By Danica Ward
Staff Writer
British rock giants Radiohead released a statement on social media following the usage of one of their songs in a promotional video for United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
On Feb. 18, the ICE X account posted a video which utilized Radiohead’s song “Let Down,” from their Grammy-winning 1997 album, “Ok Computer.”
The third verse of the song was used, with Thom Yorke singing, “You know where you are with / You know where you are with / Floor collapses, floating / Bouncing back / And one day I am gonna grow wings / A chemical reaction / Hysterical and useless.”
While the promotional video has since been taken down from the account, multiple media outlets have reported that audio from the song was used, accompanied with a caption stating an issue of “criminal illegal alien violence” that the federal agency says has torn apart families.
In response, the band released a joint statement to the media, demanding “that the amateurs in control of the ICE social media account take [the video] 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’s act of condemnation follows in a long line of other artists since the heightening of ICE’s presence throughout the country and online. The band’s guitarist, Jonny Greenwood, previously requested that his music be taken out of First Lady Melania Trump’s self-titled documentary.
Other popular artists like Olivia Rodrigo and Sabrina Carpenter have also decried ICE’s usage of their music in promotional content.
Back in November, Rodrigo’s song “All-American B—h” was used in a video that showed ICE forcefully detaining and deporting people. The three-time Grammy winner responded, in a now deleted comment, saying, “Don’t ever use my songs to promote your racist, hateful propaganda.”
Another post by the federal agency in December highlighted Carpenter’s hit song “Juno.” The video consisted of a compilation of officers trailing and handcuffing people on the streets. The song, off of her 2024 album “Short n’ Sweet,” has become a mainstay in her live shows. Carpenter handcuffs celebrity guests as a joke, but ICE has used it as a promotional tool.
Carpenter swiftly responded to the video on X, calling it “evil and disgusting,” and telling the agency to “not ever involve me or my music to benefit your inhumane agenda.” Since then, the White House has deleted the video from their account.
Many musical artists have criticized the usage of their discography in posts either by ICE or the White House. While most were firm but respectful, Radiohead has been the most accursed, ending their media statement by saying “go f—k yourselves” to the agency.
