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Brits Want Nirvana’s ‘Teen Spirit’ to Hit No. 1

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It’s almost Halloween, which means it’s time for U.K. fans to start fighting over what song should top the British charts during the Christmas week. The hotly debated “Christmas No. 1” slot almost always goes to the debut single from The X Factor‘s newest winner, with the reality show’s unstintingly stodgy Matt Cardle grabbing the honor last year.

In 2009, though, a grassroots Facebook campaign called “Rage Against the X Factor” improbably helped Rage Against the Machine’s 1992 political rocker “Killing in the Name” beat Simon Cowell’s latest septuagenarian-friendly selection to the holiday top spot. After a failed push last year for John Cage’s avant-garde “4’33,” fans have begun a 2011 Facebook campaign for Nirvana’s “Smells Like Teen Spirit,” as the Nevermind album marks its 20th anniversary (via NME).

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With more than 19,000 “likes” at the time of this post, the campaigners say they’re responding to The X Factor‘s decision “to effectively bully” the English children’s charity Rhythmix; The X Factor used the moniker for an ensemble featuring four of its contestants, and the charity told RockNewsDesk the show won’t give up the Rhythmix name without an expensive legal fight. “Well, fuck you, X Favor,” the “Nirvana for Christmas No. 1” group says. “We’re going to download the Nirvana classic ‘Smells Like Teen Spirit’ to stick the proverbial finger at you. Who’s in?” We’re shocked to find out a Cowell-affiliated brand would ever do anything remotely dickish.