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Former Christmas Number 1 act Rage Against Machine will "never" tour or perform live again

The US band memorably claimed 2009's Official Christmas Number 1.
rage against the machine

A member of the US rock group Rage Against The Machine has announced that the band will never tour or perform live again. 

Last year, Rage Against The Machine cancelled several dates of their world tour, and even pulled out of a headline slot at Reading and Leeds Festival, eventually being replaced by The 1975.

But now, fans who might have been anticipating news on re-scheduled live shows have had a disappointing update, with Rage Against The Machine drummer Brad Wilk posting a statement on Instagram announcing the band's apparent retirement from live performances. 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

A post shared by Brad Wilk (@bradwilk)

It reads: " I know a lot of people are waiting for us to announce new tour dates for all the cancelled RATM shows. I don’t want to string people or myself along further. So while there has been some communication that this may be happening in the future… I want to let you know that RATM (Tim, Zack, Tom and I) will not be touring or playing live again.

"I’m sorry for those of you who have been waiting for this to happen. I really wish it was…"

Of course, Rage Against The Machine hold a special place in the history of the Official Chart. In 2009, a passionate grassroots campaign via Facebook groups (remember those?) had one goal in mind; taking Rage Against The Machine's Killing In The Name to Christmas Number 1, in a bid to half the successive festive chart-toppers from winners of The X Factor. 

Of course, the campaign was successful and ended up as 2009's Official Christmas Number 1, the most important chart-topping single of the year, beating out that year's X Factor winner, Joe McElderry, who had to settle for Number 2 with his cover of Miley Cyrus's The Climb.

Killing In The Name was Rage Against The Machine's first, and so far only, UK Number 1 single, with the band also achieving one other Top 10 hit, and four further Top 40s. 

While the group has been active as a touring band for the last 20 years, they haven't released any new music since their 2000 album, Renegades. 

Re-discover every single Official Christmas Number 1 in the UK here.

Image: Sony Music Archive via Getty Images/Mark Baker

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Velvet Android

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"Of course, the campaign was successful and ended up as 2009's Official Christmas Number 1, the most important chart-topping single of the year, beating out that year's X Factor winner, Joe McElderry, who had to settle for Number 2 with his cover of Miley Cyrus' The Climb (Joe had previously debuted at Number 1 the week before, although his career did seem to stall thanks to the controversy, only ever achieving one more Top 10 hit)."


You've got this backwards, George. McElderry debuted at no.2 behind Killing In The Name in Christmas week. The Climb (appropriately) climbed to Number One the week after that controversial festive chart.