Radiohead has sharply criticized U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) after the agency used one of the band’s songs in a social media post without permission. The British rock group demanded the video be removed immediately, escalating the growing clash between musicians and government agencies over the use of copyrighted music.
The controversy centers on ICE using the Radiohead song Let Down in an online post. The track comes from the band’s influential 1997 album OK Computer, widely considered one of the most important rock records of the past few decades. According to the band, the song was used without authorization, prompting an angry response from the group.
In a statement shared on social media, Radiohead blasted the agency and demanded the content be taken down. The band made it clear they strongly objected to their music being associated with the message in the video, saying the use of the song was unacceptable and insisting the post be removed immediately.
The incident highlights a broader trend in which artists have pushed back against political or government entities using their music without consent. Many musicians argue that their songs are being repurposed in ways that suggest an endorsement they never agreed to, prompting them to publicly intervene when it happens.
Several major artists have recently taken similar action. Olivia Rodrigo and Sabrina Carpenter both spoke out after their music appeared in government-related social media content tied to immigration enforcement. In those cases, the posts were eventually removed after the artists objected.
The dispute also comes as debates continue around the use of music in political messaging. While some artists respond publicly, others handle the issue behind the scenes through legal channels. Either way, many performers have become increasingly vocal about protecting how their work is used.
For Radiohead, the message was clear: the band does not want its music tied to the agency’s content. Their response adds another high-profile example to the ongoing tension between artists and institutions over who gets to control how music is used in the digital age.
