Radiohead have demanded that US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) remove a social media video that used a cover of the band’s song “Let Down,” issuing a sharply worded statement condemning the agency’s use of the music. The dispute has quickly spread online, with fans sharing the band’s response and criticising the video’s messaging.
Radiohead said, “We demand that the amateurs in control of the ICE social media account take it down,” adding that the song “means a lot to us and other people,” before closing the statement with an explicit insult directed at the agency.
The video is described as featuring images of victims of violence that ICE attributes to “criminal illegal alien violence,” alongside the phrase “This Is Our Why,” while a choral mashup of the OK Computer track plays underneath.
The clip fades out on the word “useless,” a detail that underscored the disconnect Radiohead felt between the song and the video’s intent.
The band’s stance follows other moments where Radiohead members have objected to third-party use of their music, and it comes as the group’s name continues to surface in high-profile headlines well beyond touring and album cycles.
We previously noted the band’s public-facing tensions in live settings, including when Radiohead got political on a comeback tour that drew heavy discussion among fans.
For now, Radiohead’s demand adds to a growing list of artist pushback against government agencies and political messaging that incorporates popular music without permission, highlighting how quickly unauthorised uses can become a reputational flashpoint for both the rights holders and the organisations involved.
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