Punk's Not Dead! Very much alive due to the Social Web. #RATM

People were fed up of having the heavily manufactured and overly publicised X Factor/Psycho TV "music" rammed down their throats. So they used the social web to speak out and rebel. In fact, one guy Jon Morter stared the whole thing by setting up a Facebook group and using other social web channels (namely Twitter) to spread the word and gain coverage on national radio, press and TV. He chose a very relevant track and band (Rage Against the Machine & Killing in the Name), which was only available by download (Have you seen the "Share on Twitter" (and Facebook) function on iTunes?)...a track released in 1992 (17 years ago). Whereas, the X Factor, Joe McElderry track was download, CD and probably the most advertised single ever...with millions pumped into it. All this, and yet it was beaten to the number 1 slot. Why?

Well obviously, a lot of people downloaded it, because of their "anti" feeling...not necessarily because they liked the track. It's a statement being made, which has resulted in a clear manifestation. If there is a strong enough feeling amongst the general public about something, they now have the ability to enforce an outcome in their favour. This has truly demonstrated the power of the social web; without it, it would not have happened. How else could a massive crowd of like minded people be brought together in such a short time frame?

Also, another key factor, is the availability to download any genre of music from any era. If downloads were not available, again this could not have happened. In my day (Karl Havard writing this), it was availability of vinyl and cassette tape. Time passing, would mean the ability to get your hands on any form of track would become more and more difficult. Various movements would come and go with the years - Mods, Rockers, Punks, New Romantics etc. as would fashion. However, today every type of music is available and it is clear to see a healthy revival and variance of all these movements again. Two days ago I saw a young girl of around 19 years, in a coffee shop with Buddy Holly tattooed on her arm.

The social web has acted as a catalyst to all of this, and who knows what may happen in the very near future. Will we see various groundswells of people having their say about politics, law, brands, customer service and forcing several outcomes in their favour? Has anarchy been provided with a new and significant weapon for its armoury? 2010 may become a really interesting year.