The UK Christmas number 1 is Britain’s most hotly-contested music chart of the year, dominated for the past 4 years by Simon Cowell’s X Factor franchise and its conveyor belt of manufactured stars. X Factor winner Joe McElderry looked set to take the chart with ease.

But this year was different: web-based groups decided to take action, establishing a Facebook Fans Ppage called “RAGE AGAINST THE MACHINE FOR CHRISTMAS NO.1“. It accrued almost 1 million fans, all vying to make “Killing In The Name” the number one record this Christmas.

Social Media shows the big television networks and Simon Cowell!