Independent artist

Radiohead

Rock · Alternative · London, United Kingdom

Latest release Hail to the Thief (Live Recordings 2003-2009) (2025)

In Radiohead's own words

# Radiohead — Biography Radiohead is an English rock band formed in 1985 in Abingdon, Oxfordshire, England. The band consists of Thom Yorke, Jonny Greenwood, Colin Greenwood, Ed O’Brien, and Philip Selway. Over more than three decades, Radiohead have developed from a young alternative rock band into one of the most influential and innovative groups in modern music. The story of Radiohead began at Abingdon School, where the five future members met as teenagers. At first, they played together under the name On a Friday. The name came from the fact that the group usually rehearsed on Fridays after school. The members shared an interest in rock music and gradually developed their own musical identity. Thom Yorke became the lead singer and main songwriter, while Jonny Greenwood became particularly important for the band's guitar work and later experimentation with electronic instruments. Colin Greenwood played bass, Ed O’Brien played guitar and provided backing vocals, and Philip Selway became the band's drummer. During their early years, the members continued their education and followed different paths before eventually returning to music. After leaving school, they continued playing together and performing in local venues. Their sound at this time was much closer to alternative and guitar-based rock than the experimental music they would later become famous for. In 1991, the group signed a record deal with EMI and changed their name from On a Friday to Radiohead. The new name was inspired by the Talking Heads song “Radio Head.” Their first major release was the single “Creep,” which appeared in 1992. The song initially received limited attention in the United Kingdom, but it gradually became popular internationally. “Creep” is a powerful and emotional alternative rock song about insecurity, attraction, and feeling like an outsider. Thom Yorke's distinctive vocal performance and the song's quiet-to-loud structure helped it stand out from other rock songs of the period. The song eventually became a major international hit and introduced Radiohead to a much larger audience. In 1993, Radiohead released their debut album, Pablo Honey. The album contained “Creep” as well as several other guitar-driven songs. Although Pablo Honey was successful, the band did not want to remain associated only with the sound of “Creep.” They wanted to develop musically and explore more complex ideas. Their second album, The Bends, was released in 1995. This album represented a major artistic improvement and showed that Radiohead were capable of much more than their early hit suggested. Songs such as “Fake Plastic Trees,” “High and Dry,” “Street Spirit (Fade Out),” and “Just” became important parts of their early catalog. The Bends combined emotional songwriting with powerful guitar arrangements. Thom Yorke's lyrics often focused on alienation, modern life, relationships, and emotional uncertainty. At the same time, Jonny Greenwood and Ed O’Brien created distinctive guitar textures that gave the album a more atmospheric sound. The success of The Bends established Radiohead as a serious alternative rock band. However, their next album would completely change their reputation. In 1997, Radiohead released OK Computer, which is widely considered one of the most important rock albums of the 1990s. The album moved beyond traditional alternative rock and introduced more experimental structures, unusual sounds, electronic elements, and complex production. Songs such as “Paranoid Android,” “Karma Police,” “No Surprises,” and “Let Down” became some of Radiohead's most recognizable tracks. The album explored themes of technology, isolation, consumerism, anxiety, modern society, and the relationship between humans and machines. “Paranoid Android” was particularly unusual for a popular rock song because of its multiple sections, changing moods, and unconventional structure. Instead of following a simple verse-chorus format, the song moves through several