Best Radiohead Album?

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SOMEWHAT SERIOUS POLL

Poll Results

Option	Votes
Kid A	44
OK Computer	29
Amnesiac	10
The Bends	7
Pablo Honey	4
I Might Be Wrong	2
Hail to the Thief	2

― abanana, Monday, 26 February 2007 22:35 (nineteen years ago)

seriouscat.obv

― BIG HOOS aka the steendriver, Monday, 26 February 2007 22:37 (nineteen years ago)

What is "I Might Be Wrong"?

― nickalicious, Monday, 26 February 2007 22:49 (nineteen years ago)

Wot? No My Iron Lung EP?

― Mr. Snrub, Monday, 26 February 2007 23:12 (nineteen years ago)

What is "I Might Be Wrong"?

The live album.

― Jordan, Monday, 26 February 2007 23:14 (nineteen years ago)

An unneccessary number of candidates here. "The Bends" and "OK Computer" would have been enough, as obviously it must be one of those two.

― Geir Hongro, Monday, 26 February 2007 23:37 (nineteen years ago)

it is one of those two but i wouldn't call it obvious.

― jed_, Monday, 26 February 2007 23:41 (nineteen years ago)

An unneccessary number of candidates here. "The Bends" and "OK Computer" would have been enough, as obviously it must be one of those two.

ROCKIST ALERT.

Kid A totally wins.

― the table is the table, Tuesday, 27 February 2007 00:11 (nineteen years ago)

HI GEIR

― BIG HOOS aka the steendriver, Tuesday, 27 February 2007 00:15 (nineteen years ago)

Kid A, I guess.

― Ivan, Tuesday, 27 February 2007 00:20 (nineteen years ago)

Last time I tried, OK Computer did it best for me. Not every song on it, though...I did feel like structurally a few songs were lacking. If the song Airbag was the whole album, it would be my favorite album of any band.

― Faisal Shennib, Tuesday, 27 February 2007 05:29 (nineteen years ago)

Amnesiac

― Lostandfound, Tuesday, 27 February 2007 05:32 (nineteen years ago)

how do we see the responses?

for that matter, i had to re-register for the new site... is that expected, or should my old log-in info work?

― sovietpanda, Wednesday, 28 February 2007 18:29 (nineteen years ago)

oh, i see, poll closes march 2...

― sovietpanda, Wednesday, 28 February 2007 18:29 (nineteen years ago)

amnesiac by light years.

― alex in mainhattan, Wednesday, 28 February 2007 19:27 (nineteen years ago)

where's "none of the above?"

― zaxxon25, Wednesday, 28 February 2007 20:29 (nineteen years ago)

that's not out until the Autumn

― blueski, Thursday, 1 March 2007 00:17 (nineteen years ago)

Kid A for me. Least inconsistent, this coming from a big fan.

― acidmouth, Thursday, 1 March 2007 00:29 (nineteen years ago)

I chose Kid A for a few reasons:
1) I like it best.
2) It has had the most impact on the sonic and cultural palate of recent. OK Computer would have won this, but its alienation is very late 90s, whereas Kid A is still influential in the now.
3) Kid A's songs sound best during live performances.
4) It is the most consistently good album they've ever put out, other than The Bends, which is fucking aces, but a little too whiny for my tastes at this point.
5) It was the last album before Thom Yorke turned into a full-fledged asshole douchebag.

― the table is the table, Thursday, 1 March 2007 04:25 (nineteen years ago)

OK Computer mainly because of that tour.

― Bee OK, Thursday, 1 March 2007 10:19 (nineteen years ago)

OK Computer. I don't listen to it a lot now and yes maybe it's a bit dated (but that's the 10 year effect for you isn't it?) but at the time it genuinely felt new and exciting whereas Kid A felt a bit like it was trying too hard to be novel.

― the next grozart, Thursday, 1 March 2007 10:26 (nineteen years ago)

As I've said before, the correct answer to this question is "Airbag/How Am I Driving?". Its omission is unfortunate.

― unfished business, Thursday, 1 March 2007 11:41 (nineteen years ago)

Airbag/How Am I Driving - that's just a collection of singles no?

― the next grozart, Thursday, 1 March 2007 12:00 (nineteen years ago)

'kid a' by about a million miles.

or that compilation that everyone's probably made with the best bits of OK COMP and KID A and AMNEASIAC that also has like, 2 BENDS era b sides, a glastonbury 97 cut and STREET SPIRIT on it.

― pisces, Thursday, 1 March 2007 12:03 (nineteen years ago)

― unfished business, Thursday, 1 March 2007 12:09 (nineteen years ago)

Hahaha, no but mine's just the best bits from Kid A and Amnesiac. It's called surprisingly "Kid Amnesiac".

― the next grozart, Thursday, 1 March 2007 12:10 (nineteen years ago)

More albums need to be 25 minutes long.

― unfished business, Thursday, 1 March 2007 12:11 (nineteen years ago)

Airbag/How Am I Driving is a coherent, top-quality 7-song mini-album that actually bettered the previous year's OKC. It bridged the gap between that album and Kid A, containing some slightly more oblique electronic material but maintaining the accessible, highly melodic and wonderfully-structured rock aesthetic of their most celebrated record. Each and every song is vital, in its place, and nigh-on perfect.

You are American and I claim my five quid or whatevs. Airbag is a hotchpotch of songs that had already been released in the UK and Europe, so to us it's not really an album or a mini album or anything really. Admittedly there are some classics on there - Polyethelene is essential!

― the next grozart, Thursday, 1 March 2007 12:30 (nineteen years ago)

haha, no five quid for you!

― unfished business, Thursday, 1 March 2007 12:31 (nineteen years ago)

Bah! :-( I needed that to buy chip butties.

― the next grozart, Thursday, 1 March 2007 12:36 (nineteen years ago)

I found that mini-album in our local library. It has indeed reached English shores.

― unfished business, Thursday, 1 March 2007 12:44 (nineteen years ago)

Yeh it was released in the UK but all the songs from it were taken from either OK Computer or the Paranoid Android/Karma Police singles IIRC.

― the next grozart, Thursday, 1 March 2007 13:22 (nineteen years ago)

You don't have to be a rockist to realise that OK Computer craps all over everything that came after. There is good and bad 'electronica' (a nasty word but the best way to describe this stuff).

― braveclub, Thursday, 1 March 2007 13:32 (nineteen years ago)

but OK Computer has those unfortunate guitar solos ...

― zaxxon25, Thursday, 1 March 2007 18:03 (nineteen years ago)

'electronica' is a nasty word, and not a good way to describe radiohead's post OK Computer songs.

― Z S, Thursday, 1 March 2007 23:32 (nineteen years ago)

Not too close.

― G00blar, Friday, 2 March 2007 00:18 (nineteen years ago)

2) It has had the most impact on the sonic and cultural palate of recent.

Absolutely not. "OK Computer" influenced Travis, Coldplay, Muse and Keane, and thus gave the world a lot of marvellous music. "Kid A" did nothing more than incorporate stuff that had already been done in 90s electronica, and 90s electronica hasn't been particularly influential on 00s music.

Popists still live in the 90s and need to realize that the 90s aren't here anymore. The 00s (other than the R&B-dominated first couple of years) have merely been about recycling the 80s and earlier rather than continuing on the trends from the 90s.

― Geir Hongro, Friday, 2 March 2007 12:19 (nineteen years ago)

surprised to see so few votes for Hail To The Thief. It isn't their best but it's by no means a bad album at all. I'd just kind of forgotten it ever existed.

― the next grozart, Friday, 2 March 2007 13:40 (nineteen years ago)

I would have voted for Hail To The Thief if I wasn't abstaining. It's their best album 'proper' IMO.

― unfished business, Friday, 2 March 2007 14:38 (nineteen years ago)

Airbag/How Am I Driving is being re-released on March 26th, according to Amazon. Odd.

Radiohead don't have a "best album" because they're rubbish.

Also, Geir - you're a twat, shut up.

― Scik Mouthy, Friday, 2 March 2007 14:45 (nineteen years ago)

Poor Gaydiohead. :(

― Jordan, Friday, 2 March 2007 15:10 (nineteen years ago)

I always thought Airbag/How Am I Driving was some of their best work.

― Jena, Friday, 2 March 2007 15:22 (nineteen years ago)

Hray, Kid A craps on all else!

― Mark G, Friday, 2 March 2007 15:31 (nineteen years ago)

Airbag/How Am I Driving worth it for "Meeting in the Aisle" alone.

― tissp, Friday, 2 March 2007 15:32 (nineteen years ago)

Their best single moment was "Exit Music".

― Geir Hongro, Friday, 2 March 2007 22:21 (nineteen years ago)

Kid A?? Really??

― babedad, Friday, 2 March 2007 22:34 (nineteen years ago)

good grief

― babedad, Friday, 2 March 2007 22:34 (nineteen years ago)

Yay! I win.

― Pye Poudre, Friday, 2 March 2007 22:36 (nineteen years ago)

Kid A selected by a bunch of rock critic types that haven't actually ventured outside their mother's basement to rock out in public in years? Can't say I'm surprised.

For Hail To The Thief (it's semi-lame title notwithstanding) to garner just two piddly votes says much more about the voters than it does about Radiohead.

― dblcheeksneek, Monday, 5 March 2007 20:26 (nineteen years ago)

Given this was an ILM poll (upon which I've heard the charge that Kid ripped previously existing music and was only heralded as groundbreaking by rockcrit types that weren't familiar with electronic music) I'm kind of shocked at Kid A's margin.

― BIG HOOS aka the steendriver, Monday, 5 March 2007 20:28 (nineteen years ago)

I wouldn't have put it in such inflammatory terms, but I agree, HTTT is by far their best full album, with the benefit of retrospect.

― unfished business, Monday, 5 March 2007 20:29 (nineteen years ago)

A handful of rockcrits lurks in these parts... just sayin...

― dblcheeksneek, Monday, 5 March 2007 20:31 (nineteen years ago)

Though I'd hardly call ILM a bunch of rock critic types. FFS dude, have you been reading the weird debate at the tail end of "Has ILM Gotten Smarter?"

― BIG HOOS aka the steendriver, Monday, 5 March 2007 20:33 (nineteen years ago)

A handful of rockcrits lurks in these parts... just sayin...

Thanks for informing us. I will strive to be more vigilant in future.

― unfished business, Monday, 5 March 2007 20:34 (nineteen years ago)

[i]Given this was an ILM poll (upon which I've heard the charge that Kid ripped previously existing music and was only heralded as groundbreaking by rockcrit types that weren't familiar with electronic music) I'm kind of shocked at Kid A's margin.[i]

I guess it's for the same causes as me liking "The Elder" and "Their Satanic Request" better than any other Kiss/Rolling Stones album. Those albums are musically closer to my taste than Kiss or Stones are usually about.

The same way, people who will usually avoid anything (or at least anything recent) that features a standard "rock" songwriting and production, will pick "Kid A" and "Pop" as their favourite albums by Radiohead and U2.

But while I am not really into Rolling Stones too much, people who consider "Kid A" Radiohead's best albums aren't really into Radiohead much either.

― Geir Hongro, Monday, 5 March 2007 20:44 (nineteen years ago)

I didn't call ILM "a bunch of rock critic types."

I called those that voted Kid A "the best Radiohead album" by a 15-point margin something as "inflammaotory" as "rock critic types." (See, for example, the part about HTTT's two votes saying something more about the voters - I am, of course, assuming ILM membership consists of more than 98 people...)

Something tells me, thought, that those that make their living out of criticizing the work product of others might be able to take such an "inflammatory" poke in the ribs.

As for "informing" -- I work hard to retain my title as Master of the Obvious.

Is this room always this effing serious?

― dblcheeksneek, Monday, 5 March 2007 20:44 (nineteen years ago)

[i]But while I am not really into Rolling Stones too much, people who consider "Kid A" Radiohead's best albums aren't really into Radiohead much either. [i/]

Can I get an "Amen"!?!??

― dblcheeksneek, Monday, 5 March 2007 20:46 (nineteen years ago)

I can't remember, I think I voted for HTTT but it really could have been any one of their albums since The Bends.

― HI DERE, Monday, 5 March 2007 20:48 (nineteen years ago)

can all those people who banged on about HTTT being so great 3 years ago come on here and atone please?

― pisces, Monday, 5 March 2007 21:50 (nineteen years ago)

Er, I'm one of thos people and I'm reasonably sure I voted for it!

― HI DERE, Monday, 5 March 2007 21:54 (nineteen years ago)

I still listen to HTTT more often than the others, even though I didn't vote for it (Amnesiac is short, it's got the cleanest/most stripped down sound, and there's not a song on it that I don't like).

― Jordan, Monday, 5 March 2007 22:05 (nineteen years ago)

the real question is: which 4 head-cases...

― unfished business, Monday, 5 March 2007 22:05 (nineteen years ago)

For Hail To The Thief (it's semi-lame title notwithstanding) to garner just two piddly votes says much more about the voters than it does about Radiohead.

Yes, in that said voters actually like groups who develop artistically. Me? I voted for Ok Computador, and still think Kid A is at least somewhat overrated by the cognoscenti. But at least it has tunes and constituted a new directtion. But HTTT? What a piece of crap...

― Naive Teen Idol, Monday, 5 March 2007 22:05 (nineteen years ago)

explain yourself.

― unfished business, Monday, 5 March 2007 22:10 (nineteen years ago)

HTTT has about three good songs.

― Scik Mouthy, Monday, 5 March 2007 22:11 (nineteen years ago)

No other band has a bigger gap between how much I like them and how terrible their threads are.

― Jordan, Monday, 5 March 2007 22:12 (nineteen years ago)

HTTT is OK, but it is basically like "OK Computer" with more synths and slightly less catchy songs.

― Geir Hongro, Monday, 5 March 2007 22:16 (nineteen years ago)

It was a huge leap in the right direction from the ill-advised direction of their first two oughties-albums though.

― Geir Hongro, Monday, 5 March 2007 22:16 (nineteen years ago)

Naive Teen Idol OTM in all respects.

Had I voted, I would have voted for OKC, but almost out of a wilful rebellion. Because Kid A was the be all end all and should have been their best until...OKC proved to have more staying power.

― Bimble, Monday, 5 March 2007 22:18 (nineteen years ago)

Also I really do wish the acronym "OKC" didn't have to remind me of Kentucky Fried Chicken (KFC) which repulses me entirely. Or maybe it's supposed to make you think of O.K. Corral...yeah, maybe it's that.

― Bimble, Monday, 5 March 2007 22:20 (nineteen years ago)

Each of their albums has about three good songs. They're not particularly great.

― Scik Mouthy, Monday, 5 March 2007 22:20 (nineteen years ago)

HTTT has about three good songs.

Maybe, but I bet everyone disagrees about which three they are!

― Jordan, Monday, 5 March 2007 22:21 (nineteen years ago)

explain yourself.

My pleasure.

― Naive Teen Idol, Monday, 5 March 2007 22:46 (nineteen years ago)

Naive Teen Idol, I wonder what percentage of the readers of your HTTT review understood the "back in Jane Seymour's living room" reference? As a recovering radiohead-olic though, I thought it was a nice touch. ;)

― Z S, Monday, 5 March 2007 23:57 (nineteen years ago)

Oh K.C. and the Sunshine Band? OKC...

― Bimble, Tuesday, 6 March 2007 00:45 (nineteen years ago)

C/D: Rockcrit responding to jab at rockcrit elitism with referral to rockcrit's rock criticism

― dblcheeksneek, Tuesday, 6 March 2007 01:03 (nineteen years ago)

― Naive Teen Idol, Wednesday, 7 March 2007 18:58 (nineteen years ago)

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