Help me get into Radiohead!
 

Okay, I've listened to a few Radiohead songs and I like them so far. Songs I like that I've listened to:

Street Smart
Karma Police
Ideoteque
Creep
Polyethlene

What others songs of Radiohead are really good and highly recommended?

TIA

My favorite Radiohead album is Kid A but it kinda different from the early stuff you are into.

I'd recommend just about everything, but I know that's not really helpful. If you want to narrow it down to one album, I would get OK Computer, the right combination of accessibility and kick-assedness.

For specific tracks similar to what you've listed:

Off OK Computer (Karma Police):
It's like sofie's choice picking from these songs, since I really and truly do like every song (Fitter Happier doesn't count) on this album.

Lucky
No Surprises
Let Down

Kid A (Idioteque):
National Anthem
Morning Bell
How to Disappear Completely

The Bends (Street Spirit):
Fake Plastic Trees
Nice Dream
BlackStar

Hail to the Thief:
2 + 2 = 5
Myxamatosis
There There

Amnesiac:
I Might be Wrong

Non-Album:
True Love Waits

These are what I think are the most accessible songs. In general, the earlier in the discography you go, the more "pop" their sound is.

IMO,

Listening to just some of their songs is not what you need to do. The best bet is get all of their regular albums (there are only 6 so that won't be too much money gone) and listen to them in this order: (the first 5) are in order. I think of their first album (Pablo Honey) as a test.

The Bends
OK Computer
Kid A
Amnesiac
Hail to the Thief
Pablo Honey

Every song on the first five albums are worthy of listening to every single song.

After you have done that seek out the numerous Radiohead websites and locate all of their B-sides. Listen to those.

---------------------

What I am really tryin to say is just listening to everything.

:)

Favorite album: Def Ok Computer
Favorite song: I Might Be Wrong

Definitely a good idea to start with The Bends I think, and move on to OK Computer. If you're still with the plot, try out Kid A, which is a change from the older stuff. Amnesiac is along the same lines, and Hail To The Thief is sort of a happy medium, might be good to try out earlier if you don't like OK Computer.

Good advice... :thumbsup:

see em live.

im not a huge radiohead fan at all. their music just doesn't pull me in. i saw em live, way in the back of the hollywood bowl and it was one of the most unbelivable experiences of my life.

I recommend that you start with:

Paranoid Android
Karma Police
Electioneering
You and Whose Army?
Idioteque
Just
My Iron Lung

In that order. Wonderful artists. Get into them. Now.

Since this is a quite exceptional band, esp. regarding their musical evolution, I would start chronological. It's quite fascinating to find out where they came from initially (simple British indie rock/pop) and what they developed into (I guess, experimental post rock is an insignificant term I've heard somewhere ;)).
So, since you've heard "Creep" already, check out their debut album "Pablo Honey", which already hints their geatness yet to come and also contains a few classics, like their breakthrough single "Creep" , "Stop Whispering" or "Anyone Can Play Guitar".

Next Stop: "The Bends". What to say... although 95% say "OK Computer", I always considered "The Bends" their masterpiece.
IMO, it's a perfect album from beginning to end, including my favourite Radiohead song of all time: "Fake Plastic Trees". Still more of a straight rock album (In Radiohead terms)

Then, "OK Computer". Basically, the same level of quality as "The Bends", the songwriting became more complex and experimental. Their first big evolutionary step towards their current state of music. Including such classics like the so-called "Alternative Music's 'Bohemian Rhapsody' "Paranoid Android", the incredibly dark yet beautiful "Exit music (for a film)" (the end titles music of "Romeo & Juliet") or "Karma Police". A modern classic.

Kid A. Their biggest leap, stylistically. Less Guitars, more electronica. Disappearing classic song structures. Not as easily accessible as their previous offerings. Took me a few listens to discover gems like "How to disappear completely", "Optimistic" or "Idiotheque".

Amnesiac. Another step away from classic Radiohead. In the same vain of "Kid A" only darker, more destructive. Uneasy listening. Basically the evil twin of "Kid A". Rather difficult to access, it still brings out incredible songs like "Knives Out", "Pyramid Song" or "You and whose army after repeted listening".

And finally, "Hail To the Thief" (I left out the Live ep). Still in the same style as its two predecessors, yet more accessible, more "OK Computer"-references ("2+2=5", "Sail to the moon"). Still lots of craziness ("A Wolf At The Door", "We Suck Young Blood").

Bottomline, each and every single album has its own identity and its distinctive quality that is definitely worth discovering.

But I talk too much.
You should give them a listen. All of them. Enjoy.

Every single Radiohead album is good, for different reasons. Two or three of them are downright classics that everyone should own.

I agree.

All im saying is, i just read this post and got shivers thinking about how amazing they are live...Oh wait....more shivers....ahhhh radiohead.

they really are amazing.

I strongly agree with you on both points.

Start with the Bends. If you like that, then work your way on to OK Computer, Kid A, Amnesiac, Hail to the Thief.

I just got into Radiohead after picking up fiveof their six releases through BMG. The first CD I listened to was OK Computer, which I fell in love with before going on to and obsessing over Hail to the Thief. The other three CDs just got here from BMG, so I'll be listening to those soon.

So ... even though the thread wasn't started by me, thanks to everyone who's put in their two cents so far -- even I've started getting into them and was glad to see the feedback on the board.

No point in wasting my time typing the exact same thing :up:

Another vote for the Bends. Simply one of the best records of the last 20 years. But unlike most others above, i feel radiohead has gone down hill. I like a lot of weird and experimental music, but to me radiohead got carried way and forgot how to write great songs.

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Although I acknowledge that they are an amazing band, I never was able to become a "fan." It may be that I have a couple friends who are obsessed with Radiohead which may have turned me away from true fandom. Still as a whole I think the Bends is the most accessible and easily likeable. The other albums take more care in listening to really get into. Thom is a great singer and the lyrics are amazing... and yet I still don't get it. I do have all their albums yet they hardly (with the exception of the Bends and OK Computer) ever make my listening rotation. Is something wrong with me? :D

I feel the same as you. I have most of their albums but rarely listen to them. When I do get the craving for them, I'll listen to a bunch of albums in a row. Then I may not listen again for a few months.

Drop a couple of grams of shrooms and listen to Paranoid Android.
Worked for me! :D