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Radiohead

, Rock Band
Radiohead
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  • Born: 1989
  • Birthplace: Oxford, England
  • Best Known As: Guitar band who did the song "Creep"

Radiohead is made up of five schoolmates from Oxford, England: Thom Yorke (b. 7 October 1968), Ed O'Brien (b. 15 April 1968), Johnny Greenwood (b. 7 November 1972), Colin Greenwood (b. 26 June 1967) and Phil Selway (b. 23 May 1967). Their first album, Pablo Honey was released in 1993 to critical acclaim and included the hit song "Creep." Their second release, The Bends, was an even bigger success, and their third release, OK Computer was nominated for a Grammy in 1998 as Best Album of the Year. In 2001 they were again nominated for Best Album for their "concept" release, Kid A.

 
 
Artist: Radiohead
Radiohead

Formed:
1989 in Oxford, England

Representative Songs:

"Street Spirit (Fade Out)," "Fake Plastic Trees," "Creep"

Representative Albums:

OK Computer, The Bends, Kid A

Similar Artists:

Influences:

Followers:

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Performed Songs By:

Thom Yorke, Phil Selway, Ed O'Brien, Colin Greenwood
  • Genre: Rock
  • Active: '90s, 2000s
  • Major Members: Thom Yorke, Phil Selway, Ed O'Brien, Jon Greenwood, Colin Greenwood

Biography

Radiohead was one of the few alternative bands of the early '90s to draw heavily from the grandiose arena rock that characterized U2's early albums. But the band internalized that epic sweep, turning it inside out to tell tortured, twisted tales of angst and alienation. Vocalist Thom Yorke's pained lyrics were brought to life by the group's three-guitar attack, which relied on texture -- borrowing as much from My Bloody Valentine and Pink Floyd as R.E.M. and Pixies -- instead of virtuosity. It took Radiohead awhile to formulate their signature sound. Their 1993 debut, Pablo Honey, only suggested their potential, and one of its songs, "Creep," became an unexpected international hit, its angst-ridden lyrics making it an alternative rock anthem. Many observers pigeonholed Radiohead as a one-hit wonder, but the group's second album, The Bends, was released to terrific reviews in the band's native Britain in early 1995, helping build a more stable fan base. Having demonstrated unexpected staying power, as well as increasing ambition, Radiohead next released OK Computer, a progressive, electronic-tinged masterpiece that became one of the most acclaimed albums of the '90s.

Thom Yorke (vocals, guitar), Ed O'Brien (guitar, vocals), Jonny Greenwood (guitar), Colin Greenwood (bass), and Phil Selway (drums) formed Radiohead as students at Oxford University in 1988. Initially called On a Friday, the band began pursuing a musical career in earnest in the early '90s, releasing the Drill EP in 1992. Shortly afterward, the group signed to EMI/Capitol and released the single "Creep," a fusion of R.E.M. and Nirvana highlighted by a noisy burst of feedback prior to the chorus. "Creep" was a moderate hit, and their next two singles, "Anyone Can Play Guitar" and "Pop Is Dead," built a small following, even as the British music press ignored the group.

Pablo Honey, Radiohead's debut album, was released to mixed reviews in the spring of 1993. As the band launched a European supporting tour, "Creep" became a sudden smash hit in America, earning heavy airplay on modern rock radio and MTV. On the back of the single's success, Radiohead toured the U.S. extensively, opening for Belly and Tears for Fears. All the exposure helped Pablo Honey go gold, and "Creep" was re-released in the U.K. at the end of 1993. This time, the single became a Top Ten hit, and the band spent the following summer touring the world.

Although "Creep" made Radiohead a success, it also led many observers to peg the band as a one-hit wonder. Conscious of such thinking, the group entered the studio with producer John Leckie to record their second album, The Bends. Upon its spring 1995 release, The Bends was greeted with overwhelmingly enthusiastic reviews, all of which praised the group's deeper, more mature sound. However, positive reviews didn't sell albums, as Radiohead struggled to be heard during the U.K.'s summer of Britpop and as American radio programmers and MTV ignored the record. The band continued to tour as the opening act on R.E.M.'s prestigious Monster tour. By the end of the year, The Bends began to catch on, thanks not only to the band's constant touring but also to the stark, startling video for "Just." The album made many year-end best-of lists in the U.K., and early in 1996 the record re-entered the British Top Ten and climbed to gold status in the U.S., helped in the latter by the video for "Fake Plastic Trees."

During the first half of 1996, Radiohead continued to tour before re-entering the studio that fall to record their third album, OK Computer, which was released in the summer of 1997. A devoted following of fans and a handful of enthusiastic critical supporters immediately embraced the album's majestic blend of unfettered prog rock, post-punk angst, eerie electronic textures, and assured songwriting. Since it skillfully teetered between rock classicism and futurism, it earned near-unanimous critical and popular support over the course of the year, which turned into unrestrained adoration in the final two years of the decade, even though its sales still hadn't climbed above gold status.

Expectations for Radiohead's fourth album were stratospheric, which placed additional pressure on the already perfectionist band, and led to several stumbling blocks along the way. An intense buzz of excitement among the band's still-growing following greeted the prerelease appearance of most of the album's tracks on the Internet in MP3 form; they displayed an all-out fascination with challenging, often minimalist electronica. Titled Kid A, the album was finally released in October 2000 and astonished many observers by debuting at number one on the U.S. album charts. While the band didn't release any singles or embark on a formal tour, the album met with a mixed critical response as the group was accused of creating a distant and radio-unfriendly record; however, it did remain a fan favorite.

In June of 2001, Radiohead quickly released an album under the name Amnesiac that consisted of material that was recorded during the Kid A sessions. The band made it very clear, though, that it was not to be considered an outtakes album; rather, they insisted that the two albums were of clear and separate concept. Regardless, Amnesiac debuted at number one in the U.K. and number two on the U.S. chart (behind then-stronghold Staind), while outselling Kid A in week one by 25,000 copies. The singles Pyramid Song and Knives Out were culled from Amnesiac with a subsequent world tour. While planning "I Might Be Wrong" for a third single, the idea expanded into a live "mini-album," titled after the track, that was released in November of 2001.

Hail to the Thief, the proper follow-up to Amnesiac, was relatively direct in structure and peaked at number three on the U.S. chart. Sporadic recording sessions resumed in early 2005, but a projected release date for the band's seventh studio album remained 2007 as Yorke prepared a solo album, The Eraser, which was issued in July of 2006. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine, All Music Guide
 
Wikipedia: Radiohead
Radiohead
Ed O'Brien and Thom Yorke in a 2006 concert
Ed O'Brien and Thom Yorke in a 2006 concert
Background information
Origin Abingdon, Oxfordshire, England
Genre(s) Alternative rock
Art rock
Electronic music
Years active 1991–present
Label(s) Parlophone
Capitol
Website www.radiohead.com
Members
Colin Greenwood
Jonny Greenwood
Ed O'Brien
Phil Selway
Thom Yorke

Radiohead are an English rock band. Initially formed in Oxfordshire in 1986, the band's lineup, which has remained the same since their inception, consists of Thom Yorke, Jonny Greenwood, Ed O'Brien, Colin Greenwood and Phil Selway.

Radiohead released their first single, "Creep", in 1992, followed by their debut album Pablo Honey (1993). Though it was initially unsuccessful, the song became a worldwide hit by the time it was re-issued a year later. Radiohead's popularity in the United Kingdom increased with their second album, The Bends (1995). The band's dense guitar atmospheres and Yorke's expressive falsetto singing were warmly received by critics and fans alike.[1] Radiohead's third album, OK Computer (1997), propelled them to greater attention. Featuring an expansive sound and themes of modern alienation, it was acclaimed worldwide, often being named a landmark record of the 1990s.[2]

The band's next recordings, Kid A (2000) and Amnesiac (2001), saw Radiohead reach their peak of global popularity[3] even as their music divided fans and critics.[4] The period marked a change in the band's style, with influences including experimental electronic music as well as Krautrock, jazz and modern classical music.[5] Radiohead's shift away from standard rock songwriting also resulted in greater flexibility, with each member playing a wider range of instruments in the studio and at live concerts. The band's sixth album, Hail to the Thief (2003), was seen to blend styles from throughout their career, mixing guitar-driven rock, electronic influences and contemporaneous lyrics.[6]

Radiohead recently released their seventh studio album In Rainbows through their own website on October 10, 2007 as a digital download for which users may set their own price.[7] The band plan to issue In Rainbows as a standard CD in early 2008.[8]

History

Formation and first years: 1986–1991

Abingdon School, where the band formed.
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Abingdon School, where the band formed.

The members of Radiohead all attended Abingdon School, a boys-only public school in Abingdon, Oxfordshire.[9] Yorke and Colin Greenwood were in the same year, O'Brien and Selway were one year above and Jonny Greenwood two years below. In 1986, they formed the band "On a Friday", the name referring to the band's usual rehearsal day in the school's music room.[10] On a Friday played their first gig at Oxford's Jericho Tavern in late 1986.[11] Jonny Greenwood joined as a keyboard player but soon became the lead guitarist.[10]

Although Phil Selway, Thom Yorke, Colin Greenwood, and Ed O'Brien had left Abingdon by 1987 to attend university, the band continued to rehearse often on weekends and holidays.[12] In 1991, when all the members except Jonny had completed their university degrees, On a Friday regrouped, but briefly changed their name to "Shindig." The band recorded demos, including the Manic Hedgehog demo tape, performed live around Oxford and appeared on the cover of a local music magazine Curfew.[13] Although Oxfordshire and the Thames Valley had an active indie scene in the late 1980s and early 1990s, it centred around shoegazing bands such as Ride and Slowdive. On a Friday were never seen as fitting this trend and later commented that they had missed it by the time they returned from university.[14]

As On a Friday's number of live performances increased, record labels and producers became interested.[12] Chris Hufford, the co-owner of Oxford's Courtyard Studios, attended an early On a Friday concert at the Jericho Tavern.[12] Impressed by the band, he and his partner Bryce Edge produced a demo tape and became On a Friday's managers. Hufford and Edge remain Radiohead's managers to this day.[12] The band signed a six-album recording contract with EMI in late 1991, following a chance meeting between Colin Greenwood and label representative Keith Wozencroft at the record shop where Greenwood worked.[12] At the request of the label, the band changed their name to Radiohead, inspired by the title of a song on Talking Heads' True Stories album.[12]

Pablo Honey, The Bends and early success: 1992–1995

Drill, Radiohead's debut EP, was produced by Hufford and Edge at Courtyard Studios and released in March 1992. Its chart performance was poor, and consequently the band hired Paul Kolderie and Sean Slade, who had previously worked with the Pixies and Dinosaur Jr., to produce their debut album, Pablo Honey. The album was recorded in three weeks in an Oxford studio late in 1992.[10]

With the release of the single "Creep" in late 1992, the band began to receive attention from the British music press, not all of it favourable. The NME described them as "a lily livered excuse for a rock band,"[15] and the song was not played on BBC Radio 1 because it was deemed "too depressing".[16] Radiohead released another single, "Anyone Can Play Guitar" in February 1993, followed closely by Pablo Honey later that month. Neither did well commercially, especially Pablo Honey, which peaked at #32 in the UK[17] and is considered by critics and the band to be their weakest album.[18] A non-album single, "Pop is Dead", and the last single from Pablo Honey, "Stop Whispering" followed later that year; both of which also performed poorly commercially.

However, "Creep" unexpectedly built momentum in the United States, spreading from popularity in Israel[19] to a San Francisco college radio station.[12] By the time Radiohead began their first United States tour in early 1993, "Creep" was in heavy rotation on MTV.[20] The song rose to #2 on the Billboard modern rock charts and to #7 in the UK singles chart when rereleased later that year. Radiohead nearly broke up due to the pressure of sudden success as the Pablo Honey supporting tour extended into its second year.[21] The album continued to rise in popularity internationally, fuelled by "Creep", which remains Radiohead's largest worldwide hit.[22] The band later said, however, that the tour had been a miserable experience because towards its end they were "still playing the same songs that we'd recorded two years previously...it was almost like being held in a time warp." [23]

After the American tour, Radiohead began work on their second album, hiring veteran Abbey Road studios producer John Leckie. Tensions were high, as the band felt smothered both by "Creep"'s success and the mounting expectations for a superior follow-up.[24] According to Leckie, "It was either going to be 'Sulk', 'The Bends', 'Nice Dream', or 'Just'. We had to give those absolute attention, make them amazing, instant smash hits, number 1 in America. Everyone was pulling their hair and saying, 'It's not good enough!' We were trying too hard".[25]

Audio samples of Radiohead
  • "High and Dry"
    noicon
    This song from Radiohead's popular second album, The Bends was recorded before their first album, Pablo Honey. It exemplifies the band's early melodic "indie" arena rock style, featuring Thom Yorke's falsetto voice.
    "Just"
    noicon
    "Just", from The Bends epitomises Radiohead's increasing musical complexity, but retains a fast, catchy, angst-saturated, punk feel, typical of mid-'90s alternative rock.
  • Problems playing the files? See media help.

The band sought a change of scenery, touring Australasia and the Far East in an attempt to reduce the pressure. However, confronted again by their new popularity, singer Thom Yorke felt discomfort at being "right at the sharp end of the sexy, sassy, MTV eye-candy lifestyle" he felt he was helping to sell.[4] The 1994 EP My Iron Lung, featuring the single of the same title, was the band's reaction, marking a transition to the greater depth they aimed for on their second album.[26] The single was promoted through underground radio stations; it sold better than expected, starting a loyal fan base for the band.[27] Having developed the other new songs on tour, Radiohead completed the album in the UK in late 1994, releasing The Bends in May 1995.

The enigmatic music video for Radiohead's 1995 "Just" contributed to the band's popularity throughout the UK.
Enlarge
The enigmatic music video for Radiohead's 1995 "Just" contributed to the band's popularity throughout the UK.

While the Britpop scene dominated the media's attention, Radiohead finally earned success in their home country with The Bends.[14] The album was driven by dense riffs and ethereal atmospheres from the band's three guitarists, as well as greater use of keyboards than their debut.[10] The singles "Fake Plastic Trees", "Just", and "High and Dry", featuring Yorke's expressive falsetto, achieved some chart success. Looking back in 1998, Jonny Greenwood said, "I think the turning point for us came about nine or 12 months after The Bends was released and it started appearing in people's [best of] polls for the end of the year. That's when it started to feel like we made the right choice about being a band, I think."[1] Yet major success for the album did not come until the release of the final single "Street Spirit (Fade Out)", which hit #5 in the UK, the band's highest chart position to that point.

In mid-1995, Radiohead toured in support of R.E.M., one of their formative influences and at the time one of the biggest rock bands in the world.[28] Introducing his opening act, Michael Stipe said, "Radiohead are so good, they scare me".[29] The buzz generated by such famous fans, along with a series of distinctive music videos such as "Just" and "Street Spirit", helped to expand Radiohead's popularity outside the UK.

Drummer Phil Selway said, "When The Bends came out everyone went on about how uncommercial that was. Twelve months later it was being hailed as a pop classic. The record company were worried there wasn't a single on it- and we ended up with five top 30 hits from it!"[30] However, while critically acclaimed, the album and its singles failed to match the worldwide commercial success of "Creep".

OK Computer, fame and critical acclaim: 1996–1998

Thom Yorke in concert
Enlarge
Thom Yorke in concert

Yorke said that The Bends succeeded because Radiohead "had to put ourselves into an environment where we felt free to work. And that's why we [produced] the next [album] ourselves, because the times we most got off on making the last record were when we were just completely communicating with ourselves, and John Leckie wasn't really saying much, and it was just all happening".[10]

One new song was already recorded: "Lucky", released as a single to promote the War Child charity's The Help Album. Radiohead also contributed two songs to Baz Luhrmann's 1996 adaptation of Romeo and Juliet, "Talk Show Host" and "Exit Music (For a Film)". The former was a remix of one of the B-sides to "Street Spirit (Fade Out)", while the latter was a new song, eventually included on the band's next album.

With the assistance of audio engineer Nigel Godrich, their collaborator on "Lucky" and "Talk Show Host," Radiohead produced their next album themselves, beginning work in early 1996. By July they had recorded four songs with Godrich at their rehearsal studio, Canned Applause, a converted apple shed[31] in the countryside near Didcot, Oxfordshire. Having learned from The Bends, they decided to perfect the songs live, touring as an opening act for Alanis Morissette, before completing the record. The rest of the album was recorded in actress Jane Seymour's 15th-century mansion, St. Catherine's Court, near Bath.[32] The recording sessions were relaxed, with the band playing at all hours of the day, recording songs in different rooms, and listening to The Beatles, DJ Shadow, Ennio Morricone and Miles Davis for inspiration.[1][10] The album was finished by the end of 1996, and by March 1997, it was mixed and mastered.

Audio samples of Radiohead
  • "Paranoid Android" excerpt
    noicon
    "Paranoid Android" was the unusual first single off OK Computer in mid-1997, with three distinct sections, computerized voices, melodic classical passages and abrasive freeform guitar solos. It was Radiohead's highest charting single yet in the UK.
    "No Surprises"
    noicon
    from OK Computer - This song from the same album features chiming glockenspiel and guitar, in a lullaby-like tune that charted in the UK top 5.
  • Problems playing the files? See media help.

Radiohead released OK Computer in 1997 to widespread critical acclaim.[10] Largely composed of melodic rock songs, the new record also found Radiohead introducing more uncommon musical elements, experimenting with song structures, ambient noise and electronics.[33] The band released "Paranoid Android", "Karma Police" and "No Surprises" as singles, while planned single "Let Down" had its release cancelled. OK Computer was the band's first #1 UK chart debut, eventually propelling Radiohead to commercial success in many markets around the world. In the U.S., the album received the band's first Grammy recognition, an award for Best Alternative Album and a nomination for Album of the Year.

Yorke admitted that he was "actually amazed it [OK Computer] got the reaction it did. None of us fucking knew any more whether it was good or bad. What really blew my head off was the fact that people got all the things, all the textures and the sounds and the atmospheres we were trying to create."[34]

The release of OK Computer was followed by the "Against Demons" world tour. Grant Gee, the director of the "No Surprises" video, accompanied and filmed the band on their tour. The results were released as the 1998 "fly on the wall" documentary Meeting People Is Easy. The film portrays the band's disaffection with the music industry and press that feted them, showing their burnout as they progressed from their first concert dates in mid-1997 to mid-1998, nearly a year later.[10] During this time the band released 7 Television Commercials, a compilation of music videos, and two EPs which compiled B-sides from OK Computer.

Kid A, Amnesiac and a change in sound: 1999–2001

Exhausted by fame and on the verge of burning out following their 1997–1998 world tour, Radiohead were largely inactive during the rest of 1998. The band's only public performance was at an Amnesty International concert in Paris,[35] while in 1999 only Yorke and Jonny made an appearance at the Tibetan Freedom Concert in Amsterdam. Yorke later admitted that during that period the band came close to splitting up, and that he had developed severe depression: "New Year's Eve [1998] was one of the lowest points of my life... I felt like I was going fucking crazy. Every time I picked up a guitar I just got the horrors. I would start writing a song, stop after 16 bars, hide it away in a drawer, look at it again, tear it up, destroy it."[5]

In early 1999, Radiohead began work on a follow-up to OK Computer. Although there was no longer any pressure or even a deadline from their record label, tension during this period was high. The members all had different visions for the band's future, and Yorke was still experiencing writer's block,[36] influencing him toward a more abstract, fragmented form of songwriting.[5] Eventually, all the members agreed on a new musical direction, redefining their instrumental roles in the band.[37] For the first time the band recorded without considering live performance, secluding themselves with producer Nigel Godrich in a series of different studios from Paris to Copenhagen to Gloucester, to their newly completed studio in Oxford. In the process, they pared 40 newly recorded songs to the 30 which were ultimately released on their subsequent two albums and accompanying B-sides.[38]

Rather than create a stylistic sequel to OK Computer, Radiohead's new tracks featured a minimalist and textured style with less overt guitar parts. The tracks also featured more diverse instrumentation, going beyond the traditional rock setup of guitar, bass, drums, and keyboards by including the ondes martenot, programmed electronic beats, strings and jazz horns. "The trick is to try and carry on doing things that interest you, but not turn into some art-rock nonsense just for its own sake", Colin Greenwood said of the recording sessions,[5] which were completed in April 2000, after nearly 18 months.

Music sample:

"Everything In Its Right Place"

from Kid A - The opening track from Radiohead's fourth album, this song emphasizes the band's increasing use of electronic music and distortions of Thom Yorke's vocals. noicon

Problems listening to the file? See media help.

Kid A, released on October 2, 2000, was the first of two albums created from these recording sessions. Synthesised, cryptic and claustrophobic, the album stunned the music industry and much of Radiohead's fan base with its departures from their past work and from pop conventions. Although the band did not release any singles from Kid A, promos of "Optimistic" and "Idioteque" received some radio play.[39] Instead of singles, a series of "blips" or "antivideos" were created by directors Chris Bran and Shynola, together with the band's longtime artistic collaborator Stanley Donwood, and distributed free over the Internet.[40] Yet Kid A achieved Radiohead's highest worldwide chart placement to date, debuting at number 1 in many countries, including the United States. Its debut atop the Billboard chart, where OK Computer had peaked at #21, marked a first for the band, though the album fell off the chart soon after.[41] Radiohead's sudden commercial success has been variously attributed to hype; to the availability of the entire album on the Internet file-sharing network Napster a few months before its release;[42] and to anticipation after OK Computer.[43]

Jonny Greenwood on Saturday Night Live in 2000, using a modular synthesizer, an instrument that featured heavily in the recording of Kid A and Amnesiac.
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Jonny Greenwood on Saturday Night Live in 2000, using a modular synthesizer, an instrument that featured heavily in the recording of Kid A and Amnesiac.

In early 2001, Kid A received a Grammy Award for Best Alternative Album and a nomination for Album of the Year. Many critics branded Radiohead one of the world's most "important" bands, and the record gained the band plaudits for courage and innovation.[44] However, Kid A did not inspire universal praise. Jonny Greenwood said, "I think a lot of writers [critics] expected us to come back with a combination of OK Computer and The Bends. The fact that we didn't do that means people who got their guitars out have had to put them back into the wardrobe."[45] Others criticised Radiohead for appropriating underground styles of music and unfairly receiving credit. The band's fans were similarly divided; along with those who were appalled or mystified, there were many who saw Kid A as the band's best work.[46]

On previous tours, Radiohead had performed in large, corporate-sponsored venues, but had expressed their distaste for them.[47] However, while promoting Kid A, the band was inspired by Naomi Klein's anti-globalization book No Logo to mount a tour of Europe in a custom-built tent free of advertising; the band also performed a mere three concerts in North America, their first performances there in over two years, selling out smaller theatres.[48] Along with songs from Kid A, the band used the tour to perform unreleased songs that had been recorded at the same time as Kid A. [49] Having rejected the possibility of a double album before Kid A, Radiohead settled on the release of another album to contain the remaining material.

Music sample:

"Life in a Glasshouse"

from Amnesiac - This song from Radiohead's fifth album demonstrates their direct incorporation of jazz, featuring Yorke and the backing band of trumpeter Humphrey Lyttelton. noicon

Problems listening to the file? See media help.

Amnesiac, released in June 2001, comprised those additional tracks. Conceived by the band as a complement to Kid A but also a distinct sequence of songs, Amnesiac saw Radiohead's sound coalesce into a similar hybrid of electronic music and art rock, though in contrast to Kid A it featured more direct jazz influence. The piano ballad "Pyramid Song" was released as Radiohead's first single since 1997, hitting the UK top 5, and the guitar single "Knives Out" followed. Although criticised for a lack of cohesion and for being self-indulgent, Amnesiac was critically acclaimed and a commercial success.[50]

After Amnesiac's release, the band embarked on a world tour, visiting North America, Europe and Japan. They staged a summer mini-festival in Oxford's South Park—their first hometown concert in years—featuring Beck, Sigur Rós, Supergrass, and Humphrey Lyttelton, who played trumpet on the last track of Amnesiac, "Life in a Glasshouse". "I Might Be Wrong," initially planned as a third single, expanded into the band's first and thus far only live record. Released in late 2001, I Might Be Wrong: Live Recordings featured performances of Kid A and Amnesiac songs from various international concerts, and an acoustic performance of the previously unreleased "True Love Waits".

Hail to the Thief and a hiatus: 2002–2004

Several months after the Amnesiac tour, Radiohead toured Portugal and Spain during July and August 2002, using this opportunity to play new songs before an audience of their fans. The band then completed the album in two weeks in a Los Angeles studio with Nigel Godrich, with a few additional recordings done later in Oxford. Band members described the recording process as relaxed, in contrast to the tense Kid A/Amnesiac sessions.[9]

Radiohead released their sixth album, Hail to the Thief, in June 2003. Upon its release, Hail to the Thief was noted for having a mix of influences from throughout Radiohead's career, combining guitar rock with an electronic sound and topical lyrics.[6] Although the album received many positive reviews, some critics felt that the band was treading water creatively rather than continuing the "genre-redefining" trend that OK Computer had begun.[51] Regardless, Hail to the Thief sold more copies in its first week than its predecessors, Kid A and Amnesiac, though its overall sales to date have not matched those of Kid A.[52]

Hail to the Thief had more moderate commercial success in the U.S., debuting at #3 on the Billboard chart with the band's highest first week sales to date, but falling off soon after. The album's lead single, "There There", peaked at #4 in the British charts, while subsequent singles "Go to Sleep" and "[[2 + 2 = 5 (song)|2+2=5]]" charted at #12 and #15 respectively. "There There", however, was a #1 hit in Canada, and returned the band to U.S. modern rock radio favour, after several years without a song on playlists. At the Grammy Awards, the album was nominated for Best Alternative Album, Radiohead's fifth straight nomination in that category. Producer Godrich received the Grammy Award for Best Engineered Album.

Music sample:

"There There"

from Hail to the Thief - The lead single from Radiohead's sixth album, "There There" demonstrates Radiohead's combination of their layered electronic sound with drums, bass and guitar. noicon

Problems listening to the file? See media help.

Although Hail to the Thief's title was assumed to be a comment on the controversial 2000 American presidential election, Yorke has denied this, explaining that he first heard the phrase during a Radio 4 discussion of John Quincy Adams, "who stole the election and who was known as 'The Thief' throughout his presidency".[9] Yorke explained that the album was influenced by world events of late 2001 and early 2002, but he also said, "It struck me as the most amazing, powerful phrase...[but] I feel really strongly that we didn't write an [exclusively] protest record, we didn't write a political record."[9]

After the release of Hail to the Thief, Radiohead embarked on an international tour, which began with a June 2003 headlining performance at the Glastonbury Festival, and finished in mid-2004 with a performance at the Coachella Festival. In 2004, the band released their latest EP COM LAG (2plus2isfive) which compiled most of the b-sides from Hail to the Thief, fulfilling their contractual obligations to EMI. Following the tour, the band began writing and rehearsing in their Oxford studio, but soon went on hiatus, as both