Why a Rage Against the Machine Christmas No 1 would be a great pop moment

[T_i_B]

Anyone here joined in the campaign to get Killing In The Name Of to Christmas number 1? I'm rooting for the Muppet's version of Bohemian Rhapsody myself but I'm in a minority on that one according to the Facebook stats.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/music/musicblog/2009/dec/11/rage-against-machine-christmas-no1

Personally, I'd love RATM to get to No 1, not because I think it would be a victory for "proper" rock. I actually think a RATM victory would be a triumph for pop. The song might be old, but having a fan-powered campaign propel it to the chart summit against the might of an entertainment powerhouse like SyCo would tell you more about the democratised, downloadable and downright free-for-all nature of the pop charts in 2009 than anything else. And besides, surely any kind of scrap for the top spot is better for pop lovers than none at all?

Critics have pointed out that Sony is behind both acts, and that ultimately the money will find its way to Cowell whoever wins. But that's missing the point. Cowell hardly needs the cash that a Christmas No 1 would generate. But he does need – at least to some degree – to show that the X Factor brand can guarantee its winner a chart topper. Besides this, Cowell's claim that a RATM No 1 would "spoil" it for the other contestants betrays a certain arrogance, as if the Christmas top slot is now reserved for his acts alone and that any other artist actually selling more records is cheating.

One familiar message-board criticism is that RATM fans are being childish and should "protest about something serious", presumably landmines, climate change or youth unemployment. That's a perfectly fair point, but if you're going to take that viewpoint you could apply it to the act of buying pop singles in general. You're paying 79p for a Joe McElderry ballad? Give the money to Katine instead, you thoughtless twerp! Again, the point is to not take it all so seriously. The Christmas chart is a bit of a laugh. People like to spend their money on having a laugh.

So, do I think RATM have the X(mas) factor? I can't quite see it happening, but it would certainly be amusing if they did. When we look back in a decade's time, and ask why an old rock song from the early 1990s went to No 1 in 2009, sticking out in a long line of overblown ballads like the proverbial sore middle finger … to me, that's what the pop charts were made for.

[non sociopath skin]

1. I lost interest in the "Pop Charts" long ago as, I suspect, did most of us "Boomers".

Consequently, I couldn't give a Fletcher's Turd for what turns out to be the Christmas Number One.

Everyone up here is over the moon that a Tynesider has won the Sixth Former of the Year contest. Seems to me, though, that what we're seeing is the triumph of muzak. You hold a multi-million nationwide talent contest and the winner gets to make a COVER VERSION???

Fortunately for us crumblies, there's still a significant counter-culture of original songwriting and music-making. Go, Rachel Unthank!

The Skin

[T_i_B]

2. "There's still a significant counter-culture of original songwriting and music-making."

Fortunate for the young 'uns as well if you ask me. The best music in a whole range of music scenes tends to come out of what is often termed the underground.

And that's part of the appeal of the Rage Against The Machine song IMHO. It's sweary enough to ensure that it was never all that mainstream.

[dipsydoodle]

3. RATM fans are being childish and should

and should "protest about something serious", presumably landmines............... :shrug:

Why would they do that ? The most recent winner of the Nobel Peace Prize remains enthusiastic about them as he'd otherwise have taken some action to help ban them. :sarcasm:

[TheBigotBasher]

4. I had a very camp wedding to that song as the theme

and during the entrance the CD player being used at the time got stolen from the Lambeth Registry Office,

I would so love that song to be number one.

[fedsron2us]

5. Who cares since both the X-Factor single and the RATM alternative are shite

For something a bit different check out

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qPGuVxEduNQ

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EdI2aRDEBZ4

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uQSm0xuM7Hk&feature=PlayList&p=98857225AA76E657&index=0&playnext=1

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FyZ_Kw6Veus

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vwmdnXMF5hs&feature=PlayList&p=16B4C8A9941C7BB2&playnext=1&playnext_from=PL&index=22

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EOknYdvEX5k

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KdJa0JZwzRw&feature=related

or any other track involving the great and much underrated Tony 'TS' Mcphee

[Captain Hilts]

6. It's funny seeing folks so upset that SuBo and AnBo are leading the charts.

It makes Rage look silly and petty.

[muriel_volestrangler]

7. 'AnBo'?

All I can think of is Anne Boleyn. WhoAnBo?

[T_i_B]

15. I've heard of ASBO's!

That said - acronyms like SuBo and R-Pat, as used by Metro and red-top tabloids are one of my pet hates.

[non sociopath skin]

8. Seriously, do the "Charts" mean anything nowadays?

The Skin

[ikri]

9. Rage Against the Machine are the official Christmas Number 1

Simon Cowell must be seething.

[non sociopath skin]

10. I will struggle hard to contain my indifference ...

... while playing "Phil Spector's Christmas Gift" and the Chieftains' "Bells of Dublin" - my two contenders for the best Christmas albums of all time - together with the Best of All Possible Christmas Singles (whatever any Cheap Lousy Faggot might suggest ... )

God Bless Us Every One

The Skin

[fedsron2us]

11. Cowell seething ? I rather doubt it.

Both artists are signed to Sony BMG something the suckers do not seem to have realised.

The extra sales of the RAMT dross probably have not dented the sales of the X-Factor shite since it is almost certainly being being bought by a different audience.

Sadly, Cowell will be making just as much money as last year.

This is not a display of the 'power of the internet' as some believe but just another example of how the corporations manipulate the mugs and deprive them of their money.

As usual the only loser is music itself since both records are truly awful.

[ikri]

12. Both may be Sony BMG artists but I suspect Cowell won't be too pleased

He's spent a decent amount of time in the last week trying to ensure that people don't ruin it for Joe by buying an infinitely superior record.

Cowell actually made far more money last year when 3 different versions of Hallelujah reached the top 10. Cowell, it turns out, owns the rights to the song. He made over £250,000 per day from that little stunt.

[mackerel]

13. I'm just glad to see RATM getting some air time over this...

So sick of John Mayer and Taylor Swift.

I did hear The Rebel Jesus with Jackson Browne and the Chieftans on the radio today, brought me a smile while inching along in holiday traffic.

[T_i_B]

14. It's one of those songs that's never gone away

Owing mainly to the fact that it's still of of the best moshing songs. Playing Killing In The Name Of remains one of the best ways to start off a moshpit.

It's also guaranteed to get up the noses of right wingers, and right on cue here's the wingnut whiners reaction.

http://edmundstanding.wordpress.com/2009/12/20/destroying-cops-and-setting-fire-to-the-suburbs/

[fedsron2us]

16. You are having a laugh

Cowell was deliberately egging on the controversy because it boosted the sales of his own artist.

The idea that he lies in bed grinding his teeth in fury because some clapped out old 'alternative' band have stolen the number one spot is a joke.

He doesn't give a toss about whether the winners of the show make it or not in the business. As far as he is concerned they are as disposable as used tissues. Should the current X Factor poll topper fail (and more than half do) then there are always the runners up to exploit. He will simple cash the not not inconsiderable amounts of money made this year (including the X-Factor 'Artistes' hit released while the competition was still running) and move on.

Moreover if you dont realise that manufactured 'rage' and pretending to give the finger to the 'Man' (while always accepting his royalty cheques) has been part of pop exploitation culture since the days of Sun Studio then you really need to get out a bit more

The truth is that this is not a battle between authentic music and phony music but between two profoundly indifferent records generated by the same corporate machine.

If kids really want to rebel against the system then they should get some cheap instruments, form their own bands and make their own music like the punks of the 1970s.

Alternatively buy those old Groundhogs records because Tony Mcphee has been poorly recently and he could do with the money. At the very least you would get to hear some decent guitar playing.

[fedsron2us]

17. As 'great pop moments' go, this one has not lasted very long

Normal service has now been resumed

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/8431842.stm

What a con it has all been. I just can not believe how easily people were manipulated.

So much for the internet making everyone more 'aware'.

[non sociopath skin]

18. SOME people.

The Skin