Joe McElderry has said he isn’t going to take the battle to keep his single off the Christmas number one spot personally.
Speaking to stv.tv, the X Factor winner admitted he’ll be upset if he doesn’t get the position in the charts with his version of The Climb, but he understands that the competition is nothing to do with him directly.
When asked if he was annoyed about the Facebook campaign to stop his single topping the charts, he said: “I think it’s a shame. I’ll be disappointed if it’s not number one, but I’ve got to work hard to promote it and I just hope that people get behind me.”
He added: “I’m not taking it personally because it’s more to do with The X Factor, it’s not a personal thing. It’s just one of those things that you have to get on with.”
The online campaign was set up by those who are opposed to the Christmas number being snapped up by the winner of the singing contest, which has happened every year since 2005.
Instead, the campaigners are urging for people to buy US Rockers Rage Against The Machine’s hit, Killling in the Name.
The rock song, which is littered with expletives, is currently selling more copies that Joe’s The Climb, a hit from Hannah Montana: The Movie. By the end of yesterday, the Rage Against The Machine offering had sold 8,923 more than Joe’s - but the single has been on sale almost double the time that the X Factor winner's has.
In addition to this, the gap between the sales has lessened considerably, making Joe's hopes of being number one quite likely, and the bookies are backing him to secure the spot.
Both Cheryl Cole and Simon Cowell have slammed the campaign. Cole, Joe’s mentor on the show, said: "I would be devastated to see Joe lose out to possibly the best thing that could happen to him in his life. Every aspiring pop star dreams of a number one record.”
Meanwhile, Joe admitted to us that he’s never even listened to Killing in the Name, or any other music from Rage Against The Machine.
Who are you backing to win the battle for the Christmas number one? Tell us using the comments facility. Also make sure to vote in stv.tv’s poll for who you'd like to win!
You can dowload Joe's single from Amazon here.
