The Christmas number one spot in the UK is usually owned by the X Factor winner along with whatever sentimental single Simon Cowell has up his sleeve. Except for Christmas 2009, which saw the rise of an expert social media campaign that led to the topple of Joe McElderry (last year’s “X Factor” winner) and the crowning of Rage Against The Machine’s Killing In The Name (first heard in 1992) as the Christmas number one.
There are already rumours of another campaign intent on dethroning the X Factor machine but the chances of the same magic emerging for a second year seem slim. Sceptics would argue that it can’t be done again but a defiant 400,000 people have joined forces to suggest The Trashmen’s Surfin’ Bird, the song that Peter Griffin gets obsessed with in a particularly good episode of Family Guy, as this year’s Pièce de résistance.Killing in The Name won the coveted number one Christmas spot on the basis of downloads. With that in mind, it is not too farfetched to think of a more current rock band toppling the Christmas charts. Kings Of Leon and Foo Fighters have just announced headline spots at 2011’s Isle of White festival – Kings Of Leon on Friday June 10 and Foo Fighters on Saturday June 11. If iTune downloads could sell as fast as concert tickets, it is not difficult imagine a rock n roll revolution toppling Simon Cowell’s pop empire.
One band that is a genuine threat to the Christmas number one is Take That. Robbie Williams has joined the rest of the boys for the release of Progress – the first album to feature all five original band members since 1995’s Nobody Else – and bookies are cashing in. Take That’s recent performance on X-Factor Live has sparked a contradictory barrage of media review and speculation. The Daily Mail said Williams made “a nervy return” while the Daily Star said Take That “brought the house down.” Monday’s odds would suggest that bookies agree with The Daily Mail: Ladbrokes made “Progress” 2/5 favourite for the Christmas number one album while William Hill made it their 4/9 favourite. That said, “Progress” has become the biggest pre-order release of the year. Perhaps the bookies should not slash the odds of a Take That Christmas number one just yet.
The fight for this year’s Christmas number one is on: whether it’s 2010’s X-Factor winner , a rock n’ roll rebellion or boy band brilliance that wins the day, tour dates in the New Year, for all contestants, should remedy the disappointment of a favourite not making the number one spot.
Other posts you might like:
Christmas number one up for grabs
There are already rumours of another campaign intent on dethroning the X Factor machine but the chances of the same magic emerging for a second year seem slim. Sceptics would argue that it can’t be done again but a defiant 400,000 people have joined forces to suggest The Trashmen’s Surfin’ Bird, the song that Peter Griffin gets obsessed with in a particularly good episode of Family Guy, as this year’s Pièce de résistance.Killing in The Name won the coveted number one Christmas spot on the basis of downloads. With that in mind, it is not too farfetched to think of a more current rock band toppling the Christmas charts. Kings Of Leon and Foo Fighters have just announced headline spots at 2011’s Isle of White festival – Kings Of Leon on Friday June 10 and Foo Fighters on Saturday June 11. If iTune downloads could sell as fast as concert tickets, it is not difficult imagine a rock n roll revolution toppling Simon Cowell’s pop empire.
One band that is a genuine threat to the Christmas number one is Take That. Robbie Williams has joined the rest of the boys for the release of Progress – the first album to feature all five original band members since 1995’s Nobody Else – and bookies are cashing in. Take That’s recent performance on X-Factor Live has sparked a contradictory barrage of media review and speculation. The Daily Mail said Williams made “a nervy return” while the Daily Star said Take That “brought the house down.” Monday’s odds would suggest that bookies agree with The Daily Mail: Ladbrokes made “Progress” 2/5 favourite for the Christmas number one album while William Hill made it their 4/9 favourite. That said, “Progress” has become the biggest pre-order release of the year. Perhaps the bookies should not slash the odds of a Take That Christmas number one just yet.
The fight for this year’s Christmas number one is on: whether it’s 2010’s X-Factor winner , a rock n’ roll rebellion or boy band brilliance that wins the day, tour dates in the New Year, for all contestants, should remedy the disappointment of a favourite not making the number one spot.
Other posts you might like: