Foreigners won't know about this (probably) but here's the situation. Each year, bands try to get to the top of the charts at Christmas. They do this by selling more of their song than anyone else. Being the "Christmas number 1" used to hold some degree of prestige. Then, four years ago, a TV show called "The X-Factor," in which a load of talentless twats sing to gain the public vote and the winner gets a £1,000,000 record deal, started releasing the winners' first single just before Christmas. For the last four years it has consistently hit that number one spot.

Some of us feel that this is unfair on the real bands who actually have to work for it. We also think that the winners on this programme are almost invariably terrible (Leona Lewis was ok). Some people also feel that Simon Cowell (who owns the programme and a load of record labels etc) has too much control over the music industry. As such, a facebook group sprung up to campaign against it. We are buying a seventeen year old song called "Killing In The Name Of" by Rage Against The Machine. And we're winning. 800,000 members of the group and an estimated 600,000 necessary to do it. Currently Rage against the machine is on top although figures won't be officially released until this Sunday.

The question is: Is this slightly cynical, vindictive, hypocritical, and mean?

The sub question is: Why haven't you all gotten yourselves UK proxies and downloaded this song yet?

'cause i already got that song, homebrew

some of those that work forces are the same that burn crosses

Might get it. I fully support this, shitty Xfactor songs...

I'm buying hard copies for each member of my family as Christmas presents. Mostly because I know they don't support this and think I'm being mean to Joe. I want them to know they did their bit.

Perhaps because the music is awful.

It's not the best, but it's better than what the other guy's released. It's also more about making a statement than about getting good music.

i like the idea of everyone who doesnt like the music today actually getting up and doing something about it rather than just complaining that it isnt very good, i myself will be downloading it from itunes

Quote from Wtf

Perhaps because the music is awful.

you're awful. rage is the shit

so these british american idol equivalents right their own music? i bet they're all just a bunch of cookie-cutter, radio-friendly love songs and song about changing the world

Quote from Gavel

you're awful. rage is the shit

so these british american idol equivalents right their own music? i bet they're all just a bunch of cookie-cutter, radio-friendly love songs and song about changing the world

[swf=http://www.youtube.com/v/A0Gs4xGw1Eg&hd=1]height=505 width=853[/swf]

i believe i inadvertently made a jon lajoie reference

yeah but i didn't notice that until he said what u sed in ur post n den i wos all oh he musta dun dat on purpos

Quote from Gavel

you're awful. rage is the shit

so these british american idol equivalents right their own music? i bet they're all just a bunch of cookie-cutter, radio-friendly love songs and song about changing the world

Yep. Allow me to get you a link to these past few winners:

[swf=http://www.youtube.com/v/yhQcQ8M8yyg]height=244 width=290[/swf] [swf=http://www.youtube.com/v/JUCGwiuV1x8]height=244 width=290[/swf]

[swf=http://www.youtube.com/v/7QphNeOIMRE]height=244 width=290[/swf] [swf=http://www.youtube.com/v/bsuXbkrA_AQ]height=244 width=290[/swf]

[swf=http://www.youtube.com/v/87BFLb_5paM]height=244 width=290[/swf]

And it's a damning indictment on what the show produces that for none of those did I have to search the name of their song - none of them have ever done more than one.

I support this fully. I mean, I show sympathy for the guy that won this year. If I recall correctly, he didn't win via a sob story. But it's obviously a media plot to gain more money because they can.
If Jedward won this would still hit the top spot, purely because of the novelty. I'm all for breaking this chain, I'd love to see Rage Against the Machine as a Christmas #1. I'll go and buy it now, despite the fact I have it already.

Fuck yeah, we did it. Only a couple of thousand sales in it, but Rage Against the Machine is feasting on the entrails of that "Joe" cunt.

i live in america but i wanna support u guyz...i have a facebook(cause u mentioned something about facebook)...and btw i have seen that show over here and they all suck pretty bad