"Radiohead" is an innovative English rock band formed in 1985 in Abingdon, Oxfordshire. The band comprises five members, including Thom Yorke as the lead vocalist, guitarist, and pianist, Jonny Greenwood as the lead guitarist, Colin Greenwood as the bassist, Ed O'Brien as the guitarist and backing vocalist, and Philip Selway as the drummer and percussionist.
The band has worked with Nigel Godrich, a renowned producer, and Stanley Donwood, a distinguished cover artist, since 1994. Radiohead's experimental approach to music has contributed significantly to the evolution of alternative rock and modern music as a whole.
Radiohead signed a contract with EMI in 1991, and their debut album, Pablo Honey, was released in 1993, with the first single, "Creep," becoming a global hit. The release of their second album, The Bends, in 1995, propelled the band to greater heights, both in terms of popularity and critical acclaim. Their third album, OK Computer (1997), brought them international fame, thanks to its intricate production and exploration of contemporary themes, such as alienation, making it an iconic record and one of the most celebrated albums in the history of popular music.
Kid A (2000), their fourth album, marked a significant shift in style, incorporating influences from electronic, jazz, classical, and krautrock music. While Kid A received mixed reactions from listeners, it was later hailed as the best album of the decade by numerous media outlets. Amnesiac (2001) was recorded during the same sessions as Kid A and followed in a similar vein. Hail to the Thief (2003) blended rock and electronic music and addressed themes of war and terror. It was the last album Radiohead produced for EMI.
Radiohead released their seventh album, In Rainbows, in 2007, as a download that allowed customers to choose their price. The album was a huge success, both commercially and critically. The band's eighth album, The King of Limbs (2011), focused on rhythm and utilized extensive looping and sampling. A Moon Shaped Pool (2016) showcased Jonny Greenwood's expertise in orchestral arrangements. Additionally, Yorke, Jonny Greenwood, Selway, and O'Brien have released successful solo albums. In 2021, Yorke and Jonny Greenwood launched a new band, the Smile.
Radiohead has sold over 30 million albums worldwide as of 2011. The band has won six Grammy Awards and four Ivor Novello Awards and has received the most Mercury Prize nominations of any act, with a total of five. Seven of Radiohead's singles have reached the top 10 on the UK Singles Chart, with "Creep," "Street Spirit (Fade Out)," "Paranoid Android," "Karma Police," "No Surprises," "Pyramid Song," and "There There" all achieving this feat. "Creep" and "Nude" also charted on the US Billboard Hot 100, reaching the top 40. Rolling Stone magazine has named Radiohead as one of the 100 greatest artists of all time and the second-best artist of the 2000s. The magazine has also included five of Radiohead's albums on its list of the 500 Greatest Albums of All Time. In 2019, Radiohead was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.
