Radiohead are an English rock band formed in Abingdon, Oxfordshire, in 1985. The band consists of Thom Yorke (vocals, guitar, piano, keyboards), brothers Jonny Greenwood (lead guitar, keyboards, other instruments) and Colin Greenwood (bass), Ed O’Brien (guitar, backing vocals) and Philip Selway (drums, percussion).
They have worked with producer Nigel Godrich and cover artist Stanley Donwood since 1994. Drawing influence from varied genres, Radiohead’s experimental approach to rock has been credited for advancing the sound of alternative rock.
After signing to EMI in 1991, Radiohead released their debut single “Creep” in 1992. It became a worldwide hit after the release of their debut album, Pablo Honey (1993).
Their popularity and critical standing rose in the United Kingdom with the release of their second album, The Bends (1995).
Radiohead’s third album, OK Computer (1997), brought them international fame; noted for its complex production and themes of modern alienation, it is often acclaimed as a landmark record of the Generation X era.
The followup, Kid A (2000), marked a dramatic change in style, incorporating influences from experimental electronic, 20th-century classical music, krautrock, and jazz.
Though Kid A divided listeners, it was hailed as the best album of the decade by several publications. It was followed by Amnesiac (2001), recorded in the same sessions.
Hail to the Thief (2003) fused rock and electronic music with lyrics inspired by the War on Terror, and was Radiohead’s final album for EMI.
Their subsequent releases have pioneered alternative release platforms such as pay-what-you-want and BitTorrent; Radiohead self-released their seventh album, In Rainbows (2007), as a download for which customers could set their own price, to critical and chart success.
Their eighth album, The King of Limbs (2011), an exploration of rhythm, was developed using extensive looping and sampling.
A Moon Shaped Pool (2016) prominently featured Jonny Greenwood’s orchestral arrangements. Jonny Greenwood, Yorke, Selway, and O’Brien have released solo albums.
As of 2011, Radiohead have sold more than 30 million albums worldwide. Their awards include six Grammy Awards and four Ivor Novello Awards.
Rolling Stone named them one of the 100 Greatest Artists of All Time and their readers voted them the second-best artist of the 2000s.
Five of their albums have been nominated for the Mercury Prize, making them the most nominated act in the prize’s history.
They were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2019.
Legacy and influence
Their work places highly in both listener polls and critics’ lists of the best music of the 1990s and 2000s. In 2005, they were ranked 73rd in Rolling Stone’s list of “The Greatest Artists of All Time”; Jonny Greenwood and O’Brien were both included in Rolling Stone’s list of the best guitarists, and Yorke in their list of the best singers.
In 2009, Rolling Stone readers voted Radiohead the second-best artist of the 2000s, behind Green Day. Five Radiohead albums have been nominated for the Mercury Prize, making Radiohead the most nominated act in the prize’s history.
They have been listed among the greatest bands of all time by Spin (15th) and among the greatest artists by VH1 (29th). They were also ranked as the third best British band in history by Harry Fletcher of the Evening Standard.
Radiohead were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2019.
Radiohead’s 90s albums The Bends and OK Computer influenced a generation of British acts, including Coldplay, Keane, James Blunt and Travis.
Their experimental approach has been credited with expanding alternative rock. According to AllMusic journalist Stephen Thomas Erlewine, in the early 21st century, Radiohead became “a touchstone for everything that is fearless and adventurous in rock”, succeeding David Bowie, Pink Floyd, and Talking Heads.
Gavin Haynes of NME described Radiohead in 2014 as “our generation’s Beatles”.
Speaking at Radiohead’s induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, Talking Heads singer David Byrne praised their musical and release innovations, which he said had influenced the entire music industry.
Kid A is credited for pioneering the use of the internet to stream and promote music. The pay-what-you-want release for In Rainbows is credited as a major step for music distribution.
Forbes wrote that it “helped forge the template for unconventional album releases in the internet age”, ahead of artists such as Beyoncé and Drake.
Tracklist
A1 Everything In Its Right Place
A2 Follow Me Around
A3 Street Spirit
A4 Exit Music
A5 Like Spinning Plates
B1 Fake Plastic Trees
B2 No Surprises
B3 Talk Show Host
B4 Idioteque
B5 Black Star
Live at the BBC or BBC Recordings are recordings originally made for or by BBC Radio 1. Many recordings were released under several name variants.
Band members
Thom Yorke – vocals, guitar, piano, keyboards
Jonny Greenwood – guitar, keyboards, ondes Martenot, orchestral arrangements
Colin Greenwood – bass guitar
Ed O’Brien – guitar, effects, backing vocals
Philip Selway – drums, percussion
Additional live members
Clive Deamer – drums, percussion (2011–present)
Radiohead discography
Pablo Honey (1993)
The Bends (1995)
OK Computer (1997)
Kid A (2000)
Amnesiac (2001)
Hail to the Thief (2003)
In Rainbows (2007)
The King of Limbs (2011)
A Moon Shaped Pool (2016)
