History YMMV / RageAgainstTheMachine

* FaceOfTheBand: Both Zack de la Rocha and Tom Morello. Many people probably won't have heard of Tim Commerford or Brad Wilk until looking at this page.

* CargoShip: [[http://siffi-devil-kiddo.deviantart.com/art/I-just-realized-92936994?qj=1&q=boost:popular+rage+against+the+machine&qo=254 Tom Morello x Arm the Homeless]], apparently. More people might have noticed if the music wasn't so badass. (Tom's "Arm the Homeless" guitar is the one he uses for the band's F#-minor songs, like "Bulls on Parade", "Guerrilla Radio", "Know Your Enemy" and "Bombtrack", among others.)

** Tom Morello responded to a video Trump supporters dancing to "Killing in the Name" in Philadelphia with, [[https://twitter.com/tmorello/status/1324907210426642433?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1324907210426642433%7Ctwgr%5E&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nme.com%2Fen_asia%2Fnews%2Fmusic%2Ftom-morello-responds-to-trump-supporters-using-rage-against-the-machines-killing-in-the-name-2811945 "Not what we had in mind..."]] He has also referred to Donald Trump as an [[https://www.nme.com/news/music/prophets-of-rages-tom-morello-hits-out-at-orange-faced-demagogue-donald-trump-2529773 "orange-faced demagogue."]]

** During their show at the [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9M7rAzw56Cw Dutch Pinkpop festival in 1993]], the crowd jumped so hard and in unison, it registerd as an earthquake (1.0 Richter).

** "Rage ''for/in behalf of'' the Machine" [[note]]Detractors started to refer to the band as such, pointing out the members' political leanings and their difference in tune between political administrations. Like the above, this often comes from [[Administrivia/RuleOfCautiousEditingJudgement specific points of the political aisle]].[[/note]]

** "The famously apolitical Rage Against the Machine" [[note]]In recent years, there have been complaints from [[Administrivia/RuleOfCautiousEditingJudgement those of particular political orientations]] expressing annoyance over how politically outspoken the band are outside of band activities, wishing thet'd just stick to playing the music they like, often ignoring the fact that the always had that stance.[[/note]]

** "Rage ''for/in behalf of'' the Machine" [[note]]Detractors started to refer to the band as such, pointing out [[{{UsefulNotes/Communism}} the members' political leanings]] and their difference in tune between political administrations. Like the above, this often comes from [[Administrivia/RuleOfCautiousEditingJudgement specific points of the political aisle]].[[/note]]

** "Rage ''for/in behalf of'' the Machine" [[note]]Detractors started to refer to the band as such, pointing out [[UsefulNotes/Communism the members' political leanings]] and their difference in tune between political administrations. Like the above, this often comes from [[Administrivia/RuleOfCautiousEditingJudgement specific points of the political aisle]].[[/note]]

* MemeticMutation: '''''FUCK YOU, I WON'T DO WHAT YOU TELL ME!''''' [[note]] '''''MOTHERFUCKER!''''' [[/note]]
** "The famously apolitical Rage Against the Machine" [[note]]In recent years, there have been complaints from [[Administrivia/RuleOfCautiousEditingJudgement those of particular political orientations]] expressing annoyance over how politically outspoken the band are outside of band activities, wishing thet'd just stick to playing the music they like. One has to wonder what they thought the Machine they've been raging against all these years was.[[/note]]

* ValuesResonance: "Killing in the Name" was originally written in response to the Rodney King case, wherein several cops harshly beat the black activist, and the officers responsible ended up being acquitted in a trial, sparking the 1992 LA Riots. The song's argument that "[[RabidCop some of those that work forces]] [[PoliticallyIncorrectVillain are the same that burn crosses]]" references many instances in which members of the police were involved in the Ku Klux Klan. This leads to the song resonating with the UsefulNotes/BlackLivesMatter movement as a Deco legacy of police violence against Black Americans.

* ValuesResonance: [[RabidCop Some of those that work forces]] [[PoliticallyIncorrectVillain are the same that burn crosses.]] Originally written for the Rodney King case, wherein several cops harshly beat the black activist. The officers responsible were acquitted by the jury, sparking the 1992 LA Riots. The song references many instances in which members of the Police were involved in the Ku Klux Klan. This leads to the song resonating with the Black Lives Matter movement as a continued legacy of police violence against Black Americans.

* ValuesResonance: [[RabidCop Some of those that work forces]] [[PoliticallyIncorrectVillain are the same that burn crosses?]] In a song written over twenty years before the Black Lives Matter movement.
** Although, it should be noted that the song in which these lyrics appear, "Killing In The Name", was written in response to the Rodney King case, wherein several cops harshly beat the black activist. The officers responsible were acquitted by the jury, sparking the 1992 LA Riots. Going further back, there has been many instances in which members of the Police were involved in the Ku Klux Klan. Therefore, we might understand this not so much as ValuesResonance, and the Black Lives Matter movement as a response to a new problem, than as a continued legacy of police violence against Black Americans.

* SpecialGuest: Zack is a frequent guest on hardcore hip hop duo Music/RunTheJewels records, having appeared on three of their four studio albums. In fact, his verse on Close Your Eyes (And Count to Fuck) was well-written and skillful enough to spawn debates about whether he wrote it himself or used a ghostwriter, though he has done other features before that have demonstrated that he is a gifted rapper. "Digging for Windows", his first single off his oft-delayed solo album (produced by Music/ElP, no less) should hopefully lay all controversy to rest.

* SignatureSong: "Killing in the Name", seeing as it ''is'' the band's BreakthroughHit.

* SomeAnvilsNeedToBeDropped: They're not exactly subtle, but they definitely send a potent message.

** Tom Morello responded to a video Trump supporters dancing to "Killing in the Name" in Philadelphia with, [[https://twitter.com/tmorello/status/1324907210426642433?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1324907210426642433%7Ctwgr%5E&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nme.com%2Fen_asia%2Fnews%2Fmusic%2Ftom-morello-responds-to-trump-supporters-using-rage-against-the-machines-killing-in-the-name-2811945 "Not what we had in mind..."]] He has also referred to Donald Trump as an [[https://www.nme.com/news/music/prophets-of-rages-tom-morello-hits-out-at-orange-faced-demagogue-donald-trump-2529773 "orange-faced demagogue."]] [[Administrivia/RuleOfCautiousEditingJudgment And that is all we are going to say about that.]]

** Although, it should be noted that the song in which these lyrics appear, "Killing In The Name", was written in response to the Rodney King case, wherein several cops beat the black activist to death. The officers responsible were acquitted by the jury, sparking the 1992 LA Riots. Going further back, there has been many instances in which members of the Police were involved in the Ku Klux Klan. Therefore, we might understand this not so much as ValuesResonance, and the Black Lives Matter movement as a response to a new problem, than as a continued legacy of police violence against Black Americans.

** "The famously apolitical Rage Against the Machine" [[note]]In recent years, there have been complaints from [[RuleOfCautiousEditingJudgement those of particular political orientations]] expressing annoyance over how politically outspoken the band are outside of band activities, wishing thet'd just stick to playing the music they like. One has to wonder what they thought the Machine they've been raging against all these years was.[[/note]]

** "The famously apolitical Rage Against the Machine" [[note]]In recent years, there have been complaints from [[RuleOfCautiousEditingJudgement those of particular political orientations]] expressing annoyance over how politically outspoken the lead singer is outside of band activities, wishing he'd just stick to singing the music they like. One has to wonder what they thought the Machine he's been raging against all these years was.[[/note]]

* OneSceneWonder: Zack was featured on a [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q6GyTBVAF4w track]] by hardcore hip hop duo Music/RunTheJewels, of all things. His verse was well-written and skillful enough to spawn debates about whether he wrote it himself or used a ghostwriter, though he has done other features before that have demonstrated that he is a gifted rapper. "Digging for Windows", his first single off his oft-delayed solo album (produced by Music/ElP, no less) should hopefully lay all controversy to rest.

* OneSceneWonder: Zack was featured on a [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q6GyTBVAF4w track]] by hardcore hip hop duo Run the Jewels, of all things. His verse was well-written and skillful enough to spawn debates about whether he wrote it himself or used a ghostwriter, though he has done other features before that have demonstrated that he is a gifted rapper. "Digging for Windows", his first single off his oft-delayed solo album (produced by Music/ElP, no less) should hopefully lay all controversy to rest.

** Tim climbing onto the set piece of the 1999 [=VMAs=] after their video lost to Music/LimpBizkit's "Break Stuff" out of protest. Whether you think it was right or wrong, that's a pretty ballsy thing to do.

* AwesomeMusic: Pick any famous song by them, and it'll probably get you ''really'' riled up just based on each song's intensity and badassery.

* CrowningMomentOfAwesome:
** A grassroots movement sought to take their song "Killing in the Name" to the Christmas number one spot in Britain, and, by extension, prevent the winner of ''Series/TheXFactor'' from getting it, which had been the case for the past four consecutive years. It ''succeeded'', outselling the #2 by 50,000 sales with downloads alone. Made more awesome by the band donating their earnings from the sales to charity and celebrating their victory by announcing a free gig in the UK in 2010.
** Their show in Santiago, Chile in 2010, which Tom Morello described as the craziest crowd he's ever seen for anyone, anywhere. [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2nKcezIR_Uo Have a look at it.]]
** Tim climbing onto the set piece of the 1999 [=VMAs=] after their video lost to Music/LimpBizkit's "Break Stuff" out of protest. Whether you think it was right or wrong, that's a pretty ballsy thing to do.