British rock icons Radiohead have publicly rebuked the United States’ Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency after a version of their song Let Down appeared in a government video on social media. The clip, posted in February by ICE and amplified by Department of Homeland Security and White House accounts, used a choral rendition of the track alongside images and text framing undocumented migration as a source of criminal violence.
Radiohead’s statement was direct and incendiary. The band said the song was used without their blessing and emphasized its cultural and emotional meaning to fans. “We demand that the amateurs in control of the ICE social media account take it down,” the group wrote, adding “It ain’t funny, this song means a lot to us and other people, and you don’t get to appropriate it without a fight. Also, go f*** yourselves.”
The controversy highlights growing tensions between artists and political entities over the unauthorized use of music. Radiohead are not alone; artists across genres have recently criticized ICE and other government agencies for pairing their work with political messaging. Pop stars like Sabrina Carpenter and Olivia Rodrigo publicly denounced earlier uses of their songs by ICE, describing those instances as reprehensible.
Let Down itself is a seminal Radiohead track originally released in 1997 on the acclaimed album OK Computer. The song enjoyed a resurgence on the Billboard Hot 100 in recent years, and its association with the government’s video struck a chord with fans and critics alike, prompting questions about artistic rights and political messaging.