Little Joe gets RAMT'd

Further evidence that Christmas is indeed a strange time. For decades, so it seems, the great British public has cheered home the x-factor winner to a festive Number 1 in the charts.

Not so in 2009, pop pickers. Thanks to Jon Morter and his Facebook campaign, the nation was kept guessing until the 11th hour; and today it was Tom Morello and chums who stood triumphant over the dull, sullen corpse of poor little Joe's debut single with the cheerfully entitled "Killing in the Name".

Sony BMG are winners all round, given they represent both 'artists', but it's one in the eye for Cowell and his cronies nevertheless - if nothing else it goes to show Christmas isn't a God-given right (unless your name is Jesus).

AMK