The Christmas #1, a very big deal in the UK, has been dominated by Simon Cowell’s winning X-Factor single for 4 years running. Not this year. X-Factor winner, Joe McElderry’s song, “The Climb” will bow at #2 this week behind Rage Against the Machine’s “Killing in the Name” at #1.
via The Independent:
Rock band Rage Against the Machine ended Simon Cowell’s four year domination of the Christmas charts tonight after a hugely popular Facebook campaign helped the Los Angeles nu-metallers snatch the Christmas number one slot from X-factor’s Joe McEdlerry.
More than half a million people downloaded the band’s famously anti-authoritarian and expletive laden track ‘Killing in the Name’ in what was seen as a broad protest against the increasing influence of manufactured pop music.
It is the first time a non-X-Factor song has made it to Christmas number one for four years and represents a major snub to the show’s creator Cowell who angrily described the campaign to him another number one slot as ‘very Scrooge’ .
On one hand, I’m a Rage Against the Machine Fan, and kinda happy their song took the #1 spot over some soppy Miley Cyrus cover.
Yet, having watched this season of the X-Factor, I feel bad for Joe, who seems like a nice, sweet lad (albeit, very dull and charisma free).
But last night the 18-year-old Geordie singer, whose cover of Miley Cyrus’ ‘The Climb’ sold 50, 000 fewer copies than his rivals, was noticeably more magnanimous in defeat.
“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.’
Very gracious in defeat, Joe is. I have to say, it’s going to be really fun to watch Simon’s head explode.
The Climb – Joe McElderry
Rage Against the Machine – Killing in the Name