Guitarist Ed O'Brien has detailed Radiohead's touring strategy following the band's return to live performances last year, confirming they will cap annual shows at 20 dates per continent. Though O'Brien previously suggested this would be a reliable yearly commitment, he has since clarified it represents a maximum threshold rather than a guaranteed schedule, indicating uncertainty about meeting even that target.

The limitation reflects the emotional and physical demands placed on the band by their catalogue. O'Brien noted that Radiohead's material requires complete emotional commitment from performers and resonates intensely with their core audience, predominantly aged 16 to 24 years old. Staging more than 20 annual performances would force the band to reduce the emotional investment per show, a prospect O'Brien said the band views as unacceptable given their artistic standards.