A campaign to get AC/DC and one of Kirriemuir’s most famous sons to the top of the festive charts has fallen short.
The rock group’s iconic 1979 single Highway to Hell, which features Ronald Belford “Bon” Scott’s distinctive vocals, was beaten to the top spot by X Factor winner Sam Bailey’s single Skyscraper.
American star Pharrell Williams’ Happy came second and One More Sleep by 2006 X Factor winner Leona Lewis was third.
Highway To Hell came in at number four. The download attempt began last week, with fans urged to buy as many copies of the rock single before Saturday, ahead of the No 1 announcement on Sunday.
But it was always going to be a struggle to topple newly crowned X Factor star Sam Bailey, who told OfficialCharts.com: “Being No 1 is absolutely amazing.”
Jon and Tracy Morter, who campaigned to get the AC/DC song to top the festive chart to mark the band’s 40th year, said they were proud of everyone’s efforts and saluted those who downloaded the track.
The festive No 1 campaigns did have a knock-on effect for fundraisers though.
Bailey, 36, is to split all proceeds from her single between two children’s charities and Chancellor George Osborne has agreed to waive VAT on the release.
“It really is the icing on the cake and it means Great Ormond Street Children’s Charity and Together For Short Lives will benefit from the single, which makes it extra special,” Bailey said.
A bid to raise funds for a statue of Bon Scott in Kirriemuir was also given a financial boost.
So far £19,000 has been raised for a permanent £50,000 memorial and fans who downloaded the AC/DC track were asked to donate to the campaign.
DD8 Music, which organises the town’s annual BonFest, has commissioned sculptor John McKenna to create the piece, which would see Bon Scott stand proud in the town with a microphone and bagpipes.
Scott, who died in London in 1980, aged just 33, is already honoured in a Kirriemuir street name and with an engraved stone slab in the town’s Cumberland Close, alongside those of other famous Kirriemarians.
Ronald Belford “Bon” Scott sang for AC/DC from 1974 until his death. He became part of one of music’s biggest success stories after joining Glasgow-born brothers Angus and Malcolm Young in the band.
Kirriemuir now hosts BonFest in his honour, drawing thousands of visitors every year.