I'm a fan but why are these guys so praised by critics? I think that the Bends and OK Computer are two of the best albums of the'90s but Kid A, Amnesiac and Hail To The Thief are pretty spotty, in my opinion. What exactly was so groundbreaking about Kid A? Maybe I'm just one of those fans who wishes they would start writing actual songs again but I haven't been too impressed with their post OK Computet material. Anyone else feel the same?

I have yet to even to buy The Bends (tho I'm familiar with a couple of its songs), so that one I can't comment on.

OK Computer and Kid A are stellar. Do I dig every single song on both albums? No. But in totality they pull me in and hold my attention because as a band their ambition wasn't beyond their grasp on those discs.

I gave up on Amnesiac shortly after buying it, but I'll give it another chance sooner or later. Based on OK and Kid A alone, for me Radiohead is the best Rock group to come from the '90s. After their first single, "Creep" in 1993 who would have known they would have veered so far into left field and made the type of impact they did in later years?

From that point, subsequent albums like OK Computer, Kid A, and Amnesiac aren't exactly logical extensions really. I guess that's part of their appeal to me. I dig people who throw unexpected curveballs. That's how this thing called art grows.

But in a sense I can see how some would view them as overrated, they're not for everybody. Although it seems to me that every group or artist that ever made it big will be overrated to someone.

I agree.

Listening to one song or one album of theirs once will lead everybody to conclude they are overrated. Multiple listenings will convert anyone

I can't explain it, but I but OK Computer on a whim, because everyone told me how amazing it was. I listened to it and thought it was okay, but not great. But, it's an easy enough album for me to play anywhere so it got regular rotation.

After several listens, I feel it's by far one of the best albums of the 90s, and it cannot be overrated. I can't explain why.

I agree, they are a bit overrated. Though I love OK Computer..nothing else of theirs is that great.

The thing is, they play a great live show. I have seen them live a couple of times and they really draw you in. I saw them for the first time before OK Computer and that's what made me buy it. The last time I saw them, I was impressed so that I bought Kid A...but was a little disappointed. Much better live band.

Smooches;)

No they are not overrated. Britney, Justin, Usher, John Mayer - they're overrated.

Radiohead is a great band and has made some cool ass tunes,but the critics act like they are the seed of Jesus. It is just crazy some of the stuff I've read. And,hell,I think a lot of what they are was taken from u2 and I happen to think u2 is pretty frickin' fantastic!

Critics go overboard at times.I mean,I still rememvber how all the talk used to be that Oasis was "God".Gimme a break. They were talented assholes a who had a moment and actually bit the Beatles' hand that fed them.

I digress:Radiohead is a solid outfit,but let's not blow it out of proportion. Since I started listening to them about a year and a half ago they are in constant rotation,but I keep it in perspective.

OK Computer is outstanding, just outstanding. The Bends has some great tracks on. kid a and amnesiac, and hail to the thief have some good stuff on.

But yes, they are overrated. But mostly by their fans vis-a-vis the new stuff (i agree 100% with the critics' elevation of ok computer into a masterpiece).

they're not particularly groundbreaking, and they're not doing anything new. anybody who listens to or has been exposed to experimental music or electronica knows that the shit being peddled by radiohead since kid a is well-trodden musical ground. the crux of the matter is whether the material is better or not.

and some of it is fantastic, some not so great. the pyramid song, for example, is marvellous.

that's my take, anyway.

Yeah, they really are overrated. They ain't even funky. But what do you expect from Brit-Pop/Alternative Rock?

rockwilder said:

They (critics) do the smae thing with Nirvana (another fucking overrated band! ). I don't understand why the critics do it, but I don't think they should dictate what is great. Greatness is in the eye of the beholder.

I don't know, if you're gonna pick a band to rave about, this is one of the bands to do it over. I admittedly don't own enough, nor listen enough to be considered a die hard fan, yet I am thoroughly convinced of their musical genius. Seeing them live last year is definitely in my top 5 performances of all time. And I've been to a hell of a lot of shows.

I'm just getting into their stuff, borrowed some from my cousin. I liked everything I heard, I'll be buying all their albums soon

NWF said:

NWF! u LOVE Duran Duran!!! they are brit-pop/alternative rock.

as for my opinion about radiohead. i bought kid a and listened to it several times, liked it when i did, and if i was in the mood for the cd. i dont think ive listened to it since when it first came out. i have alot of freinds who really think they are awesome. but thye have also seen them live, and i think that has a alot to do with it. i havent seen them live, and haven't heard enough to make a judgement, but i dont find my self running to the only cd i have of theirs.

Radiohead is amazing. Although something tells me the more popular they get, the more their music will suffer. I mean, isn't Tom Yorke a tortured soul? With millions of dollars, I'm sure some of that torture will ease up. Just a prediction.

NWF said:

i know, they really need to put some new wave in thier music like duran duran or something.

3bogs said:

you go girl!

i agree.

i think after the bends and ok computer he was scared of what they might become.so he just kinda messed up his band on purpose.

rialb said:

I agree. People compare them to Pink Floyd a lot but I've never seen the big deal myself.

A tad?

Radiohead is about as alternative as Snickers bars are to Mars.

No.

Supernova said:[quote]I have yet to even to buy The Bends (tho I'm familiar with a couple of its songs), so that one I can't comment on.

... You have to get The Bends...!

Simple as

Radiohead is a great band. It's not their fault that some fans/critics overreact to their music. Granted, they do sample graciously from other more obscure experimental bands at times (Listen to The Beta Band's "Push It Out" then throw on "Dollars and Cents" for example...), but they still make some pretty interesting stuff.

Kid A is a great album if you listen to it as a whole, it's not an album to pull singles from, like OK Computer or The Bends.

Amnesiac has some interesting moments, but the album doesn't have any cohesiveness and sounds like a grab bag of leftovers.

Some artists make work that is categorized as "non-objective", or mistakingly referred to as "abstract". It's comprised of non-recognizable shapes, it's not literal like a pictogram or something. At times, Radioheads approach to music appears to be the same way, it's not just some fun jingle to sing along to, but something more subjective.

Hmm. I see that most of you love the Bends, OK Computer and Kid A but not very much has been said about Amnesiac or Hail To The Thief. Maybe I'm just simple but I just never got what was so great about Kid A. I like about half of it but some of it is too indulgent, in my opinion. And Amnesiac seems like a lesser version of Kid A. There are some tracks on it that I dig but overall I think it's a little weak. Hail To The Thief, while it does have some great tracks, seems like an uneasy union of OK Computer and Kid A. But to each his/her own.

I do agree that critics need to calm down a little bit with their praise. But maybe that has more to do with the general crappiness of today's music? It just seems like anything Radiohead release is hailed as the greatest album ever. No band can live up to that hype.

rialb said:

I had completely forgotten about Hail To The Thief - I got it and Amnesiac mixed up in my first post. HTTT is the one I've only listened to a couple of times and never got back to it since it was new. Amnesiac isn't one of their better releases if you ask me. But I swear by OK Computer and Kid A.

Supernova said:

you HAVE to get The Bends!

NWF said:

Not everything has to be funky you know.

Radiohead: The absolute best out the 90's.

And its typical for people to not like it.. it makes the ones who do, appreciate it even more for what you dont understand.

Kia A and its sister Amnesiac are amazing. 5 star works of art.

Overrated is easily used when a singer or band just blows up unexpectedly and the critics love it. I'm a big fan of RHead because they brought a new sound to music and didn't get trapped in the faux grunge sound that made " Creep" a hit. Since most people respond to comparisons, I'll rate their albums against someone we're all familiar with:


Pablo Honey is their NewPowerSoul. With only a few good songs, it is universally hated and not recommended for listening.

The Bends is their 1999. With a sound that veered away from their debut, they showed their range and depth with such calssics as (nice dream), Just, high & dry, dark star (fade out)- I'm sure that it's not the right title, but I can't think of it at this moment- and iron lung.

O K Computer can be called their Purple Rain, since it blasted them on the scene and everyone's BEST chart, but I would liken it more to Parade because of it's experimental and risky sound. We haven't heard steel drums or an accordian from Prince recently, and I haven't heard such music from any group that would equal RHead's greatest achievement so far.

Kid A is their ATWIAD, because it shook off the POP fans and tested those who wanted to like them more. There are no singles that were radio friendly, and that was O.K. The herky-jerky computer and synthesizer, MOOG, wah-wah board and whatever else was used in making this album make it truly unique.

Amnesiac is their Lovesexy. With simular noise and songs leftover from Kid A, no new ground was tread. It takes more that one listen to really find something to enjoy about it, but I like it.

Hail to the Thief is their Musicology. It's a nice return to a popular music, but doesn't make any great distinction from newer groups that followed after O K's success. It's a good record for someone to buy if they are a new fan, but bland and tepid for someone expecting an O K Computer II.

This is all my humble opinion, but overrated seems slightly harsh just because they became successful. If they tour again, I'm definately going.

NWF said:

That's the kind of iggnant response I'd expect from a lot of funk-mad orgers, who can't and won't listen to anything else of value if it's not funky.

Sdldawn said:

yep!