Radiohead

Radiohead emerged from the shadow of ‘90s Brit-pop with a moody, melodic, and explosive sound, rooted in alternative culture and art-rock influences from bands like Pink Floyd, R.E.M., The Smiths, and Talking Heads—whose song inspired their name.

The band formed in 1985 as On A Friday, named after their usual rehearsal day, with a lineup that has remained unchanged: Thom Yorke (guitar/vocals), Ed O'Brien (guitar), Philip Selway (drums), and brothers Colin and Jonny Greenwood on bass and lead guitar, respectively.

In 1991, they signed with EMI, adopted the name Radiohead, and recorded their first EP, Drill, which was released in 1992 with minimal impact, debuting at #101 on the UK Charts. It wasn't until their 1992 hit single “Creep” that they gained widespread attention.

Despite initial beliefs that they would be a one-hit wonder following the release of Pablo Honey in 1993, Radiohead disproved critics with their complex 1995 album The Bends. Their status was solidified with the release of 1997’s OK Computer, which was widely considered the best record of the year and one of the most significant rock albums of the 1990s.

In response to the hype, their subsequent albums were experimental: October 2000’s Kid A and May 2001’s Amnesiac moved away from their Brit-pop roots towards avant-garde influences and more political lyrics.

June 2003 saw the release of their album Hail to the Thief, driven by themes of ignorance, intolerance, and political context, solidifying it as Radiohead’s most political work at the time.

During the making of their October 2007 album, In Rainbows, Radiohead was the most popular unsigned band globally, having left EMI. They made the bold move to release the album online without a distributor, allowing fans to pay what they wished. In Rainbows topped the US and UK Billboard charts, won two Grammy Awards, and was included in Rolling Stone’s top 500 albums of all time.

After a four-year gap, Radiohead released The King of the Limbs in February 2011. Though not as acclaimed as previous works, it represented a natural evolution in their sound.

May 2016’s A Moon Shaped Pool marked a more personal journey beyond existential concerns, receiving a 9.1 rating from Pitchfork.

By 2019, Radiohead had released nine studio albums, consistently experimenting with new sounds and alternative marketing strategies, particularly since going independent with 2007's In Rainbows.

Since the mid-2000s, band members have also pursued side projects such as Atoms for Peace and 7 Worlds Collide. Thom Yorke has released solo records, starting with 2006’s The Eraser and continuing with Tomorrow’s Modern Boxes in September 2014 and ANIMA in June 2019. Jonny Greenwood has collaborated with Paul Thomas Anderson on soundtracks for films like There Will Be Blood (2007), The Master (2012), and Phantom Thread (2017).