Radiohead

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• Genre: Brit Rock
• Hometown: Oxford
• Radiohead Website

About

One of the 1990s' greatest success stories, Radiohead came to prominence largely on the success of their distorted, ingratiating single "Creep." Drolly repeating "I'm a creep / I'm a loser" in the pounding wake of arena rock guitars wasn't going to win them any artistic grants, but those lyrics and bouts with piercing feedback would not be soon forgotten. It wasn't until The Bends (1995) that Radiohead transcended the formula, crafting the patient, heart-wrenching "Fake Plastic Trees" and the magnetic, sunshine-driven "Black Star." Thom Yorke's signature falsetto began to operate in a more deeply emotional capacity at this point. Finally producing to the caliber of their songwriting, Radiohead's OK Computer demonstrated a staggering attention to detail, probably ranking as one of the greatest commercial artistic successes of the '90s. Rarely does a record offer masterpieces in varying moods. From the thunderously suspenseful "Airbag" to the moody chime of the blustery "Let Down," Radiohead emerged victorious. The alt-rock superstardom and critical gushing that followed pushed them into their darkest and most creative space yet, and they delivered the electronic-tinged Kid A in 2000 and Amnesiac in 2001. Many critics and fans claimed to not "get" the group's twisted, skittering melodies and complicated, chorus-free rock songs but to the devout the band's cerebral art rock was like manna from the heavens. 2003's Hail to the Thief offered up a mixture of guitar-driven tracks amid a more restless desire to experiment. In 2007, Radiohead shook up the music industry with In Rainbows, an album released via their website in which fans could name their own price.

- Kelly Bauman