Top 10 Best Radiohead Songs

With the first single from OK Computer, Radiohead made a confident statement. In the years before, the band had made several versions of 'Paranoid Android' and played them live. She added new parts to this at her own discretion. The final version is six and a half minutes long and consists of four parts, which immediately gives it a classic rock setup. The tempo changes several times, as do the chords. Lyrically, Yorke alternates humor with wry political observations. All in all, not really the recipe for a hit single. A striking video clip by the Swedish cartoonist Magnus Carlsson, who had to work alone with the instrument

The success of OK Computer was intimidating for Radiohead's group members. It was an exhausting feat both psychologically and creatively. Singer Thom Yorke suffered a mental breakdown and had difficulty engaging with music. Ultimately, electronic music without vocals saved the day. It gave the band new inspiration and this eventually led to the experimental album Kid A (2000). The opening track 'Everything in its Right Place' immediately sets the tone with its bare arrangement. Yorke also repeats a lot of words but in a way that is very exciting. Since then, Radiohead has often played the song live in versions that may still be m

'Karma Police' was the second single from the successful album OK Computer. The title is based on a term with which the group members used to warn each other in a funny way when they were planning something bad. Even though the song is quite catchy, it doesn't have a real chorus, which is especially unusual when trying to score a hit. Radiohead was already so popular that 'Karma Police' could easily reach the top 10 in the United Kingdom. The sinister music video helped. In the clip, a car follows a running man at an excruciatingly slow pace. Thom Yorke sits in the backseat and watches it all impassively. Just as the car prepares to round the man

The first evidence that Radiohead might last longer than 'Creep' came with the album The Bends (1995). The album ends with the depressing song 'Street Spirit (Fade Out)', which would become one of the band's most popular songs. The black and white video clip is very intense and was filmed by Jonathan Glazer, who would only make a name for himself as a film director years later, including with Under the Skin.

My Iron Lung is the title track of the E.P. which Radiohead released as a bridge between their debut album and The Bends. The band is in two minds here, which creates a nice tension between their roots and what is to come. Later, Radiohead would no longer use such guitar outbursts as on 'My Iron Lung'. The song, together with 'Fake Plastic Trees', would make a surprising appearance on the soundtrack of the ironic teen film Clueless (1995).

The heavy guitars in the chorus of 'Creep' gave the impression that Radiohead were a British answer to grunge, which was then at its peak. That was not the group's intention and 'Fake Plastic Trees' is a clear signal to listeners that they have something completely different planned. The first bombastic versions were eventually developed into a haunting song. Their American record company of course wanted a second 'Creep' and mixed the song without the band's permission into a completely different song.

The experimental album Kid A (2001) divided the opinions of Radiohead fans. The band quickly released the successor Amnesiac, which focused more on recognizable songs. The first single 'Pyramid Song' reassured many, even though it is anything but accessible. 'Pyramid Song' is mainly carried by jazz piano, oriental strings and Yorke's voice. Despite the dark atmosphere, it became a top 10 hit in a number of countries.

'Creep', Radiohead's debut single, was a big hit at first. It became a real anthem for outsiders and teenagers. The danger was that this would make Radiohead a one-hit wonder and the band noticed that many people during concerts only paid attention when 'Creep' was played. Since the band was thinking about a real career with many more good songs, Radiohead refused to play the song live for a while.

'Reckoner' is the fourth single from the album In Rainbows (2007). The basis is a jazzy rhythm with soft guitar sounds, with strings added halfway through. The way the melody changes makes it one of the most beautiful Radiohead songs. The band also released the separate tracks of the song so fans could make their own remix.

'No Surprises' was the first song that Radiohead recorded for their ambitious OK Computer album, which has since become a rock classic. As almost always, the mood is melancholic, but the group keeps the arrangement simple, almost childlike, making the effect even more powerful. In the video clip, Thom Yorke sings the song wearing a helmet that slowly fills with water.