Rage beat Joe to Christmas number 1

X Factor winner Joe McElderry missed out on the Christmas number one spot
12 April 2012

Rap metal act Rage Against The Machine have snatched the Christmas number one from X Factor winner Joe McElderry.

The band topped the chart with their 1992 hit Killing In The Name after an internet campaign to keep another of Simon Cowell's acts off the festive top spot.

Cowell said he was "gutted" at losing the battle for Christmas number one.

McElderry, 18, took his defeat graciously, saying: "Fair play to the guys who have organised the Facebook campaign - it's been exciting to be part of a much-hyped battle and they definitely deserve congratulations."

Killing In The Name sold more than 500,000 copies in the past week while McElderry's The Climb chalked up sales of 450,000 - a bonanza for record company Sony and retailers. It was not available on CD and is the first download-only Christmas number one, as well as achieving the biggest download sales total in a first week ever in the UK charts.

On Friday Rage Against The Machine's lead was just 9,000 copies, but sales then soared by 200,000 to secure victory.

Cowell offered his congratulations to the couple behind the campaign, Jon and Tracy Morter. He said: "I am gutted for Joe because a number one single meant a lot to him but I have to congratulate Jon and Tracy, who started the Facebook campaign.

"I called Jon on Saturday to congratulate the two of them that, win or lose, they turned this into a very exciting race for the Christmas number one. I am proud of Joe - he worked really hard this week, but he has a great year ahead of him."

Official Charts Company managing director Martin Talbot said: "Congratulations to Rage Against The Machine on their number one - as we have seen in recent years, overhauling any X Factor winner in the race for the Christmas number one is no mean achievement. The popular support we have seen for the record this week has been truly amazing - and handed them two all-time records."

Gennaro Castaldo, from high street retailer HMV, said the bad weather could have prevented McElderry fans getting to the shops to buy his CD.

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