Phishanga said:

I know! I read that and I was like

SupaFunkyOrgangrinderSexy said:

Agreed. How they got from Pablo Honey to albums like Kid A and In Rainbows is pretty incredible. In my view, they are the most important band of the last 20 years, period. They are in a class of their own.

FrenchGuy said:

Oh, I don't feel cheated. There are some songs that I really, really like. However, both of these albums are often thrown in the discussion for "best album of all-time", and I can't put them there. As it is, they probably are in the artist tier of 100-150: artists I admire and respect, but not artists that consistently knock me out.

Moonbeam said:

Are they, like, above or under The Beatles on your list?

HamsterHuey said:

Way above. The Beatles are among my bottom 20!

Moonbeam said:

Yeah, is why I personally am not much worried about your opinion on Radiohead.
(grin)

HamsterHuey said:

You snarky little hamster!

They're one of my favorites, but my girlfriend cannot stand them. I made her a "greatest hits" of their music, and she didn't like that either.

My recommendation would be to live with one album until it catches you.

Hail To The Thief is a good one to try to get started. It's a mix of everything that's great about them and less "intimidating" than Kid A.

Moonbeam said:

Harder! Harder!

Moonbeam said:

You are mental. I love you anyway

Se7en said:

As a diehard, I really wasn't into Hail. Thought it was forced and repetitious. There's some good stuff on it but it's not classic to me.

KIDA is a genius masterpiece.

SupaFunkyOrgangrinderSexy said:

Kid A is a masterpiece, but it's not for someone just getting into them, which is what the original poster is.

I never said Hail was a classic - I said it would be a good start for someone who was having a hard time "liking" them. It's middle of the road for Radiohead.

Sounds like the original poster might be trying too hard to like this certain band. I hated Pink Floyd for the longest time, and only just got into them in the past 5 years.

While maybe not their, I'd still say "Hail to the thief" is a masterpiece. There are songs on there that other bands would kill for. And "There There" has to be one of their best.

Phishanga said:

I have to give a re-listen. I felt it was total retread.

AlexdeParis said:

SupaFunkyOrgangrinderSexy said:

Do it!

Go to sleep.

Where I end and you begin.

There there.

Scatterbrain.

A Wolf at the door.

Se7en said:

The Bends gets my vote. It's Radiohead at their most straightforward (and most days I'd also say at their best).

AlexdeParis said:

While KidA is my favorite, The Bends is a killer album. The change from Pablo Honey is startling to say the least. They just kept evolving from there. Truly one of the best bands ever!

Never a fan; I tried too hard to like them, but I couldn't; one of those groups you completely love or just completely ignore (on the other hand, they are 100% respectable by fans and critics alike). I own OK Computer as a piece of 90's nostalgia, and it's easily their only LP that I can listen in a row, but I completely ignore their 00s work. Kid A must be the most overrated album ever, and I'm serious.

I don't exactly know why I'm not a true believer: maybe because Tom's voice is thin and predictable, maybe because they don't give a hoot about well-crafted choruses, maybe because they choose texture over melody (sometimes it feels like they try to be Brian Eno and U2 at the same time, and it doesn't work), or maybe because the word "upbeat" doesn't exist for them.

Just remember one thing: they are just another rock band, no more and no less, I mean, many people hail them as the next best thing after the electric toothbrush but they're not THAT good to begin with, I mean, they're not in the same league as Pink Floyd or even Simple Minds, sorry folks.
[Edited 3/9/10 15:56pm]

SupaFunkyOrgangrinderSexy said:

On the few days The Bends isn't my favorite, I have to go with OK Computer. I also like In Rainbows (and usually Amnesiac) more than Kid A. They're all great albums, though.

JoeTyler said:

:giggleslikeaschoolgirl:

No Suede?
wtf!

Anyways. Even though I made my choice, it's easy to step aside and have a somewhat more detached look upon the matter. Even though Pink Floyd had some more decades to work their magic, this question can only be settled a few more decades in, when Radiohead became the same kind of disgruntled old men as Pink Floyd are now and THEN see how many albums they have in lots of people's list of 'best album'.

The current lists are dominated by people who grew up with Radiohead, so logically they have a headstart when it comes to lists. In the NME list of best albums of all time they both have three albums, but Radiohead comes out on top. But they have Oasis on the first position, so I am not really impressed with that list. UK lists tend to over-exaggerate teh influence of British albums, so I like Acclaimed Music's album top 3000 of all time waaaay better, as a global grade tool of opinions.

Again, Radiohead comes out on top. So, there is no accounting for taste, it seems. I say, hurray for Pink Floyd and Radiohead BOTH.
[Edited 3/10/10 0:43am]

HamsterHuey said:

Oy! Was that a dig at Suede? grr. I love Suede. They're currently doing a few trial live dates to see if they all still get on. Fingers crossed for new material.

I think to dig Radiohead you have to have experienced some sadness or alienation in your life as well.

erik319 said:

Yes. But more of a wink at JoeTyler, as he responded as such (without the giggling) on my 90's songlist (see sticky)

Go there to find out more on why I didn't particularly like Suede in the past.

dannyd5050 said:

I think this is true. Their music touches a part of me that nobody else can.

dannyd5050 said:

I've got that in spades and it still hasn't penetrated.

dannyd5050 said:

I prefer The Smiths for that

On first listen Ok Computer knocked me upside and back again. I've been a fan ever since.

I actually prefer Thom's solo stuff.

His new project is a funk band so that may cross-over to you.

I've actually never even heard OK Computer the whole way through

I like most of the singles I've heard alright, but someone did burn In Rainbows for me and pretty much every time one of the songs comes on my iPod, I skip it.

I think of it as pin-up mopesterism - the sadness feels more like a pose than coming out of any real emotional place.