Rage Against The Machine’s ‘Killing In The Name’ and Franz Ferdinand’s ‘Take Me Out’ reach one billion streams on Spotify

nme.com:

Rage Against The Machine and Franz Ferdinand are the latest to join Spotify‘s Billions Club, with their respective tracks ‘Killing In The Name’ and ‘Take Me Out’ racking up a colossal number of streams.Rage frontman Tom Morello acknowledged the milestone on Saturday (January 11), thanking “all those who listened to” the politically-charged single, including “those who love it, those who hate it, and those that have enjoyed it without understanding it.”“Righteous proof that rebel music and irony are alive and well,” he added.‘Killing In The Name’ comes from the band’s 1992 self-titled debut album, and was written in the wake of the Los Angeles riots that year.

The track mused on racist police in the city who Morello previously described as “boot licking lackeys and thugs of the racist capitalist ruling class”.In the years since its release, the track has been adopted by protestors around the world.

In 2020, amid demonstrations across the US in the wake of the murder of George Floyd, Morello praised protesters in Portland for chanting the aforementioned ‘Killing In The Name’ line to police officers. “Well that’s what it’s for!” he said on Twitter.“KILLING IN THE NAME” just hit 1 billion streams on Spotify!

Thanks to all those who listened to it: those who love it, those who hate it, and those that have enjoyed it without understanding it.