A few weeks ago Rage Against The Machine fan Jon Morter set up a FaceBook group to encourage rock fans to buy the LA political metaller’s 1992 hit, Killing In The Name, as a protest against the perceived monopoly reality TV show the X Factor has over the Christmas singles market.
Morter told Kerrang! last week that he “snapped” while watching the show one night and set up the group to see who else agreed with him. When K! started covering the story earlier this month, the group had just under 60,000 members. Now it boats a staggering 868,552 members, and 306,115 of whom have purchased Killing In The Name this week putting it just under 9,000 copies ahead of X Factor winner Joe McElderry’s cover of Miley Cyrus' The Climb according to mid-week chart reports.
While it is mildly amusing that a song which features the refrain ’Fuck you I won’t do what you tell me!’ might be the festive Number One, as it was with The Darkness’s attempt at a Christmas hit in 2003 with Christmas Time (Don't Let the Bells End), there’s a much more important reason why rock fans should care about this seemingly pointless chart battle – the future of rock music itself.
With reality TV shows such as X Factor, American Idol, Britain’s Got Talent etc. providing record companies with a wealth of fame hungry wannabes that they don’t have to spend time or money promoting or developing because they come complete with a ready made audience who will buy their records regardless, they have stopped signing rock and metal bands who, traditionally, take years to make any significant financial returns for record companies.
“These reality TV shows really puts the blockers on new up and coming bands who write and perform their own stuff because the labels focus on channelling their marketing spend into these (mostly) short term, 'sure-fire' TV-fuelled successes,” a senior music industry figure, who wishes to remain anonymous, told K! “It really isn’t about music, quality of music or longevity for any resulting reality TV show artists or bands.”
“Also these reality TV show artists are deemed a priority within the label and so the newer bands perhaps do not get the true attention and push to radio / press etc. that really need to make their mark, or indeed the financial support to enable them to tour,” our source added. “And what’s worse, this is happening on a global level.”
While the vast majority of comments on this website have been supportive of the Rage Vs X factor campaign, there are still a few disillusioned posters who feel that an X Factor victory is inevitable - it is not! According to figures released by The Official Charts Company, Rage Against The Machine have been significantly ahead of Joe McElderry every day this week.
You’ve still got until 11:59PM tomorrow (Saturday, December 19) to make a difference. And, even if you own it already, you can purchase Killing In The name form a number of online e-tailers for as little as 29p.
Take a stand people, your music needs you!
Agreed, fuck you London. Pricks.