Radiohead Slams ICE for Using Band's Song in Video

The band demands the 'amateurs' in charge of ICE's social media take down the video using 'Let Down' and tells them to 'go f--k yourselves'.

Published on Feb. 27, 2026

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Radiohead is outraged that the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agency used the band's song 'Let Down' in a social media video. The band issued a strongly worded statement demanding ICE take down the video, saying the song 'means a lot to us and other people, and you don't get to appropriate it without a fight.' Radiohead concluded the message with a blunt 'Also, go f--k yourselves...'

Why it matters

Radiohead is a highly respected and influential rock band, and their music holds deep meaning for many fans. The unauthorized use of their song by a government agency known for controversial and sometimes violent tactics has sparked outrage, highlighting tensions around immigration policies and the power of art to convey important messages.

The details

The ICE video in question featured the third verse of Radiohead's 1997 song 'Let Down' playing over images of American citizens, with the caption 'American citizens raped and murdered by those who have no right to be in our country. This is who we fight for. This is our why.' Radiohead called the people behind the ICE social media account 'amateurs' and demanded they take down the video, stating the song 'means a lot to us and other people, and you don't get to appropriate it without a fight.'

  • Radiohead's song 'Let Down' made its Billboard Hot 100 debut 28 years after its original release, arriving at No. 1 on the chart dated August 30, 2025.
  • The ICE video using the Radiohead song was posted on February 18, 2026.

The players

Radiohead

An acclaimed English rock band known for albums like 'OK Computer' and their socially conscious lyrics.

U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE)

A federal law enforcement agency under the U.S. Department of Homeland Security that has faced intense scrutiny and protest for its aggressive immigration enforcement tactics.

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What they’re saying

“We demand that the amateurs in control of the ICE social media account take it down. 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.”

— Radiohead (Billboard)

“Also, go f--k yourselves...”

— Radiohead (Billboard)

The takeaway

This incident highlights the ongoing tensions around immigration policies in the U.S. and the power of art to convey important social and political messages. Radiohead's strong rebuke of ICE's unauthorized use of their song demonstrates how artists can push back against government agencies they view as overstepping their bounds.