Rock music has gifted listeners with iconic rock songs, such as “Bohemian Rhapsody” by Queen and “Smells Like Teen Spirit” by Nirvana. In the early 1990s, Radiohead headed into the studio to record one of rock music’s greatest and most iconic songs of all time, which is “Creep”. However, it was a flop on the charts in the UK, and it fell on deaf ears. Between the 1990s and now, it was somewhat unpredictable that “Creep” would be iconic and covered widely by singers. Despite its commercial failure in the UK, listeners and radio hosts worldwide gave the song a chance. Thanks to the song’s success worldwide, “Creep” became Radiohead’s greatest song and one of rock music’s most iconic tracks.
Radio Stations Did Not Want to Play Radiohead’s “Creep”
Radiohead recorded “Creep” as they began recording sessions for their debut album, Pablo Honey. Despite not being too impressed with the songs on the album, producers Sean Slade and Paul Q. Kolderie took a huge liking to “Creep,” which Radiohead’s Thom Yorke mumbled was their “Scott Walker song.” Producers labeled “Creep” as their best song and insisted that Radiohead record the track. The band and the producers anticipated the track to be released, but on release day, in September 1992, it could not be any more of a flop than it was.
The UK market was unimpressed, and BBC Radio One considered the track “too depressing”. “Creep” performed poorly in the charts, as it only made it to number 78 on the charts. The song also sold only 6,000 copies. It was not as successful as the producers thought it would be, as it was a huge disappointment. Their follow-up singles, “Anyone Can Play Guitar” and “Pop Is Dead”, also performed poorly on the charts.
“Creep” was also not meant to be released, as Radiohead were not planning on releasing the song until Slade and Kolderie suggested that they should. “Creep” was a suggestion to the producers, but they believed in the song. Little did they know, it would achieve success internationally and would soon become their biggest song, even over thirty years down the line.
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Radiohead’s “Creep” Became Popular Worldwide
Later on, something unexpected happened; somewhere in the Middle East, “Creep” found unexpected success, as DJ Yoav Kutner put the song in heavy rotation. Elsewhere, “Creep” played on more stations, as it achieved radio play in New Zealand, Australia, and Spain. In the United States, it became one of the biggest songs in the alternative scene.
A copy of the song was sent to San Francisco’s Live 105 and achieved radio play, and other stations began to play the song. The song crept its way up the charts in 1993, as it peaked at number 2 on Billboard’s alternative chart and number 34 on the Hot 100. The music video, which has 1.2 billion views on YouTube as of July 2025, was viewed by many on MTV.
Despite “Creep” becoming successful overseas, Radiohead were reluctant to reissue the song in the UK, as Yorke told Melody Maker, “We said, ‘Oh no! Not in a million bloody years! Over our dead bodies!’” They reconsidered after touring in the US in 1993, as they realised how fans reacted to the song. Radiohead reissued the song, and “Creep” rightfully gained the respect it deserved.
The reissued song climbed to number seven in the UK charts, resonating with outsiders and weirdos around the world. However, with one song becoming huge comes an expectation from listeners that Radiohead couldn’t and did not want to meet. Their future songs were not like “Creep” at all, which is what the listeners and fans expected at the time. The band then grew unhappy with the track, as they felt like they had no “ownership” of the song, and it also did not represent them as a band. Regardless, fans from 1993 to today still look to “Creep” as rock’s greatest invention.
“Creep” By Radiohead Is Rock Music’s Greatest Anthem
Radiohead becoming disillusioned with “Creep” does not take away from how iconic the track is. Fans from around the world resonated with the track as they felt heard and seen. “Creep” still resonates today, and the meaning of the song does not shift. The feeling of angst and loneliness throughout the song elevates the track.
“Creep” became an important staple of rock music, as it is viewed as rock music’s greatest anthem for its melody, lyricism, and themes of being an outsider. Many artists have covered the song for years, including Kelly Clarkson, Prince, and Weezer. The song was incredible in 1993 and now, and it will remain timeless thirty more years down the line.