It all started with a Facebook campaign where fans wanted to keep the X Factor winner from topping the UK Christmas charts. And the grassroots effort not only succeeded in that goal but they also brought a band back together. How long that will last is anyone guess, but Rage Against The Machine promised a free concert if they won and now they say they plan to deliver.

Here is the statement that was sent over Sunday morning: "Rage Against the Machine is honored to have been drafted by this historic grassroots campaign to make our song 'Killing in the Name' the No. 1 song on the UK Christmas Week pop chart. This is a huge victory by and for fans of real music and we extend our heartfelt thanks to every fan and freedom fighter who helped make our anthem of defiance and rebellion the Anarchy Christmas Miracle of 2009.

"As promised we will play a free concert in the UK in celebration of this incredible upset victory over the heavily favored X-Factor single. We are also pleased that so much money has been raised for homeless charity Shelter and are happy to donate as well to aid this important cause. While there are many lessons that can be drawn from this historic upset, the main one is this: that ordinary people, banding together in solidarity, can change ANYTHING, be it the pop charts or the world."

Simon CowellВ В В В В В В В В В В В В В В В В В В В В В В  Zak de la Rocha

The song, first released in 1992, sold more than 500,000 copies in the week leading up to the end of business yesterday to beat X Factor winner Joe McElderry's "The Climb" to the top of the chart, the Official Charts Company announced today.

McElderry achieved sales of 450,000 - although sales of his CD fell away over the past couple of days. In taking the title for 2009, "Killing in the Name" also sets two new landmarks, becoming the UK's first download-only Christmas number one and notching up the biggest one-week download sales total in British chart history.

Rage Against the Machine led the race for number one from the beginning of the week. By Friday morning, according to the Official Charts Company, Rage Against the Machine held the advantage by just 9,000 copies. But "Killing in the Name" went on to sell 200,000 copies across Friday and yesterday to emerge victorious.

Jon MorterВ В В В В В В В В В В В В В В В В В В В В В В В В  Joe McElderry

The campaign to break Simon Cowell's stranglehold on the festive charts was started by Jon Morter, a 35-year-old part-time rock DJ and his wife Tracy, 30, who set up a Facebook page in November.

"Fed up with Simon Cowell's latest karaoke act being Christmas number one? Me too..." they wrote, saying they wanted to break the "X Factor monotony".

This year's campaign has made the festive number one battle interesting for the first time in years, and it will be fascinating to see how Simon Cowell responds next year. He could always get next year's winner to cover Rage's Killing in the Name. If you can't beat 'em, join 'em.