Rage Against the Machine Reaches No.1 Single the Week Before Christmas
Who said Facebook groups were worthless? Within the last five years, the number one spot for a single was "X-Factor" by Simon Cowell. This year breaks this paradigm with a little surprise: Rage Against the Machine's "Killing in the Name," thanks to a dedicated Facebook group.
The week before Christmas, with the advent of a dedicated Facebook group , Rage Against the Machine's "Killing in the Name" was risen to the number one downloaded song in Britain. What started as something on a whim, Tracy Morter (one of the founders of the Facebook group) described this news as a "shock, really." "You don't actually think it's going to happen, and we just want to make sure Joe knows it wasn't personal against him and hope he has a wonderful Christmas," she says. In addition to achieving the smash hit, the group also raised over 100,000 dollars to support a homeless charity organization.
Source: CNN
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25 Comments on "Rage Against the Machine #1 in Britain?"
Supporter
3. writes:
4. writes:
you guys don't understand much about popular movements do you ? People have organized themselves to an act outside the box. Instead of choosing between two singers with perfect colgate smiles that have no soul in their town compensated by glittery hair, people took a tiny piece of the system and managed to put a totally non xmassy song up on the xmas chart. That itself is a prowess.
5. writes:
6. writes:
o btw i just gotta say i love this
"Your comment has been flagged for moderation and will be made public once it is determined that it is not spam. We apologize for the inconvenience (unless you are spammer, in which case BURN IN HELL!!!)."
kick a$$ metalunderground, burn in hell spammers :)
7. writes:
Agreed with Oz 's post....isnt simon cowell like god over in the UK?.....the only reason why i even peak into AI is to hear simon s comments...ya he s stuck up the azz, but hes got an eye for talent, and has the greatest insults..." OMG that was bloody awfull"..probably my favorite now the paula abdul is now gone, before it was "paula shut up"....
Member
9. writes:
The campaign has nothing to do with hate or anger towards joe. The song Killing in the Name is about a guy who got beaten to death by police. On the front cover of the album is a picture of a tibetan monk who burned himself alive in protest to tyrannical government. So if these guys sound a little 'angry' thats why. They stand for the good of the people, they stand for the hurt that many of us wrapped in cotton wool don't know about or simply don't want to hear about or are brainwashed into thinking the governments are completely justified in there brutality against innocent people and children.
The manufactured music industry pumps out stuff to keep the money coming in. While bands like RATM (and there are many of them) actually stand for something...
Choosing this song is a statement, making a stand against the manufactured karaoke machine but its bigger than that. Its proof that we can actually make a difference we have raised 74,000 for the shelter charity. RATM are also donating to a charity to help kids have the opportunity to learn music and express themselves through music. Music is a gift and expresses the soul.
Member
10. writes:
Me likes Rage, so tis an added bonus.
But yeah, I love the symoblism, the lyrics just say it all.
You know they did a live stream on the radio, and the bosses told them not to do the f*** yous?
Kinda defeats the point of the line, and they managed to get it in 4 times before being cut out.
Anyways, no matter what band was chosen, I reckon we would have people who dislike them.
I'm jut glad that smarmy little X-Factor Sh1t didn't get it. Read an interview about him, and he got on my nerves.
Senior News Correspondent
11. writes:
The thing is, Rage Against The Machine have sold millions of records and made their label a tonne of cash in the process. That's part of the system. They've always been pretty mainstream anyway so it's really really not surprising they were able to top the charts. By buying a load of copies of the song, it really isn't beating the system. It probably won't get alot of airplay here regardless of it being Christmas number one and the X Factor song will be on the radio just as much as before. Take 1977 for example, when God Saved The Queen topped the charts during Jubilee week. It didn't get a single spin on the radio, but number 2, Rod Stewart did and that's exactly what will happen this Christmas.
I also don't feel RATM really do anything. I hear alot about how they're meant to be this great band of the people but I don't see it. Prime example, look at when Tom Morello went to Germany to perform his Nightwatchman routine during the G8 summit. He had a boat waiting for him and as soon as trouble kicked off, he couldn't get out of there quick enough. If he was was this great protester then he would have stayed there and continued to protest at least.
Supporter
Member
Former Contributor
Member
16. writes:
Lol. I love rage. Question- why are we talking about a song topping the charts thats well over ten years old? Is there something wrong with britian that they are just now hearing this. Are they really that a$$ backwards over there? I understand its downloaded, but thats like marilyn mansons beautiful people is topping the charts in the year 2000 and f***ing 9? lol
Member
Member
20. writes:
f*** me, right?: Why don't you just suck a wet fart out of my a$$ you little queeahh? That "retard" went to college, got a degree and speaks several different languages (english not being his first). What have you done you pathetic bag of sh!t?
Hey Bat: I may not care much about popular movements, but I know a bowel movement when I see one *points finger at FMR?*
23. writes:
Bats take was another bg classic......
Anyone who cracks on wilco is gonna get cyber assaulted...been on here almost 8 months and hes probably the most laid back cat on here....but in the same sense, if someone slammed a band i am really passionate about for really no concrete reason, i might flip out as well...just be a little more scientific about it, counter take wise...but wilco had replied a few days ago that he d not been sleeping enough lately or not well so lets give the dutchman a break......bg remember when you watch the scariest movie of all time (PA which comes out on blu ray on dec 28) give me a review....
24. writes:
yeah wilco is a bit of a lad - and everyone's gonna agree that simon cowell is a kunt because if you don't, you don't belong on this site, you belong with NME magazine at the best of times.
the reason we chose this song is because it pretty much sums up what we're all thinking - "f*** you i won't do what you tell me". britain is not a$$ backwards lol. but i think that the guys who started this went for ratm rather than, say, cannibal corpse's stripped raped and strangled (my preference) is so that it would actually go no1 because enough people know it (not saying i condone that).
it's funny just to sit back and watch the way metalheads are suddenly split by this whole thing.
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Senior News Correspondent
1. Diamond Oz writes:
It's nice to hear they gave the money to a really good cause. Other than that though, I'm sick to bloody death of hearing about this. RATM have always been a terrible band (just my opinion) and the idea is to "beat" Simon Cowell, which fails hard since he owns shares in Epic so makes money out of this either way.