December 16, 2009 10:40

Tom Morello to donate Rage Against The Machine Vs 'X Factor' Christmas Number One money to charity

Guitarist to donate proceeds from chart race to Youth Music, according to campaign

Photo Gallery: Rage Against The Machine
Photo: PA Photos

Rage Against The Machine's Tom Morello is set to donate his earnings from the 'Killing In The Name'/X Factor Christmas Number One race to charity.

A fan-orchestrated campaign is urging people to download the 1992 track this week so it can stop the TV show winner Joe McElderry from reaching the top of the charts and so prevent Simon Cowell's series from claiming its fifth consecutive Christmas Number One.

According to online reports, Rage Against The Machine's guitarist has pledged proceeds from the track to a UK charity.

"Tom Morello of RATM has said he will donate earnings to Youth Music, a scheme helping young musicians in the UK," they posted on Twitter.com/RATM4Xmas.

The campaign itself is raising money for homeless charity Shelter.

They also urged fans to keep downloading the song as McElderry's track, 'The Climb' gets its physical release today (December 16).

"Destroying the opposition on iTunes," they declared. "'The Climb' is in shops today so keep buying RATM!"

Yesterday, Morello himself backed the campaign via Twitter, urging fans to buy 'Killing In The Name'.

For more on The X Factor and its effect on British music, get this week's issue of NME – on UK newsstands now – for an exclusive interview with Simon Cowell.