Rage Against the Machine - Will it be a Win for Social Media?

As a passionate lover of music of all shapes and forms, I have been following the recent Christmas number 1 battle between Rage Against the Machine and X-Factor Winner Jo McCelderry with great interest.

For years now, the Christmas chart has been dominated by commercially manufactured music, and the X-Factor winner has triumphed again and again.  Quite possibly until now that is.

A couple of weeks before the X-Factor final, whilst watching some tele and getting involved with Facebook, I came across a Guerilla Facebook group entitled 'Rage Against the Machine for Xmas Number 1' and couldn't resist.  The primary aim of this Facebook group was to deliver Rage Against the Machine's track, 'killing in the name of', to Xmas number 1 spot, ousting the X-Factor winner.

I've seen a few of these types of groups in the past; last year there was a campaign to get Leonard Cohen's original version Hallelujah to number 1 ahead of Alexandra Burke's (2008 X-Factor winner) cover, but it never really gained any momentum.

This year however it's going to be a close call, thanks to social media.  Using Facebook as a channel, and choosing a track that they knew would resonate with like minded people across the UK, an otherwise unassuming couple decided to vent their frustrations by kicking off a campaign to get that track to number 1 for Xmas.

As a triumph of viral marketing, this Facebook based campaign is actually looking like it has a significant chance of achieving its ultimate goal, which is something that no Facebook campaign has ever achieved before it.

The result is that this year's battle for Xmas number 1 is more exciting than it has been for years, and you can guarantee that the artists on both sides of the fence will be benefiting massively from it.

I have to say it's so refreshing to see a bit competition again in the charts around this time of year.  The Christmas number 1 slot is such a key part of the UK's Christmas celebrations, it seems unfair that it should be taken up by the mighty X-Factor winner, year after year.  Where's the fun in that?

I'll be tuning in tomorrow night to listen the Xmas chart for the first time in years, and millions of other people will be too.  You can follow the group's progress on its Facebook page or via its Twitter trend term (which is currently a trending topic): #RATM4Xmas.

Whoever comes out on top tomorrow night, this most recent Facebook campaign demonstrates well the ever growing might of social media as a potential marketing channel.

[Image Courtesy of Nathamanath]