Radiohead stepped back into the spotlight on November 4, 2025, ending a seven-year absence that represented the longest break in their storied career. At Madrid’s Movistar Arena, the Oxford-formed quintet delivered a 25-song masterclass that spanned their entire discography, reminding fans why they remain one of rock’s most influential and unpredictable forces. The opening night of their 2025 European tour wasn’t just a concert—it was a cathartic reunion between a band and their devoted followers, staged on a circular platform in the center of the arena with LED screens creating an immersive, constantly shifting visual environment that hadn’t been seen since they opened for Ned’s Atomic Dustbin in 1993.
Table of Contents
The Complete Opening Night Setlist
Radiohead’s return began with “Let Down,” the OK Computer classic that recently experienced viral resurrection on TikTok and entered the Billboard Hot 100 in August 2025—their first chart appearance since “Nude” in 2008. The choice felt both symbolic and strategic, bridging generations of fans while acknowledging the band’s enduring relevance nearly three decades after the song’s original release.
| Radiohead Madrid Opening Night – November 4, 2025 | Album |
|---|---|
| 1. Let Down | OK Computer (1997) |
| 2. 2+2=5 | Hail to the Thief (2003) |
| 3. Sit Down. Stand Up. (Snakes & Ladders.) | Hail to the Thief (2003) |
| 4. Bloom | The King of Limbs (2011) |
| 5. Lucky | OK Computer (1997) |
| 6. Ful Stop | A Moon Shaped Pool (2016) |
| 7. The Gloaming. (Softly Open Our Mouths in the Cold.) | Hail to the Thief (2003) |
| 8. Myxomatosis. (Judge, Jury & Executioner.) | Hail to the Thief (2003) |
| 9. No Surprises | OK Computer (1997) |
| 10. Videotape | In Rainbows (2007) |
| 11. Weird Fishes/Arpeggi | In Rainbows (2007) |
| 12. Everything in Its Right Place | Kid A (2000) |
| 13. 15 Step | In Rainbows (2007) |
| 14. The National Anthem | Kid A (2000) |
| 15. Daydreaming | A Moon Shaped Pool (2016) |
| 16. A Wolf at the Door. (It Girl. Rag Doll.) | Hail to the Thief (2003) |
| 17. Bodysnatchers | In Rainbows (2007) |
| 18. Idioteque | Kid A (2000) |
Encore:
| 19. Fake Plastic Trees | The Bends (1995) | | 20. Subterranean Homesick Alien | OK Computer (1997) | | 21. Paranoid Android | OK Computer (1997) | | 22. How to Disappear Completely | Kid A (2000) | | 23. You and Whose Army? | Amnesiac (2001) | | 24. There There. (The Boney King of Nowhere.) | Hail to the Thief (2003) | | 25. Karma Police | OK Computer (1997) |
Rarities and Deep Cuts Delight Hardcore Fans
The Madrid setlist contained several extraordinary moments for longtime Radiohead devotees. “Sit Down. Stand Up.” received its first performance since 2004—a 21-year gap between live outings. “Subterranean Homesick Alien” hadn’t been played since 2017, making its inclusion particularly special for fans who’d given up hope of ever hearing it live again.
The setlist heavily favored OK Computer and Hail to the Thief, with six songs each from those albums. This emphasis on 2003’s Hail to the Thief wasn’t entirely surprising, given Radiohead recently released the excellent Hail to the Thief (Live Recordings 2003-2009). Frontman Thom Yorke had expressed surprise at the energy captured in those recordings, stating: “I was shocked by the kind of energy behind the way we played. I barely recognized us, and it helped me find a way forward.”
In Rainbows contributed four tracks, while Kid A matched that number. Their most recent album, 2016’s A Moon Shaped Pool, was represented by just two songs: “Daydreaming” and “Ful Stop.” Notably absent was “Creep” from 1993’s Pablo Honey, though few expected the band to resurrect their breakthrough hit given their complicated relationship with the song.
The Busking Attitude: Fluid Setlists Across Multiple Nights
Prior to the tour, bassist Colin Greenwood revealed that Radiohead had rehearsed approximately 70 different songs. “So we’ll play anything in any order, at any time,” he explained on The Adam Buxton Podcast. “We sort of take a busking attitude to the Radiohead setlist.”
This wasn’t empty marketing speak. On the tour’s second night in Madrid, Radiohead played 14 completely different songs from opening night, repeating only nine tracks. This radical approach transformed each performance into a unique experience, reminiscent of Bruce Springsteen’s legendary “Stump the Band” era where unpredictability reigned supreme.
The second Madrid show featured The Bends favorite “Just”—its first performance since 2009, a 16-year absence that delighted fans who’d abandoned hope of ever hearing it live. Thom Yorke reportedly sent a 65-song setlist to his bandmates for rehearsal consideration, suggesting the potential for even deeper cuts as the tour progresses.
Performing in the Round: A Visual and Sonic Revolution
The staging at Movistar Arena represented a dramatic departure from conventional Radiohead presentations. Positioned on a circular stage in the arena’s center, surrounded by constantly moving LED screens, the band created an immersive 360-degree experience. The screens would rise and fall throughout performances, sometimes partially obscuring the musicians themselves, creating an atmosphere where visual obstruction became part of the artistic statement.
This in-the-round concept hadn’t been employed by Radiohead since 1993 when they opened for Ned’s Atomic Dustbin—a callback to their earliest touring days that emphasized how this 2025 tour celebrates their complete journey rather than promoting new material.
Why They’re Back: Grief, Reflection, and Reconnection
The seven-year hiatus wasn’t mere creative sabbatical. Multiple factors—including grief, mental health concerns, and intraband tension regarding the Israel-Palestine conflict—nearly prevented Radiohead from reuniting altogether. Thom Yorke opened up about his grief following the 2016 death of his former partner Rachel Owen, explaining: “I needed to stop anyway, because I hadn’t really given myself time to grieve. My grief was coming out in ways that made me think, I need to take this away.”
During their absence, the five members remained extraordinarily productive. Yorke and guitarist Jonny Greenwood released three albums as The Smile. Greenwood scored multiple films, including collaborations with Paul Thomas Anderson. Drummer Philip Selway and guitarist Ed O’Brien both released solo albums. Bassist Colin Greenwood published a stunning Radiohead photo book and toured with Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds.
Drummer Philip Selway explained the reunion’s significance in a press statement: “Last year, we got together to rehearse, just for the hell of it. After a seven-year pause, it felt really good to play the songs again and reconnect with a musical identity that has become lodged deep inside all five of us.”
The Tour Continues: Four-Night Residencies Across Europe
Radiohead’s 2025 tour employs an unusual structure: four-night residencies in select cities rather than single-night stops across numerous venues. Following their Madrid run (November 4, 5, 7, and 8), the band will play Bologna’s Unipol Arena (November 14, 15, 17, 18), London’s O2 Arena (November 21, 22, 24, 25), Copenhagen’s Royal Arena (December 1, 2), and conclude at Berlin’s Uber Arena on December 12.
This residency approach allows deeper exploration of their expansive catalog while building community among fans who travel between shows. It also accommodates the logistical demands of their elaborate in-the-round staging and ever-changing setlists.
A New Era or Temporary Reunion?
This marks Radiohead’s first tour without new material to promote—a significant shift for a band that’s always pushed forward rather than dwelling on past glories. Yorke’s acknowledgment that they’ve become “officially, unambiguously, classic rock” carries weight, though whether this tour signals a new chapter or temporary reunion remains unclear.
Colin Greenwood noted: “It’s going to be the first time we’ve done shows where I think we haven’t got new material to play as work-in-progress. We’re not doing that many rehearsals, either, so it all seems to be quite relaxed.”
The band introduced new touring drummer Chris Vatalaro—a Selway collaborator who’s worked with Imogen Heap, Anohni and the Johnsons, and Jarvis Cocker—apparently replacing Portishead’s Clive Deamer, their previous live drummer. This lineup change adds fresh energy while maintaining the core five-member identity that defines Radiohead.
Fan reaction online has been universally ecstatic. Social media flooded with videos, photos, and emotional testimonials from attendees who’d waited years for this moment. As performances continue and setlists evolve night by night, the question transforms from “Will Radiohead ever tour again?” to “What treasures from their catalog will they unearth next?”
FAQs
When was Radiohead’s last concert before this 2025 tour?
Radiohead’s last performance was on August 1, 2018, at the Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia during their A Moon Shaped Pool tour—making the Madrid show their first in exactly seven years.
What song did Radiohead open their 2025 tour with?
Radiohead opened with “Let Down” from OK Computer, which recently experienced viral success on TikTok and entered the Billboard Hot 100 in August 2025 for the first time since its 1997 release.
How many songs did Radiohead play at their Madrid opening night?
Radiohead performed 25 songs total—18 in the main set and 7 in the encore—spanning albums from The Bends (1995) through A Moon Shaped Pool (2016).
What was the rarest song Radiohead played in Madrid?
“Sit Down. Stand Up.” from Hail to the Thief hadn’t been performed since 2004, marking a 21-year gap—the longest between performances of any song in their catalog.
Where else is Radiohead touring in 2025?
Radiohead will play four-night residencies in Bologna, London, Copenhagen, and Berlin, with the tour concluding December 12, 2025, at Berlin’s Uber Arena.
