Actually I always loved this track when it came out in 1992.

Another great rock track that deserves to be Number One is Jeremy by Pearl Jam.

Perhaps next Christmas?

This battle has been fantastic for the charts and for the music industry. Congrats to RAGE and to JOE.

The sales of both are tremendous and it has captured the public's imagination.

I believe RAGE sums up the public mood.

Dare I say this but if JOE has sung the other song as his single then he may have just edged it. He was given a poor song to compete with - and as JK has said the RAGE track is a classic track.

I am hoping that this battle will engage the public into enjoying the Christmas Number One again.

Next year - who knows what will happen !!!!!

So - Rage at the top; Journey's far better Don't Stop in at 9, Pearl Jam soon - hey, bring back Entertainment USA and No Limits, I say.

Seriously, this indicates that, if they become aware of them - through loving or hating X Factor - great old songs will sell again and show how weak current releases are.

The hand of Clifford came into Simon's kind and generous reaction - I know Simon and he really HATES to lose so I reckon Clifford virtually forced him into being decent in defeat.

As someone pointed out on my Twitter account, "Sony have over 60% of the singles chart with RATM and Joe. Can we choose our protest songs more carefully?"

M

BR wrote:
This battle has been fantastic for the charts and for the music industry.
The sales of both are tremendous and it has captured the public's imagination.

Next year - who knows what will happen !!!!!

Congrats to this internet thingy !

Look at the Christmas rubbish of old that we could have "got rid off" if only it had been developed years earlier.

'60%'?? - who cares?? M, are you an accountant? what part did you play in 'choosing' this 'protest'??

this is just a typical reaction/observation!! - 'who makes the most money?' - what are the priorities here???

this isn't an industry protest - its about having an alternative, having a voice....who cares if Sony or even Cowell makes a profit (or even if they played a part in it) - it gives the people something different.

Its an extreme reaction to extreme circumstances (ie the media/shops/charts are full of mediocre and banal music masquerading as 'young peoples' taste)

- but the average punter (like my daughter age 14) didnt buy RATM as a way of getting at the music industry. She bought it cos she likes the sound of it (she'd never heard of RATM before) and its a type of empowerment and rebellion (however small)....because she thinks Cowell's taste and the way its portrayed is crap and has no meaning in her life...

and she can feel that something she enjoys & is inspired by - ie music with a little bit more substance to it - is not getting a look in - shes not interested in the industry - shes interested in music thats cool and melodic and says something and that she can get excited about with her friends and peers.This 'protest' goes a small way to making the 'industry' wake up to this...

Next step is industry realising this - and giving her a job in A&R (which I hope she will turn down)....

Just came across this, but haven't had the time to listen yet.

www.tribeofnoise.com/clients/alternative09/

I think it's irrelevant as to which label is benefitting here. This was not to punish Sony (bare in mind that epic and syco are different imprints and only one of them is run by Cowell).
This was to make people aware of what has been happening to the charts recently and how boring it has become.
For the first time in ages the country was genuinely excited about who would be number one!

I think it's more the case that the country was genuinely wanting something - anything - to beat the X-Factor to Number One. The music was probably irrelevant.

Spot on Brian.

This "win" has restored my faith in the UK record buying public.

Lets hope 2010 is a better year for chart music - the gauntlet has been thrown down by RATM.

I don't think it's a question of which track is "better" - that is always a subjective matter. I do think it's a shame Simon chose such a second rate song to launch Joe's career. But I do think this victory for one PR campaign over another has opened the door to more imaginative marketing.

Harry Rednapp wrote:
'60%'?? - who cares?? M, are you an accountant? what part did you play in 'choosing' this 'protest'??

....
To be complete, here was the full comment: "Sony = 65.6% share of single market thanks to Rage v X. Indie labels only 2%. Can we choose our protest songs more carefully"

I do actually care, personally, as I'm with that poor 2% that doesn't have a sod's chance. Two subsidiaries of the same multinational slogged it out for the top spot, that's all I'm saying. I bought neither, but did promote the RATM campaign as I thought it was interesting. What was surprising is that I also received detailed instructions about how to buy the single from outside the UK while remaining eligible for the UK charts. Hmm.

It was a bit of fun, a bit like seeing the Sex Pistols on TOTP, and it did inject a bit of excitement in the charts.

Oh do pass those instructions on, Mike.

Anything for a bit of subversion.