Not everything on TikTok spells trouble. Just ask Radiohead. Nearly three decades after its release, the band’s 1997 track Let Down has entered the Billboard Hot 100 for the very first time, landing at number 91. The unlikely comeback is credited entirely to the viral power of TikTok, where the song has become a soundtrack for emotional and nostalgic videos.
This marks only the fourth time a Radiohead track has broken into the Hot 100. Previous entries include Creep in 1993 (No. 34), High and Dry in 1995 (No. 78), and Nude in 2008 (No. 37). For a band often seen as cult favorites rather than chart-dominators, the new milestone highlights TikTok’s growing role in reshaping music discovery.
TikTok Trends Bring Old Songs Back
So how did Let Down suddenly find new life? The song became part of TikTok’s audio library and quickly caught on as a backdrop for emotional storytelling. One of the most viral videos features AI-generated selfies of fictional celebrity couples and their imagined children, paired with Let Down. The result: over 4 million likes.
Another widely shared clip shows a man searching for his wife, with text overlaying the screen: “Why am I crying watching this video of my husband looking for me and finally finding me?” Emotional relatability, paired with Radiohead’s haunting melodies, has given the track renewed cultural relevance.
From Cult Classic to Viral Sound
For years, frontman Thom Yorke expressed skepticism—even irony—toward social media platforms like TikTok. But now, it seems the band has found an unexpected new audience among Gen Z users. What was once a deep cut on OK Computer has transformed into a viral anthem, proving that timeless music can thrive when paired with modern platforms.
The phenomenon underscores TikTok’s ability to revive older tracks and propel them into global charts, a trend seen previously with artists from Fleetwood Mac to Kate Bush. For Radiohead, it means that a song written nearly 30 years ago is suddenly reaching millions of new ears—many of whom weren’t even born when it was first released.
As Let Down climbs the charts, it’s safe to say that even Radiohead might appreciate this unexpected resurgence.