RADIOHEAD

By Haley Hobson

RADIOHEAD
By Haley Hobson
Inception:
● Formed in 1985 in Oxfordshire,
England
● Band members: Thom Yorke, Ed
O’Brien, Colin Greenwood, Jonny
Greenwood, Philip Selway
● Originally named On A Friday
● Drew inspiration from The Pixies,
The Smiths, Talking Heads
● Signed by E.M.I. Records in 1991
under the stipulation that they
change their band name
Metamorphoses:
Known for their evolving/experimental sound:
● Initially had a grunge rock sound
● Began to incorporate electronic, synthetic
elements
● Introduced a more orchestral aesthetic in later
works
Infographic by
Jamie Gurnell:
Common Lyrical Themes:

● Geopolitics
● Environmentalism
● Isolation
● Confrontation
“Creep” (Pablo Honey, 1993)

● First single released

● “The blessing and the bane” of Radiohead
● G-B-C-Cm chord progression that resembles “The Air That I
Breathe” by The Hollies
● Jonny Greenwood hated the song so much that he tried to
sabotage it by playing his guitar with excessive aggression

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NEWHknNuYGc
OK Computer (1997)

● Marked the band’s first foray into experimenting with

electronic sounds/manipulations
● Consciously moved away from guitar-and-drum driven music
● Unexpected reception
● Won 1998 Grammy for Best Alternative Album
● Nominated for Grammy’s Album of the Year
“No Surprises” (OK Computer, 1997)
● Mixes a heavy lyrical theme with a light, breezy melody
● Yorke describes the song as telling the story of “someone who’s trying to keep it
together, but can’t”
● The frothy melody was inspired by The Beach Boys “Wouldn’t It Be Nice” and
Louis Armstrong’s “What A Wonderful World”
● The band wanted the song to have a slower tempo than what they could actually,
feasibly play, so they recorded it with a fast tempo, then slowed the playback
down for Thom to overdub the lyrics onto, creating an ethereal sound

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u5CVsCnxyXg
Electronic Influence (2000-2003)
● Crisis after the success of OK Computer
● Kid A (2000), Amnesiac (2001), Hail To The Thief (2003)
● Kid A named Album of the Decade by both Rolling Stone and Time
Magazine

Time Magazine on Kid A: it’s the “opposite of easy listening, and the weirdest
album to ever sell a million copies, but it’s also a testament to just how
complicated a rock album can be.”

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sKZN115n6MI

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dM0efjGLcGI
Juxtaposition: Past/Future (2007-2016)
● In Rainbows (2007), King of Limbs (2011), A Moon Shaped Pool (2016)
● Introduces a unique blend of futuristic, computerized music with classical
instrumentation
● London Contemporary Orchestra
● In Rainbows: won Best Alternative Music Album
● A Moon-Shaped Pool: nominated for Best Alternative Music Album and Best
Rock Song (“Burn the Witch”)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4SjI2aB3ryo

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yI2oS2hoL0k&index=1&list=PLassrDU4Cs_9GinH
UbHLR1HaHEzf_DUr9

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8st0r1N3zII
Bibliography

https://www.rollingstone.com/music/artists/radiohead/b

iography

https://www.thoughtco.com/radiohead-biography-and-

profile-2898071

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Radiohead

http://jamiegurnell.com/Radiohead-A-Genre