Radiohead will compose a new national anthem for England

1 April 2018, 07:44 | Updated: 7 February 2022, 22:00

The Oxford rock band have said they are ‘stoked’ to be re-creating their country’s national song with their unique sound.

Caution: This article was written on April Fool’s Day. Its contents may not be wholly truthful.

England will soon have a new national anthem, composed by one of the country’s most popular rock bands, Radiohead, it has been announced.

The as-yet untitled anthem will be brought into use from January 2019, replacing England’s current anthem, ‘God Save the Queen’, which was first adopted in September 1745.

‘God Save the Queen’ is currently used by sports teams when they are representing England or the United Kingdom – but some have felt England should have its own distinct anthem.

Despite proposals for Hubert Parry’s ‘Jerusalem’ or Elgar’s ‘Land Of Hope And Glory’ to be the anthem of choice, a council made up of senior MPs and representatives of the Royal Family have decided that commissioning Radiohead will ensure the song connects more strongly with England’s younger population.

Since 2003, ‘God Save the Queen’ has been dropped from the Commonwealth Games as the United Kingdom’s official anthem.

Northern Irish athletes now receive their gold medals to the tune of ‘Londonderry Air’ (also known as ‘Danny Boy’), while English athletes have heard ‘Jerusalem’ since 2010.

Radiohead already composed a song called ‘The National Anthem’ in the year 2000 for their fourth studio album, Kid A. However, they have assured fans this will not be their official National Anthem commission.

Radiohead, made up of singer Thom Yorke, brothers Jonny and Colin Greenwood, Ed O’Brien and Philip Selway, have long been keen for their music to represent their country and its most iconic moments.

In 2015, the band composed an alternative Bond theme for Spectre, which was rejected in favour of Sam Smith’s ‘Writing On The Wall’.

In 2003, the band also said they’d like to represent the United Kingdom at the following year’s Eurovision Song Contest.