It’s official, Rage Against The Machine’s ‘Killing In The Name Of’ is the UK’s favourite Christmas number one of all time. After three weeks of nail-biting tension, the votes (all 41,000 of them) have been counted and the winner has been announced.
The poll was organised in partnership with Nine Eight Books to celebrate the 70th Christmas chart battle and the Official Christmas No.1 Singles Book. The competition culminated with a tense showdown between The Spice Girls’ 1996 chart-topper ‘2 Become 1’ and the anti-establishment anthem ‘Killing In The Name Of, which became a surprise Christmas hit in 2009 after Jon and Tracy Morter set up a campaign in defiance of The X Factor’s continual chart dominance.
After the two songs went head to head, and the country divided into two near-perfect halves, Rage Against The Machine took the crown with just 51% of the vote. “I’m humbled to think that a small idea in a kitchen in Essex a few years back has been officially crowned the ‘Nation’s Favourite Christmas Number 1,” said Jon Mortor on hearing the news.
For Jon, people’s affection for ‘Killing In The Name of’ hints towards an anti-establishment sentiment running through the British people, which, after the Tory’s Christmas party controversy, is more potent than ever: “It was the people’s number one, using the people’s song…a song that even the band themselves now claim is owned by all of us, not them, so I’m not surprised it has won considering these challenging times we’re living in. Rage on!” he concluded
The Official Christmas No. 1 Singles Book is a comprehensive guide to 70 years of Christmas number ones. With a double-page spread dedicated to every song since the charts began back in 1952, it is a fascinating insight into how our tastes have changed over the years.
This year, the contenders for Christmas number one are: Ed Sheeran and Elton John with their duet ‘Merry Christmas’, George Ezra with ‘Come On Home For Christmas’, Adele with ’30’, ABBA with ‘Little Things’, and Lad Baby with ‘Sausage Rolls For Everyone.’ If Lad Baby (YouTubers Mark and Roxanne Hoyle) take the crown, it will mark their fourth successive Christmas number one.
