By Tony Field
American band Rage Against the Machine have ended Simon Cowell's four-year domination of the British Christmas chart.
The rockers have snatched the number one single from X-Factor winner Joe McElderry.
The unlikely Christmas favourite is reportedly all thanks to a grassroots campaign on social media site Facebook.
More than half a million people downloaded the song 'Killing In The Name', outselling X-Factor winner McElderry's Miley Cyrus cover song by 50,000 units.
Rage guitarist Tom Morello says the top spot is testament to the power of people rallying together.
“It's the anarchy Christmas miracle of 2009. It says very clearly that ordinary people, banding together in solidarity, can change anything,” he says.
McElderry, 18, who had only just been born when his competition were recording 'Killing In The Name', was gracious in defeat.
“I’m just happy that I have got a single out. I’m happy at the sales – I’m just really pleased."
But American Idol judge Simon Cowell is reportedly “gutted” by the campaign to deny his artists a fifth Christmas number one in a row.
The campaign was hatched by a music fan fed up with manufactured pap.
“Rejoice - we have given the Christmas number one back to everybody else,” says campaign organiser Jon Mortner.
Rage drummer Brad Wilks says the win is a welcome change to previous winners.
“We are just honoured that the UK chose Rage Against The Machine to be the band to, you know, stand up against this prefabricated 'happy meal' music that has been ruling their charts,” he says.
There are two other winners from this much hyped battle. Rage fans, who downloaded the song also donated around $150,000 to the homeless charity Shelter.
But music giant Sony is arguably the biggest winner of all - it owns the labels that released both songs.
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