Radiohead’s “Let Down” debuts at No. 91 on the Hot 100, giving the band its first new hit on the tally since 2008’s “Nude.” Musician Thom Yorke, of group Radiohead, performs, Chicago, Illinois, August 3, 2001. (Photo by Paul Natkin/Getty Images)
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Radiohead ranks as one of the most influential bands in rock history, a title earned a long time ago. The group has regularly challenged conventions of what could be commercially successful and pushed alternative rock to new and exciting places throughout the years.
It’s been a long time since Radiohead produced new music, and even longer since the outfit scored a hit on the Hot 100 in America. The English outfit was never focused on radio play or chart wins, but this week the group earns an unexpected new smash in the United States with a decades-old cut.
“Let Down” Reaches the Hot 100
Radiohead’s “Let Down” debuts on this week’s Hot 100, which ranks the most consumed songs in America. The tune lands at No. 91 and easily stands out as the band’s lowest-peaking hit — though it could continue to rise in the coming month or so, as it’s just getting started on the tally.
Radiohead’s First New Hot 100 Hit in 17 Years
“Let Down” earns Radiohead its first new appearance on the Hot 100 in 17 years. The group last debuted in April 2008 with “Nude.” That cut only spent a single turn on the tally, peaking at No. 37.
Radiohead Debuted on the Hot 100 More Than 30 Years Ago
Throughout the more than 30 years that Radiohead has been landing on the Hot 100, the band has only accrued four appearances. “Creep” brought the Grammy-winning troupe to the chart for the first time when it launched in June 1993. Later that year, it peaked at No. 34, and the song still stands as Radiohead’s highest-rising hit and longest-running, as it earned 20 stays on the tally. Three years later, “High and Dry” climbed to No. 78 and managed to hold on for eight turns.
“Let Down” Lives on Eight Billboard Charts
For the past several months, “Let Down” has been rising on charts globally after suddenly going viral. The tune, which was originally shared by Radiohead many years back and never promoted as a single, debuted on many lists in America this summer, and is still largely climbing. At the moment, “Let Down” appears on eight different songs rankings, surging to new high points on four of them and debuting on another pair.
All the excitement around the rise of “Let Down” is also aiding Radiohead’s most famous track, “Creep.” The smash is growing on multiple Billboard charts at the moment, and it even establishes new best placements on a trio of rankings.
Source: https://www.forbes.com/sites/hughmcintyre/2025/08/30/radiohead-returns-to-the-hot-100-after-a-decade-and-a-half-away/
