Rage Against the Machine are experiencing a chart surge as protests continue across the United States and throughout the world. Not only is the band’s debut album back on the Billboard 200 chart, all three of their LPs of original material are making a big splash on the Apple Music chart.
Amid ongoing protests over the death of George Floyd while in police custody, the politically charged band’s music is as relevant as ever. As Forbes reports, Rage Against the Machine’s 1992 self-titled debut is back at No. 174 on the Billboard 200 chart.
The debut LP features the classic “Killing in the Name”, which was written in the wake of Rodney King’s beating at the hands of the LAPD and the subsequent riots that followed. The song includes the timely lyric, “Some of those that work forces are the same that burn crosses.”
In addition to the Billboard chart, all three of RATM’s original studio albums — the 1992 debut, 1996’s Evil Empire, and 1999’s The Battle of Los Angeles — are in the Top 30 of Apple Music’s Rock Albums chart as of this posting.
Had it not been for the pandemic, Rage Against the Machine would have been touring North America on a massive reunion trek this year. Instead, the tour will take place next year, with the new itinerary set to kick off June 3rd, 2021, in El Paso, Texas.
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Meanwhile, guitarist Tom Morello recently clapped back at a fan who apparently didn’t realize this whole time that RATM are a political band. A guy named Scott tweeted, “I used to be a fan until your political opinions came out. Music is my sanctuary and the last thing I want to hear is political BS when I’m listening to music.” To which Morello responded, “Scott!! What music of mine were you a fan of that DIDN’T contain ‘political BS’? I need to know so I can delete it from the catalog.”
