KILLING IN THE NAME
by RAGE AGAINST THE MACHINE


By 2009, it was an established tradition that the winner of that year's X Factor would release a single - most likely a cover - that would shoot to the top of the chart and claim the Official Christmas Number 1.

But it was unlucky Joe McElderry whose moment in the sun was used as an experiment by Jon and Tracy Morter for some good old fashioned grassroots campaigning, with an effort to get US rock group Rage Against The Machine to Number 1 instead with their 1993 single, Killing In The Name.

Sadly for Joe, the campaign was successful. His cover of Miley Cyrus's The Climb had to settle for Number 2 come the biggest chart week of the year, while Rage Against The Machine claimed their first-ever chart-topper, and 2009's Official Christmas Number 1. 

To celebrate, Rage Against The Machine played a free concert at London’s Finsbury Park, and handed over a cheque for £162,000 raised by royalties of the single, which went to homeless charity Shelter. 

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Music video

Official Charts logo Official Singles Chart

Chart facts

  • Peak position1
  • LabelEPIC
  • Catalogue number6584922
  • First Chart Date

Weeks on chart

  1. 1No1
  2. 2Top 10
  3. 2Top 20
  4. 6Top 40
  5. 7Top 75
  6. 9Top 100

Chart run

= Peak position = This week

4 weeks - 27/02/1993 to 20/03/1993

5 weeks - 19/12/2009 to 16/01/2010

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Chart facts

  • Peak position1
  • LabelCOLUMBIA
  • Catalogue numberMIUCT7488
  • First Chart Date

Weeks on chart

  1. 2No1
  2. 2Top 10
  3. 2Top 20
  4. 3Top 40
  5. 3Top 75
  6. 5Top 100

Chart run

= Peak position = This week

5 weeks - 19/12/2009 to 16/01/2010

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End of Year Singles Chart

Chart facts

  • Peak position8
  • LabelEPIC
  • Catalogue number6584922
  • First Chart Date

Weeks on chart

  1. 0No1
  2. 1Top 10
  3. 1Top 20
  4. 1Top 40
  5. 1Top 75
  6. 1Top 100

Chart run

= Peak position = This week

1 week - 09/01/2010

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Official Charts logo Official Rock & Metal Singles Chart

Chart facts

  • Peak position1
  • LabelEPIC
  • Catalogue number6584922
  • First Chart Date

Weeks on chart

  1. 3No1
  2. 14Top 10
  3. 51Top 20
  4. 557Top 40
  5. 557Top 75
  6. 557Top 100

Chart run

= Peak position = This week

39 weeks - 10/01/2009 to 03/10/2009

2 weeks - 24/10/2009 to 31/10/2009

1 week - 28/11/2009

24 weeks - 12/12/2009 to 22/05/2010

7 weeks - 12/06/2010 to 24/07/2010

1 week - 14/08/2010

1 week - 28/08/2010

24 weeks - 16/10/2010 to 26/03/2011

1 week - 09/04/2011

3 weeks - 23/04/2011 to 07/05/2011

2 weeks - 21/05/2011 to 28/05/2011

4 weeks - 11/06/2011 to 02/07/2011

2 weeks - 06/08/2011 to 13/08/2011

1 week - 24/09/2011

2 weeks - 12/11/2011 to 19/11/2011

5 weeks - 10/12/2011 to 07/01/2012

1 week - 21/01/2012

2 weeks - 17/03/2012 to 24/03/2012

1 week - 05/05/2012

1 week - 19/05/2012

2 weeks - 11/08/2012 to 18/08/2012

1 week - 03/11/2012

2 weeks - 08/12/2012 to 15/12/2012

4 weeks - 29/12/2012 to 19/01/2013

1 week - 02/11/2013

7 weeks - 16/11/2013 to 28/12/2013

1 week - 15/03/2014

1 week - 05/04/2014

3 weeks - 03/05/2014 to 17/05/2014

1 week - 21/06/2014

18 weeks - 12/07/2014 to 08/11/2014

4 weeks - 13/12/2014 to 03/01/2015

1 week - 17/01/2015

3 weeks - 28/02/2015 to 14/03/2015

1 week - 28/03/2015

7 weeks - 11/04/2015 to 23/05/2015

1 week - 13/06/2015

2 weeks - 26/11/2015 to 03/12/2015

4 weeks - 17/12/2015 to 07/01/2016

3 weeks - 21/01/2016 to 04/02/2016

1 week - 07/04/2016

1 week - 21/04/2016

10 weeks - 05/05/2016 to 07/07/2016

18 weeks - 28/07/2016 to 24/11/2016

23 weeks - 08/12/2016 to 11/05/2017

5 weeks - 25/05/2017 to 22/06/2017

2 weeks - 20/07/2017 to 27/07/2017

1 week - 24/08/2017

2 weeks - 14/09/2017 to 21/09/2017

58 weeks - 12/10/2017 to 15/11/2018

9 weeks - 06/12/2018 to 31/01/2019

25 weeks - 28/02/2019 to 15/08/2019

2 weeks - 29/08/2019 to 05/09/2019

2 weeks - 19/09/2019 to 26/09/2019

28 weeks - 10/10/2019 to 16/04/2020

3 weeks - 30/04/2020 to 14/05/2020

1 week - 28/05/2020

17 weeks - 11/06/2020 to 01/10/2020

1 week - 29/10/2020

7 weeks - 17/12/2020 to 28/01/2021

1 week - 11/02/2021

5 weeks - 04/03/2021 to 01/04/2021

3 weeks - 22/04/2021 to 06/05/2021

10 weeks - 20/05/2021 to 22/07/2021

3 weeks - 14/10/2021 to 28/10/2021

67 weeks - 11/11/2021 to 16/02/2023

5 weeks - 02/03/2023 to 30/03/2023

1 week - 20/04/2023

4 weeks - 04/05/2023 to 25/05/2023

1 week - 08/06/2023

3 weeks - 22/06/2023 to 06/07/2023

15 weeks - 20/07/2023 to 26/10/2023

8 weeks - 16/11/2023 to 04/01/2024

15 weeks - 22/02/2024 to 30/05/2024

4 weeks - 18/07/2024 to 08/08/2024

2 weeks - 17/10/2024 to 24/10/2024

3 weeks - 14/11/2024 to 28/11/2024

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