub!
Comment by kirsty on December 21 12:52

We personally I don't like either song but it is nice to see someone stop the monopoly at Christmas of the usual X factor tuneless same/same/same and more of the same!
Comment by aj on December 21 12:58

This is so ridiculous. At the end of the day Sony are the real winners as they own the royalties to both songs! I've heard people say it's also fighting back against cheesey Christmas songs - my god if we can't have a bit of 'cheesey' good will and cheer at Christmas instead of hateful slurs then there's no hope!
Comment by Jade on December 21 13:02

I do feel for Joe, but no.2 is not bad at all!! The song is not the best (down to Simon) Joe will do well anyway with or without a xmas no.1 ...GO JOE!!!...So cute too!!!
Comment by Nik Lud on December 21 13:11

You people are so vapid! Its not the song its a statement against commercially generated music. Joe can sing, yes, but thats where his talent ends so whats the difference between his No 1 or any thing else that was generated by money?
Comment by Ren on December 21 13:23

I personally have no interest in which song is number one at Christmas, especially since the birth of X-Factor and other similar programmes. It is no surprise that gullible people who have voted for their favourite will then support the winner's single, however mundane the song.

If the producers of X-Factor did the decent thing and ended the competition earlier in the autumn, it would make it open again it MIGHT ignite interest in Christmas no.1 again.

Neither song was worth "winning" but now poor Joe may never be able to boast that he reached number 1 in the charts...
Comment by Lindsey on December 21 13:29

Sara, we didn't buy to 'spite Joe'. We did this because there are millions of us are sick of the sense of entitlement that the X Factor winner (regardless of who they are) has to number one and this year's release (a Miley Cyrus cover for goodness' sake) is pap of the first degree.

Mel, Joe's single offended my ears so I guess it's even.

RATM have ruled for more years than Joe has been on the planet and will continue to do so long after we have forgotten the name of the latest X Factor has been (Steve Brookstein - had to look it up to remember - anyone?)
Comment by Laura on December 21 13:44

Well done Rage Against the Machine ! Woo hoo, a Rock track at Number One, it's like 1983 again :-)

However I do feel sorry for Joe, he can actually sing, he has a super voice for an 18 year old. Perhaps if he's been allowed to release one of the other songs he did on the programme, Journey's Don't Stop Believin' or his Elton John song, or his Queen song there wouldn't have been quite such a back lash as theses are actually good songs.

However manipulating the charts with such an awful, awful song is just too much to bear.

Comment by Catherine on December 21 14:42

Why should a reality tv show dominate the charts every Christmas.Competition is a good thing. Joe will get over it and he has actually sold far more records than he normally would have done.
RATM have donated money to the charity Shelter due to their unexpected number 1.
Comment by Annette on December 21 14:55

Sorry people but it wasn't specifically against Joe. The Campaign started way before x factor was even decided. It was a stand against the fact that winning x factor and producing a cover version of someone's elses song shouldn't automatcally mean a number 1. Maybe Simon Cowell should have picked a better song that hadn't already been released this year!
Comment by Sara on December 21 15:07

All I can say is THANK GOD he didn't make it to number one. It's an average song, sung by an average singer! I saw R.A.T.M in 1991 and they were fantastic. Let individuality rule!
Comment by Jo on December 21 17:32

I'm glad RATM are at number one. They're a great band that actually stand for something. Joe's song is Miley Cyrus cover - it's laughable. She's been around for five minutes herself and people are already covering her? The X Factor is great TV, but it doesn't produce good music and it's not fair that it's become a guarantee. It's nice to see people in this apathetic country rallying together for a common cause, even if it is for something as trivial as the Christmas number one. I bought the song and I'm proud!
Comment by Charlotte on December 21 17:42

Personally I would have preferred a re-issue of "Wombling Merry Christmas" which I have always thought was shamelessly denied top spot in 1974 by one place. If only they'd had their own TV show... oh.. Simon Cowell doesn't care one iota about the charts, just the money, he has said so himself, and his quote about how Joe "deserved" the Xmas number 1 just because he won X Factor sums it up. You "deserve" a number 1 when you have the best song. End of. And well done to RATM for donating to Shelter.
Comment by Amie on December 21 20:38

Rage all the way. Its nice to not have an X-Factor winner killing another good song at the top of the charts. Go RATM, and people "buy it just to make a point", erm, that seems pretty obvious doesn't it? That was the WHOLE point of voting for Rage. Plus, they are a band, who write their own lyrics and play their own instruments, don't copy 17 year old Country singers.
Comment by Daisy on December 21 21:00

My vote was for RAGE and I cheered when I heard Joe was no.2
Simon Cowell needs to move on to something else and allow others artists to have a chance - STOP this manufactured rubbish!!!!
Comment by Juzza on December 21 21:39

Excellent result - my husband and I actually cheered listening to Radio 1. I actually like Rage Against the Machine and own two of their albums, by the way it does not appear to be common knowledge that RAtM are donating most of the money raised by the single to charity and are planning to do a free gig over here next year, all as a result of the Facebook campaign.

I am well and truly sick of whoever wins X Factor getting to No 1 every Christmas for the last 5(?) years - even the decent winners like Leona and Alexandra haven't exactly shone with the awful songs Cowell inflicts on them to sing for their debut. Its got where not many decent artists release records at this time of year as there is no chance of a No 1 - well done to the Facebook campaign for bringing attention to this issue.

I will say I am a little annoyed about Lady Gaga getting knocked off the top spot (a true artist who writes her own songs and music, whether you like her music or not) but it would have happened anyway with the X factor single being released as her song has been in the charts for several weeks.

The promotion done for the Rage single was no different (and in truth far less) than that done on behalf of Joe - he personally does not seem to have a major problem with the contest, and nor should he given he probably sold more records than he would have even coming in at No 2!

The name of the band I believe had a large part in deciding which single to promote as competitor - "Rage Against the Machine" says it all for me - although I personally believe a better choice of track would have been "Know Your Enemy" (from the Matrix soundtrack) which could at least have been played on TV.

Way to go Rage!
Comment by Saetana on December 22 02:50

Little has been said about the £60k collected for Shelter during the Campaign... A great outcome for music & the homeless!
Comment by phil on December 22 07:25

And all the supporters of Joe don't seem to realise this was not a vote against him, rather a vote for choice, after all RATM sing 'F*** you, I won't do what you tell me', which is exactly what Mr Cowell has been trying (and succeeding so far) to do until now, tell us what should be our number 1 song.
Comment by sta on December 23 15:04

whilst I don't like RAM I also don;t like the domination of the x factor at christmas. I miss the real christmas battle.

My problem is all the money RAM must have made. Are they going to donate it???
Comment by lucy on December 23 18:45

I LOVE GEORDIE JOE ! WHAT IS THEIR PROBLEM THAT THEY ALL WENT FOR RATM ! WHY DOES EVERYONE HAVE TO TAKE THEIR ANGER OUT ON MAYBE THE BEST SINGER IN THE X FACTOR EVER! JUST BECAUSE PEOPLE DON'T LIKE SIMON COWELL, THE DON'T HAVE TO TAKE IT OUT ON JOE. HE'S NUMBER 1 IN THE IRISH CHARTS THOUGH. GOOD LUCK JOE. WE LOVE YOU HERE ! xOxOxO ;) ;]] ;) ;]]
Comment by Mrs.Joe McElderry on December 29 14:32

SUPPORT JOE MCELDERRY ALL OF THE WAY!!

x x
Comment by Laura on February 26 17:09