Here’s one way to get attention from the Internet: remove traces of yourself from it.
That’s exactly what the band Radiohead did this week, as it managed to blank its official website on Sunday morning, following the removal of social media posts across its Twitter, Facebook and Instagram accounts.
Some fans showed concern as to why the band would do this, but it soon became clear that the act tied in with one of its previously released songs, “How To Disappear Completely.” In truth, there was no need for concern, as the band eventually returned to the Internet, and announced a new album in the process.
Radiohead debuted a new stop-motion music video, directed by Chris Hopewell, just two days after its vanishing act, titled “Burn the Witch.” So far, it’s gained huge social media buzz, and has garnered over eight million views on YouTube site in under a week.
The video was just a small piece of a much bigger picture for the band. It just announced today that it will release a new album through XL Recordings digitally on Sunday, followed by a physical release on June 17. Although the album remains unnamed, the band continued to build up hype for the new release with yet another new video, a live-action piece directed by Paul Thomas Anderson (Magnolia, Boogie Nights).
So, between its disappearing/reappearing act, and its sudden push for its first new studio album in five years (The King of Limbs released in 2011), Radiohead managed to pull off a unique social media trick: grabbing attention by quietly going away, then coming back with all-new material.
