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."

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.