Radiohead

Radiohead’s shift from the guitar-driven “Creep” to the electronic and orchestral worlds of Kid A and A Moon Shaped Pool made them one of alternative rock’s most restless major bands. Formed in Abingdon, Oxfordshire, in 1985, the English group has retained the same five members: Thom Yorke on vocals, guitar and keyboards; Jonny Greenwood on guitar, keyboards and other instruments; Colin Greenwood on bass; Ed O’Brien on guitar and backing vocals; and Philip Selway on drums. Since 1994, they have worked closely with producer Nigel Godrich and cover artist Stanley Donwood.

After signing with EMI in 1991, Radiohead released Pablo Honey in 1993. Its single “Creep” became a worldwide hit, while 1995’s The Bends increased the band’s critical standing. Their third album, OK Computer, arrived in 1997 with complex production and songs centred on modern alienation. It has been widely acclaimed as a landmark record, and Rolling Stone has included it among its lists of the 500 greatest albums of all time.

Radiohead redirected their sound with Kid A in 2000, drawing on electronic music, jazz, classical music and krautrock. The album divided listeners on release but was later named the best album of the decade by multiple outlets. Amnesiac, released in 2001, was recorded during the same sessions. Hail to the Thief followed in 2003, combining rock and electronic music with lyrics addressing the war on terror.

In 2007, after leaving EMI, Radiohead self-released In Rainbows as a download that allowed customers to set their own price. The release was both a critical and commercial success. The King of Limbs, issued in 2011, used extensive looping and sampling in its exploration of rhythm. Their ninth studio album, A Moon Shaped Pool, was released in 2016 and prominently featured Jonny Greenwood’s orchestral arrangements.

By 2011, Radiohead had sold more than 30 million albums worldwide. They have received six Grammy Awards, four Ivor Novello Awards and five Mercury Prize nominations, the most for any act. Seven of their singles reached the UK top 10, including “Street Spirit (Fade Out)”, “Paranoid Android”, “Karma Police”, “No Surprises”, “Pyramid Song” and “There There”; “Creep” and “Nude” reached the top 40 of the US Billboard Hot 100. The band was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2019. Four members have released solo albums, and Yorke and Jonny Greenwood debuted the Smile in 2021. Following a hiatus, Radiohead toured Europe in 2025.