Radiohead’s albums ranked from worst to best ahead of band’s first live shows in eight years

With their first shows in eight years not far off, Radiohead listeners will no doubt be rifling through their record cabinets and CD shelves for the band’s best works. Rightly so. The Thom Yorke-fronted group may not be without their controversies, but the band’s return is highly anticipated. With twenty shows confirmed for their run of shows across November and December, Radiohead’s return will have newcomers to the band wondering where to start with their discography. The band is a rarity, having no bad albums. A few may be middle of the road, but they are essentials in their own way. A far cry from the best of their works, and the bootleg releases available if you know where to look, but the highs are startling. Where to start, though? Read on and find out which of Radiohead’s albums are the best of all before the band returns to the stage. Brace yourself.

10. KID A

Even when far from their best, Radiohead is more than capable of racing through some of their best material – the likes of Optimistic and In Limbo are close to the best tracks the band has, and possibly ever will, make. Morning Bell and Motion Picture Soundtrack still feel positively light even with the repetition from Yorke as he goes round and round. There is a sense of powering on through for the sake of it within Kid A, the stresses of the previous cycle not quite gone yet not exorcised either – they linger on and the baggage is still weighing the group down. Radiohead makes it clear they were hoping for the world to swallow them up with tracks like How to Disappear Completely, marked works of raw tone and laid-back style.

You can read our full review of Kid A here.

9. TKOL RMX 1234567

Yorke’s love for electronic manipulation and remix work takes over here and as he dishes out these tracks to DJs and contemporary hands, he and Radiohead lose the swaying emotions of The King of Limbs. Perhaps the point was to weaken these tracks, to crack their kneecaps and have them submit to a sound that neither benefits nor offends. TKOL RMX 1234567 feels like it plugs a gap which was never there – a computer-like experience which feels far removed from anything emotionally tethered to Radiohead. The trouble with a remix is it loses the path travelled by those with a clear message – and the fallout of The King of Limbs is fragmented and lost almost entirely on this release. Forget everything when Blood (Blawan Rmx) appears though – the clear star of this album, its industrial thump is a real treat. 

You can read our full review of TKOL RMX 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 here.

8. IN RAINBOWS

Rising and falling, the strengths of Jigsaw Falling Into Place and the lighter, unmoving strokes of album closer Videotape mark In Rainbows as an inconsistent but often elevated album. Revolution is undeniable when Radiohead threw In Rainbows into the endless sea on a pay-as-you-want basis. Bold at the time, the ignition of commentary and discussion surrounding In Rainbows is often more exciting than the music itself. Fine form the band may be on, but they still feel shy as they head into the recording studio. Frustration after frustration, a flurry of setbacks, and for what? Ten solid tracks, nicely flowing into one another, not as a landmark piece but a solid experience for Radiohead fans hungry for their next shot of Yorke and his ever-changing lyrical presence.

You can read our full review of In Rainbows here.

7. PABLO HONEY

Commitment would guide Radiohead far away from these roots, but there is nothing to be ashamed of in Pablo Honey, far from it. It does have Creep, after all. Moments of independence come through but so too do the R.E.M. and U2 feelings on Stop Whispering, a lengthy bit of work which sees Yorke come to terms with his lyrical capabilities. It may serve as a platform for this, but it also leaves the band in the dust of those who came before them. But through the pursuit of their own image, the heavier clashes come through, particularly from Greenwood. Anyone Can Play Guitar, the fuzzy introduction and the darker tones ahead of its time, show not everyone can in fact pick up an instrument. Godspeed to those who do though, and Greenwood is in fine form for most of Pablo Honey. Seedy little numbers which drift away from Radiohead’s future works.  

You can read our full review of Pablo Honey here.

6. THE KING OF LIMBS

You would be hard-pressed to listen to a sharper, more off-kilter Radiohead record. It far exceeds the turn of pace on Kid A and defies the odds of In Rainbows’ popularity. There lives within The King of Limbs a sense of tragedy and an unnerving, unwavering feeling of chaos. Nothing has nor will occur like this again for Thom Yorke and the band. Their exceptional hypnotic traipse through fields of folklore can be heard on the rhythms and bass strings of Little By Little. Radiohead was desperate for fresh air after years of cementing their popularity – and soon found themselves at a point where they could, and still can, get away with risky releases. Radiohead appears keen to keep their listeners guessing, questioning the fabric of this work, and rightly so. Complacency is a trap Radiohead has no time for.

You can read our full review of The King of Limbs here.

5. HAIL TO THE THIEF

Hail to the Thief is even more relevant now than it was twenty years ago. Whether Radiohead wanted to or not, their likening of the violent machine of stardom to a viral infection picked up by rabbits is a stroke of bizarre genius. Myxomatosis is a high, and despite the slow slip into hardship and harder work, Hail to the Thief is a monumental achievement for Radiohead. A dark horse of an album, with more than a few moments of raw spectacle.  Creeping keystrokes and slower tones on We Suck Young Blood are one of many critical blows to the Hollywood machine – Radiohead does well to make their rage at the modern culture of chewing up and spitting out hopeful prospects clear.

You can read our full review of Hail to the Thief here.

4. A MOON SHAPED POOL

Deep within A Moon Shaped Pool and its collections of songs from over the years – some of the toughest places Radiohead has been when it comes to working through the brain fog and writer’s block – are some of the best pieces Yorke and company ever managed. They set the bar higher and higher, soon looking back at the once-discarded pieces, as well as a few new songs, and brought about a ghostly occasion filled with strings and acoustic guitars of similar quality and effectiveness to OK Computer. This is no small feat. Melancholic and personalised fears rush through this record. Eclipsed by drones and mood-setting chills on Ful Stop, Radiohead begins its descent into brash and fear-induced next steps. A band of their calibre, experience and historied works is fearful of what comes next.

You can read our full review of A Moon Shaped Pool here.

3. THE BENDS

Whether The Bends refers to the decompression which it shares a name with, the sudden decrease in pressure following the first album, or even an increase following the success of Creep, is a fascination. Radiohead was certainly done and dusted with whatever it was they saw themselves as on Pablo Honey, and perhaps not worrying about that as much on their sophomore release is what brought them to The Bends. Thankfully they pursued it further, the attitude of self-interest above all, in singing honestly and with fearful impressions left consistently. Pairing Fake Plastic Trees and the R.E.M.-like Bones gives The Bends nice structure, a place for Radiohead to work out where their sound needs to go. Thankfully it does not take long for Yorke and company to wise up to what they can do, and it comes to life on the wandering and affectionate [Nice Dream].

You can read our full review of The Bends here.

2. AMNESIAC

Chilling pockets of abandonment are the core of Amnesiac, as though the band are actively trying to forget their past. Just so they can fashion something new for their futures, they need to let go of what they were doing, whether that was their best work or not. It was, and what would follow would never hit the high they find here or on OK Computer. But that is okay, Radiohead pursues new meanings and instrumental intentions the more they push on. Doing so consistently is a chilling, truthful experience which gives listeners an insight into the recording process, but the band are far removed from that time. Amnesiac has something to it that other Radiohead albums do not. Constant buzzes, a noise and continued electronic presence seethe away as though angry at the self for not doing it earlier. I Might Be Wrong, its muffled vocals and its clear focus on Greenwood’s guitar, is a stellar moment.

You can read our full review of Amnesiac here.

1. OK COMPUTER

Inevitable? Sure, but right, too. Nothing short of incredible. From track to track a real intensity is shown, one that has lit a fire under those that find themselves terminally online, convincing everyone OK Computer and Radiohead are the finest form music can take. OK Computer speaks for itself, but for those who have found themselves face to face with a Radiohead enthusiast, joy for such a stunning, sparkling album may quickly diminish. Bad experiences should not detract from great works but they certainly do at times. OK Computer has withstood that so far. From the Shakespeare-inspired Exit Music (for a Film) to the obvious karma woes of Karma Police. Its Abbey Road string mixing is stunning and as powerful as can be. Wailing away and climbing up the walls, Yorke relies on the instrumental powerhouses that are now defined and immortalised.

You can read our full review of OK Computer here.