Radiohead’s ‘Let Down’ Reaches US Billboard Chart 28 Years After Release
Radiohead’s 1997 single “Let Down” has unexpectedly entered the Billboard Hot 100, becoming the band’s fourth US hit nearly three decades after its initial release, fueled by a recent surge in popularity on TikTok.
The track, originally a promotional single from the landmark album OK Computer, joins “Creep” (1993), “High and Dry” (1995), and “Nude” (2008) as Radiohead songs to chart in the US. Despite peaking at only number 85 on the UK singles chart upon its release, the song’s renewed interest highlights the power of social media to reintroduce classic tracks to new audiences. Thom Yorke revealed he initially resisted including “Let Down” on OK Computer, stating in a recent interview with The Sunday Times, “I find that especially bizarre. Because I fought tooth and nail for it not to be on the record, but Ed O’Brien was, like, ‘If it’s not, I’m leaving.’”
Guitarist Ed O’Brien now considers the song the “emotional heart” of the album and expressed surprise at its TikTok revival, noting, “Still, I was astonished. So I told my kids, who are 18 and 21, and they said, ‘What do you expect? Teenagers are depressed. It’s depressing music!’” Drummer Philip Selway also observed a cross-generational appreciation for the band’s work, recounting an encounter where schoolboys were playing Radiohead’s “Everything In Its Right Place” alongside Queen’s “Bohemian Rhapsody.” The band is currently preparing for a series of sold-out shows across Europe, having narrowed their setlist to approximately 65 songs, as NME reports.
Beyond the musical resurgence, Radiohead members have recently addressed their complex stance on Israel and Palestine. Yorke stated he “absolutely not” return to Israel, and he “wouldn’t want to be 5,000 miles anywhere near the Netanyahu regime,” following a 2017 performance in Tel Aviv that drew criticism from the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) movement and other artists. Jonny Greenwood, who has collaborated with Israeli musician Dudu Tassa, defended his work, stating he would “politely disagree with Thom” and believes boycotts can be counterproductive, as detailed by The Guardian.
The band is expected to provide further details regarding potential new material following the completion of their European tour dates.
