'Rage Against the X-Factor'

[Govinda]

The Christmas No. 1 single has always been a pretty big deal in the UK. It gets played all the time on radio and on the tele. For the past four years, the Christmas No. 1 has been the winning song from the TV kareoke contest The X Factor. The show is timed so that the winning single is always released in the Christmas chart week, so that the winner will get at least one hit single before they fade completely.

This year, a Facebook group has sprung up declaring its wish that this year's Christmas single be Killing in the Name of by Rage Against the Machine. It hit just over 700,000 members today, up from 50,000 when I joined about five days ago.

Some people are saying that it's a bit stupid to be using a left-wing anti-establishment song as a protest by mass purchase. Others are saying that it's hypocritical to buy it, because RATM are on Sony, a label which X Factor head honcho Simon Cowell is heavily involved with.

I am on the other side. I don't give a flying **** about the money - it's about having a half decent song play all the time on Christmas Day. It's about the right wing ****ers wincing into their Christmas tea and moaning because that cute young lad from the X Factor didn't have his nice little cover song win this year. It's also about helping homeless charity Shelter (the RATM group on FB have raised over £16,000 (about US$30,000) for them so far). (Go donate!)

I also just read that this year's X Factor single will be a cover of Miley Cyrus's 'The Climb'. WHAT. THE. ****. We cannot allow this to happen.

What do you think? For me, it is fun, good for Shelter, and will hopefully save my family and I from a bad kareoke cover of a Miley Cyrus song.

Please can this happen. Just please. Daily Mail grannies discussing the Queen's Speech and then choking on their mince pies when Killing in the Name Of comes on after. Oh please. PLEASE.

[Dodie16]

I think it would be hilarious to hear a RATM song played all day on Christmas. (Even though it does seem a bit sacrilegious to me, but who remembers the true meaning of Christmas anyway?)

However, I am not from or live in the UK, and I don't listen to the radio. I go to iTunes for all my music needs, and I choose what I want to hear. Also, I have never heard of the show X-Factor. No, I'm not living under a rock, I just don't watch shows like that. On a somewhat related note, I have never seen an episode of American Idol either.

Good luck to those that want this to happen though. I don't think I would want to hear a cover of a Miley Cyrus song all day either. I hear her own songs enough as it is, because I have a young brother who is OBSESSED with her, and blasts her music almost all day long....

[nix]

I just listen to my own music, problem solved..

Although i would like to see killing in the name of top it, but i know they wont count it regardless if it beats it or not..

Xfactor is gay and anybody that watches it is a sad bastard..

[smurphy]

Why couldnt they do it last year when that butchered version of hallelulah got to no 1.

[Govinda]

They tried to do it last year with Buckley's version but not enough people bought it. It got to No. 2 though. Go buy RATM from Play.com! Best 99p you'll ever spend if this works.

[Pete]

That would be pretty hilarious. I'm actually a huge fan of Chris Cornell's version of Ave Maria, but I do enjoy the irony of Killing in the Name.

It reminds of of when the Mets decided to let the fans pick what song they wanted for the 8th inning sing along, and fark.com decided to get us rickrolled.

[Alpha]

I'm sorry, Govinda, but **** YOU, I WON'T DO WHAT YOU TELL ME!

Ahem. But yeah, awesome. And I have just donated to Shelter, thanks, Gov.

EDIT: But I only gave two pounds because I don't know how much a pound is in New Zealand dollars, and I was scared.

[Govinda]

You gave about NZ$4, I'd say. Every penny helps though, can't believe we've broken £20,000!