Facebook was awash with a status tsunami on Sunday as users rejoiced over the victory of Rage Against The Machine as crimbo UK number 1. The relentless campaign, started by couple Jon and Tracey Morter paid off in spades. However, an air of hostility hangs over the victory, as many die-hard RATM fans feel the result has been bittersweet. It's the same old story, once something's popular, it's no longer cool, right?
Wrong.
I supported the idea since I was first introduced to the group. Albeit I am not the most avid fan of RATM, but I appreciate the impact they created back in the day. Killing In The Name Of was an apt choice to go against Joe McElderry's cover of piss-poor ballad The Climb. Regardless of choice of song, the objection was still apparent; to break the monotonous cycle by any means nessesary. At first I was a little sceptical over the campaign. Would it actually work? Probably not. I believed mass laziness would prevent the desired outcome. I was surprised with the end result, but I wasn't surprised with the mass outrage from RATM fans. It is believed, by some, that the original fan base has been compromised with constant media attention of the notoriously reclusive band and persistent airplay of Killing In The Name Of. They seem to have forgotten that the campaign was initiated for all the right reasons. RATM donated all profits from singles to homeless charity
Shelter, and it's the first UK number 1 from downloads alone. All this from a Facebook campaign. I was impressed.
To those that hold the arrogant belief that this was the wrong choice of artist and song, you've severely missed the point. The objection of the campaign was to prevent the chart-demolishing juggernaut the X-Factor hogging the Christmas number 1 spot for the fifth consecutive year. Because of X-Factor, artists have been reluctant to release singles during the run up to Christmas as the show's three month investment would most certainly claim the top spot. That is the purpose of X-Factor. The winners are statistics, not credible artists.
The campaign reminds us that the internet is changing everything. It has given a voice to the silent majority, and if one chooses to listen to that voice, it can change everything. Do not hold the arrogant belief that your favorite band from days gone by have been reduced to shit because of mass media attention. That's not the point. The point is with one idea we can make a severe change, which is more relevant now than ever. With an idea we can all be treated as one. No self-righteous mindsets, no arrogance and no outrage.
