Radiohead tell ICE to 'go f--- yourselves' after video uses their classic song
Radiohead tell ICE to 'go f--- yourselves' after video uses their classic song
Emlyn TravisFri, February 27, 2026 at 9:31 PM UTC
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Radiohead's Thom YorkeCredit: Francesco Castaldo/Archivio Francesco Castaldo/Mondadori via Getty
Radiohead are demanding that U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement take down a video that uses one of their classic songs.
The three-time Grammy-winning rock band addressed the video, which a representative said incorporated their track "Let Down" without the group's permission, in a statement obtained by Entertainment Weekly on Friday.
"We demand that the amateurs in control of the ICE social media account take it down," Radiohead wrote. "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… Radiohead."
Radiohead's Phil Selway, Jonny Greenwood, Thom Yorke, Colin Greenwood, and Ed O'BrienCredit: Gie Knaeps/Getty
Representatives for U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement and the Department of Homeland Security did not immediately respond to EW's request for comment.
On Feb. 18, ICE posted a video that featured photographs of U.S. citizens that it claimed were victims of "criminal illegal alien violence." A choral rendition of their beloved OK Computer track "Let Down" could be heard in the background.
Radiohead perform at Firenzerocks Festival in Florence on June 14, 2017Credit: Corbis via Getty
"Thousands of American families have been torn apart because of criminal illegal alien violence," the video's caption reads. "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's statement comes less than a month after member Jonny Greenwood and director Paul Thomas Anderson issued a statement demanding that music from their film Phantom Thread be removed from the Melania Trump documentary, Melania.
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"It has come to our attention that a piece of music from Phantom Thread has been used in the Melania documentary," the pair said in a joint statement at the time. "While Jonny Greenwood does not own the copyright in the score, Universal failed to consult Jonny on this third-party use, which is a breach of his composer agreement."
They continued, "As a result, Jonny and Paul Thomas Anderson have asked for it to be removed from the documentary."
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Radiohead are not the first artists to call out ICE for using their music without their consent. In December, Sabrina Carpenter slammed the government agency for using her song "Juno" in a since-deleted video that depicted ICE raids.
"This video is evil and disgusting," Carpenter wrote in response on X. "Do not ever involve me or my music to benefit your inhumane agenda."
A White House representative later fired back at Carpenter over her comments in a statement to EW, writing, "Here's a Short n' Sweet message for Sabrina Carpenter: We won't apologize for deporting dangerous criminal illegal murderers, rapists, and pedophiles from our country."
Referencing Carpenter's song "Manchild," the representative added, "Anyone who would defend these sick monsters must be stupid, or is it slow?"
on Entertainment Weekly
Source: “AOL Entertainment”
