Radiohead’s 28-year-old song makes Billboard hot 100 debut with help from TikTok

Radiohead has reached a milestone in their music career by entering the US Billboard Hot 100 chart for only the fourth time in 40 years. Their song Let Down, which was originally released in 1997 as a single from their album OK Computer, has recently made it to number 91 on the chart. This unexpected resurgence in popularity can be attributed to TikTok, where the song has gained viral traction, despite its melancholic sound. The platform has been instrumental in bringing attention to the track, with users embracing Radiohead’s signature dark and introspective style to enhance their posts.

It is interesting to note that this marks only the fourth time that Radiohead has made it onto the Hot 100 chart, with their last entry being in 2008 with the song Nude from the In Rainbows album. The success of Let Down on the chart is largely due to streaming, with the song accumulating 5.2 million streams in the US within a week, as of August 21st. This streaming success has been building up over several weeks, showcasing the enduring appeal of Radiohead’s music.

Despite the streaming numbers, it is worth mentioning that Creep, the song that brought Radiohead into the spotlight in the US, still garners higher weekly streams. However, due to the chart’s calculation methodology, it is unable to re-enter the Hot 100 chart since its original debut in 1993. This information comes from Billboard data analyst Xander Zellner, who sheds light on the intricacies of chart rankings and song popularity dynamics.

While Radiohead has been relatively quiet since their last live performance in 2018, this year has seen a flurry of activity from the band. In addition to the unexpected chart success of Let Down, Radiohead released a live album titled Hail to the Thief (Live Recordings 2003-2009). Furthermore, an exhibition showcasing the band’s extensive collaboration with artist Stanley Donwood opened in August at Oxford’s Ashmolean Museum, celebrating their creative partnership over the years.

Speculation about a potential return to touring by Radiohead was sparked earlier in the year when the band members established a new limited liability partnership. Moreover, their management team reportedly donated concert tickets to charity, hinting at a possible tour in the future. However, frontman Thom Yorke has downplayed rumors of a new studio album or tour in a recent interview. Despite this, the band’s enduring popularity among younger listeners, as evidenced by their growing social media presence, indicates that Radiohead’s music continues to resonate with a new generation of fans.