Why Radiohead Stands Out
Pitchfork is one of the most popular websites for music review, and their reviews are known for being in-depth and informative. It is very rare to see an album with a 10/10 rating on Pitchfork. You see, a 10/10 score means that an album is perfect, according to Pitchfork, and they don’t tend to be very forgiving on anything that they dislike on a record. Even some of the most influential and respected records of all time, like The Beatles’ Let It Be or Pink Floyd’s The Dark Side Of The Moon have not ranked this high according to Pitchfork.
Radiohead is a rock band from Oxford, England. Their 1997 release, OK Computer, is widely considered to be their masterpiece, and for good reason. OK Computer was, and still is, one of the most innovative records to exist. And it shows, as Pitchfork awarded this album with a perfect score of 10/10. However, Radiohead doesn’t just have one perfect album score, they have two. Their 2000 release, Kid A, received a perfect score as well. But it’s no surprise that it did: Kid A was one of the most unexpected sonic switch-ups for a band. Radiohead went from a stadium rock band to an experimental electronic group, while still keeping the appreciation and quality of their music high.
Radiohead has been making unusual and interesting music since they started. Over the years, they’ve gone through many different sounds, and all of them have been unique. So what makes this band so interesting, and why do they stand out? To answer this question, let’s go back to the beginning.
Radiohead started in 1985 as a group of high schoolers from Oxford, England, who would rehearse their songs in their school auditorium after school on Fridays; hence their original name, “On A Friday.”
When the band started, Thom Yorke, the vocalist and songwriter, and Colin Greenwood, the bassist, recruited Ed O’Brien, a guitarist, Phil Selway, a drummer, and Colin’s little brother, Jonny, another guitarist. They wrote rock songs, and were inspired by bands like R.E.M.
The group eventually took a break when the members went to college, but they got back together in Oxford during the summer of 1991. They signed a six-album contract with a record label called EMI. EMI and the band agreed that they didn’t like their name at the time (On A Friday), so they renamed themselves to “Radiohead.”
In 1992, they released their first project, an EP called Drill, and it flopped. Later, they recorded and released an old song that Thom had written called “Creep.” At first, it didn’t get that much attention, but soon, it took off on international radios, and became a worldwide hit. Since then, the band has recorded and released 9 studio albums.
One reason that Radiohead creates such interesting music is because of the collaboration between members. Their unique collaboration can be heard in many of their songs, and “Airbag,” a track from their 1997 album, OK Computer, is an excellent example. In this song, the bass, drums and guitar go amazingly together to create disastrous perfection.
I’d like to zoom in especially on the outro section of the song. At this point, the main chorus ends, and a shaker can be heard, along with a sparkling synth, a single guitar, and a strange rhythmic synth as well. Seconds later, We hear a guitar making some unusual and crunchy sounds. We hear the drums and bass come in for a quick two measures, and then they leave again. This pattern repeats two times, until the bass stays even after the drums leave. At this point, we start to hear a vocal part by Thom accompany the instrumentation. This pattern repeats two more times, except with the bass continuing, and then the drums finally stay in as well. From here, it is a few measures until the song’s main guitar riff comes back, and we are met with a larger, fuller sounding version of the song’s intro.
What strikes me about this song is how the sound of it reminds me of losing control, similar to how you would lose control of a car in a crash, which happens to be the central idea of the song. This can be confirmed with a lyric from a bit earlier in the song, when Thom sings, “In a fast German car, I’m amazed that I survived. An airbag saved my life.” The instrumental part of the song feels like it’s conveying the same idea, just in another form than words. This creates a more complete and together overall sound, which is a big reason why this song is so interesting.
Radiohead is comprised of five members who sing, play bass, guitar, and drums” all the essentials to create a rock sound. But often, they don’t really sound like a rock band at all. According to Jonny Greenwood, one of Radiohead’s guitarists, “there’s no individual interest in what we play on the record, it’s about servicing the song. It’s not really about, ‘Can I do my guitar part now?’ We’re arrangers really.”
A great example of Radiohead creating an unusual sound for a rock band is “Idioteque,” a song off of their 2000 album, Kid A. Instead of Ed or Jonny playing an intense riff on the guitar, or Phil slamming on the drums, the track is almost completely electronic, and members take on different roles than usual.
During the song, a synth can be heard playing a somber melody, while a bit-crushed electronic drum kit loops a hypnotic beat. There is even a part of the song where the synth is completely removed. During this part, more drum textures are added onto the existing drum loop, while Thom sings a haunting vocal part on top. It’s really an amazing musical moment, and it gives me chills every time I hear it.
The interesting thing is, there are no acoustic drums, guitar, or bass present in this song. Instead of the band feeling the need to layer their instruments of choice, they’re okay with leaving it how it is, because they feel that it’s the best version of the song. Because of this, some members of the band take on different roles than their usual when performing this song live. For example, instead of Jonny playing his signature Telecaster guitar, he’s at a drum rack, recreating the beat of the song live.
It’s songs like these that show that the group doesn’t care about sounding like a rock band, they just care that their songs sound the best that they can.
Have you ever heard an amazing song, but when the lyrics come in, it’s just ruined? Bad lyrics can easily bring down a great song, and likewise, great lyrics can really enhance one. An example of Thom’s style of lyricism can be found in “Reckoner”, a song from Radiohead’s 2007 record, In Rainbows.
In the bridge of the song, Thom sings, “Because we separate like ripples on a blank shore.” These lyrics paint a mystical picture in your mind. There are several ways that these lyrics could be interpreted. To “separate” could refer to the ending of a life, but it could also be taken differently. For example, separating could be seen by some as parting in a relationship, whether it be breaking up with a partner or cutting ties with a friend.
Nobody can really know for sure what the song is about, and although that could be frustrating to some, it is also the reason why Thom’s lyrics are so unique. You are not forced to hear them a certain way, and you can make your own meaning out of them. This means that the song doesn’t just have to be about the singer’s experiences or thoughts, it can also be about all of us, and we can relate the lyrics to ourselves in very different ways.
One could argue that Radiohead is just a rock band that started as a group of high schoolers looking to have fun jamming out. However, Radiohead’s sound has gone to so many different places over the years, from the post grunge/britpop of The Bends, to the alt rock of OK Computer, to the electronica of Kid A, and the art rock of In Rainbows. They’ve become so much more than just a rock band. It’s their unique approach to composition, collaboration and songwriting that make the band stand out as the rainbow fish in a sea of artists.
Works cited:
Cuchna Cole. “S11E1 — Radiohead: In Rainbows.” Spotify, 26 Sept. 2023.
O’Neill Christina. “Radiohead Left Egos behind for a Moon Shaped Pool.” Louder, 5 Aug. 2016.
DiCrescenzo, Brent. “Radiohead: Kid A.” Pitchfork, 2 Oct. 2000.
Greene, Jayson. “Radiohead: OK Computer OKNOTOK 1997 2017.” Pitchfork, Jun 22, 2017.
