The opening track on Radiohead’s In Rainbows is “15 Step.” Its title refers to a phrase associated with the experience of falling down a staircase, while the song itself combines an unusual rhythmic pattern with electronic percussion, guitar, and Thom Yorke’s vocals.
“15 Step” opens the 2007 album before the more conventionally structured “Bodysnatchers.” The track features contributions from all five Radiohead members and includes children’s handclaps recorded by the Matrix Music School in Oxford. Its layered production reflects the band’s interest in combining rock instrumentation with digital textures.
In Rainbows was Radiohead’s seventh studio album and became notable for its initial pay-what-you-want online release. The album later received a traditional physical release through XL Recordings. The track is sometimes confused with an album intro or an untitled prelude, but “15 Step” is the official first song on the standard album sequence.