Through the Static: 20 Essential Radiohead Songs
Radiohead is as universally beloved as a band can get, with nine studio albums and a culmination of over 160 songs stretching from their formation in 1985. Each member has taken up their own diverse solo careers, making names for themselves in music and cinema. Thom Yorke is a household name. Guitarist Jonny Greenwood was the brain behind the score of Oscar-nominated There Will be Blood. The others continue the powerhouse legacy of Radiohead, still coming together for united projects. They could disband today and leave behind a cultural tone; their discography speaks for itself. So, I made a ranking of their best songs.
Here’s a trigger warning for the music intellectuals: this is a flawed list. Any master ranking of a discography callously omits the flow of the album as a whole and the dialogue the artist makes with their concept. The 1997 album OK Computer is a chopped up narrative about a dystopian world. Tracks like “Fitter Happier” would never stand a chance in an individually rated system, just as skit songs in rap music serve to fill out the album. Beyond this, I have handpicked the list through my own bias, having never seen a single one of these songs live. Beyond a broken acoustic “Creep” cover in college. And “Creep” didn’t even make this list.
Without further adieu, below are my top 20 Radiohead songs.
Listen Along
20. “Killer Cars” — High & Dry/ Planet Telex
This song showcases Thom Yorke’s fear of automobiles. This is the third track on Radiohead’s fourth EP that follows the anxiety around a sudden crash. This joins the growing list of Yorke’s car-crash related songs, such as “Airbag” (1997), “Stupid Car” (1992) and “Bending Hectic” (2023) in his personal project The Smile. “Killer Cars” (1995) was a B-side on this CD single from The Bends, carrying jolting lines like “wrap me up in the back of the trunk… they won’t ever take me alive.” This song initially debuted in a performance in 1993 at The Venue in Oxford England. But, “Killer Cars” was played live for the last time in 2001. Now it lives on as a cult favorite.
19. “Black Star” — The Bends
This 1995 release sits as the tenth track off of The Bends. Nigel Godrick, longtime producer of Radiohead, has his thumb on the engineering that makes their iconic sound. The verses in “Black Star” are personable and heartbreaking while still fitting into the early rock n’ roll of Radiohead. The guitar licks have personality within its technically-perfect concoction. The rock aspect can split fans of Radiohead, but I am a sucker for the strong bass and percussion lines. Personally, though, the chorus sets this song apart from others off The Bends. It’s honest, witty and has some of my favorite chord progressions the band has to offer.
18. “Polyethylene (Parts 1 & 2)” — Paranoid Android
This B-side to OK Computer has soul with a side of riff. The vocals are howling, perfectly complimented with the confidence of the guitar. There is a clear distinction between sections, with a comical “one… two… three!” separation between parts. Once again, this song has rock n’ roll roots that make it grounded. It tips over the edge of being a good Radiohead song to being a great Radiohead song because of its slick ending fade-out sequence. It sounds confidently made, especially given its place as a B-side.
In Rainbows (Disk 2)
Released: October 10, 2007
Genre: alt rock, art rock, experimental rock, electronica
Label: Self-released
17. “Bangers + Mash” — In Rainbows (Disk 2)
“Bangers + Mash” is fun. It’s strongly executed and exciting to listen to. This is a track I’m nodding my head alongside. It is able to swim in the synth-disjointed gambit Radiohead loves, while keeping a strong, energetic tune. I enjoy this B-side more than “Bodysnatchers” off of In Rainbows, really due to its merciless chaos. With the reputation Radiohead often has for its sad grunge, it feels like a proper catharsis in the form of a head bang.
16. “How Can You Be Sure?” — Fake Plastic Trees
Off the 1995 single Fake Plastic Trees, “How Can You Be Sure?” is much more mellow than their other releases. It’s more of a sing-along type-of-song and sits as a time capsule to the 90s. This tune, though many Radiohead fans see it as simple, offers itself to a larger conversation. This song does not alienate the broader fans of rock and pop. This can comfortably sit beside giants of the era, like the Cranberries or Oasis. To the protective enthusiasts of Radiohead, this flexibility has limited itself to being a forgotten B-side, but I enjoy this being a fun, easygoing anthem to the 90s.
Pablo Honey
Released: February 22, 1993
Genre: alt rock, grunge
Label: Parlophone
15. “Vegetable” — Pablo Honey
This may be a more unpopular opinion, but I love this song. It’s my favorite track off of Pablo Honey. It’s a banger. Point blank. “Vegetable” is more unique to its Honey siblings than it is credited for. It has strong vocals and a rewarding swing from gentle pop to rock. It has a memorable riff for me within the tune of “Every time you’re running out of here.” “Vegetable” stands out for me in this early album, feeling like a great encapsulation of the 90s grunge. So, here I stand… and stay… defending “Vegetable.”
14. “How to Disappear Completely” — Kid A
Kid A is not an album that resonates with me as a whole. The conceptual electronics are interesting in some songs, but make the album feel incomplete given its exaggerated emphasis on rhythm over melody. Kid A, to me, just doesn’t hit hard. But then, “How to Disappear Completely” plays and it may as well be a beacon of light shining through the album. It is easily the most cohesive off Kid A with a purposeful trajectory and string segment that complements the more experimental notes. It is not only my favorite song off the album, but a loved friend in the entire discography.
13. “Knives Out” — Amnesiac
Amnesiac is the little brother to Kid A, released one year later in 2001 using tracks recorded during previous sessions. This pairing of albums feel interlinked and strengthened by the other’s existence. That being said, Amnesiac has some great tracks that feel like Radiohead stepping more confidently into their new sound. “Knives Out” serves as the album’s sixth edition that manages to bridge the gap between Kid A and Amnesiac while still sounding unique to itself. It has a levity while walking the panic of the album’s tone. It’s a twisted dark comedy with a slick bass and a superb rhythm. In perfect time for fall, this deserves a residency in a Halloween playlist.
A Moon Shaped Pool
Released: May 8, 2016
Genre: art rock, folk, post-rock
Label: XL
12. “Present Tense” — A Moon Shaped Pool
Fuck. A Moon Shaped Pool is painful. It’s the most gut-wrenching album Radiohead has been able to concoct. It’s their brutal orchestral 2016 gift to the sad Beat poet. This ninth track off their ninth album is a unique pain. It’s moving and beautifully produced, while still somehow sounding like Yorke is gurgling it through his throat. The lyrics push this song into being my favorite off the album: haunting and eloquent. By the time Yorke sings, “I won’t turn around when the penny drops,” the song feels like a tragic Greek myth, like Eurydice and Orpheus. While this is not a song I have the balls to revisit often, it sits in a playlist alongside Jeff Buckley and Elliot Smith.
11. “Karma Police” — OK Computer
OK Computer is a swing into legendary music production. Each song is concocted from some sort of deal with the devil, but “Karma Police” was a teenage favorite of mine. It’s one of their more popular songs– and for good reason. It’s lyrically adept, sombre and beautiful… if a song could have a bow on it, this one would be satin red. There is a reason that “Karma Police” has drawn in so many fans to Radiohead. It’s skillfully made and undoubtedly a haunting experience live. Thom Yorke, please serenade me.
The King of Limbs
Released: February 18, 2011
Genre: electronica, experimental rock
Label: Self-released
10. “Separator” — The King of Limbs
This exit song to the 2011 The King of Limbs album has a funk-inspired ambiance, mixing genres that feel counterproductive. While usually “Codex” pops into my mind when I think of this album, on a re-listen, I could not discredit the unique quality of "Separator." There’s a sick kind of optimism in this song, or maybe a mania come-down. The lyrics, “if you think this is over, then you’re wrong,” carry more weight as the song goes on. It’s a charismatic, repetitive sequence that lifts the entire album into a healthier perspective. As far as In Rainbows successors, this song may be The King.
9. “All I Need” — In Rainbows
Radiohead’s 2007 In Rainbows is a flawless album. Fascinating composition, expert lyrics and a well-rounded sound. It’s the return-to-fashion, comeback kid of the experimental years that carries a firm depth of balance between genres. Praised for being a mix between the old and new, In Rainbows is my second favorite album behind The Bends. “All I Need” works off of the themes Radiohead developed… alienation, fear, paranoia, loss… while kicking open a door to growth. It’s a song about the self-indulgence of a masochistic love. What is worth fixing? And when is it time to pull back? The lyrics, too, are like a more wistfully wounded “I’m Your Man,” by Leonard Cohen. It’s a song that can be a hit for both the love sick teenage pups and their divorced parents. A widely loved song and I sit in good, if not slightly lonely, company.
8. “House of Cards” — In Rainbows
This eighth track to In Rainbows feels like it crumbles as you listen to it. It’s falling rubble that we have the gift to replay over and over again. It’s a mellow, sexy rendition loosely tied to key parties… so, it’s basically the swinger’s anthem. But, like most Yorke specialties, the song is also tied to the political crumblings of the west. It takes a pretty impressive writer to make a masterpiece inclusive to both non-monogamists and George W. Bush. There is something special about this song and has maintained itself as a favorite of mine through every era of my life.
Hail to the Thief
Released: June 9, 2003
Genre: alt rock, art rock, electronic rock
Label: Parlophone
7. “Sit Down. Stand Up” — Hail to the Thief
“Sit Down. Stand Up,” is the second track on Radiohead’s sixth album. It has a memorable sequence, a strong build up and tantalizing chorus. There is a weight behind the song, following the societal collapse of an overbearing regime. Yorke plays Simon Says with the listener while the weather turns bitter through a chaos sequence: “ the raindrops, the raindrops, the raindrops…” This song may be a controversial top 10, but it sticks with me. It’s not just repetition, but a sickly spell in a dystopian world. It’s haunting, even for Radiohead.
6. “Fake Plastic Trees” — The Bends
This song goes through so many journeys that make it a quintessential Radiohead classic. Of course, the lines “she looks like the real thing, she tastes like the real thing,” are undeniably bittersweet. The climax is a push against structure, and a comfort to the discomfort of heartbreak. Yorke’s vocals here are the strongest off of The Bends, careening into a beautifully crafted outro that encapsulates the hope through loss. I have had many melodramatic cries to this song. And a few histrionic ones, too.
5. “2+2=5” — Hail to the Thief
I love rock n’ roll, and there is something special about Radiohead's more classic style. This intro to Hail to the Thief has a fantastic 7/4 time rhythm that cuts to a 4/4 in a master class of tension building. When the rock ballad begins, this song becomes a cathartic head banger. The stacked vocals cleared by a singular hymn is unbelievable. This is a song with balls, opening up the album with a stern, ‘fuck you, let me show you something crazy.’ It hits hard, and, in my opinion, the second best album intro to In Rainbows. This is Radiohead finding itself.
Ok Computer
Released: May 21, 1997
Genre: alt rock, art rock
Label: Parlophone
4. “Let Down” — OK Computer
I overheard from God that this song plays when you enter heaven. It was definitely the song that played in the background of half of my big life moments. This fifth track off of OK Computer cemented Radiohead as a behemoth of the industry. It is an energetic mourning ode to pop music. No band can manage to mix so many emotions into under five minutes. This is a song that creates Radiohead-heads, perfectly encapsulating the power of the band while underplaying its hand. It’s buried in their third album with an unassuming title and surpasses nearly every other tune they mingled together. It’s transcendent. I have to take a break and go listen, actually.
3. “15 Step” — In Rainbows
This is my favorite track off In Rainbows, the first to offset the rest of the album for me. This has a feeling and a sound I have never quite heard before. It sits in a ranking of its own– explosive, interesting, groovy. “15 Step” is fiercely animated and electric, unlike any other. The magnetic composition is timeless and otherworldly: It pushes me back into a time I wasn’t even alive for. Yes, I am enthusiastic to fight a dragon and save the princess. And, yes, I am ready to take on an intergalactic mission. And, of course I am a 100 year old vampire falling in love with a human (though this was the intro to In Rainbows, it was also the exit track to “Twilight”).
2. “Just” — The Bends
The special magic to “Just” is of a rare breed. On one hand, it’s a magnificently made heavy-rock song. A ballad of the 90s, a jam of the ages. Every member is showing off, with Jonny Greenwood performing riffs to the gods. It’s loud and colorful, without sounding like anything else from The Bends. It’s important to note that this is also done while balancing the heavy framework of the lyrics: the self-destruction of someone who cannot help but to rip themselves apart. “Just” also has my favorite music video from Radiohead’s archives that dramatizes the dark humor of the song. This is a welcome resident of nearly every playlist I have, and has never once been skipped.
1. “Paranoid Android” — OK Computer
And the winner goes to Ok Computer’s second track, clad in the gold and ivory jewels of a great band’s greatest. This is Radiohead’s “Bohemian Rhapsody,” in the simplest terms. It is an unorthodox, complicated, beautiful masterpiece unadulterated by broader concerns from Ok Computer. The tone, beats and rhythms change through the course of the song without ever stepping on its own tail. There is a moment in the song where it’s not just a Radiohead melancholic tonnage. A minute in, “Paranoid Android’s” moon rises and the genre werewolf emerges, defining itself as a master of its own.
And, don’t tune out quite yet. There are still a few participation trophies to give out. For starters, there are two perfect albums in the Radiohead discography that could dominate any all-timer list: Ok Computer and In Rainbows. Off of those albums, here are our honorable mentions.
Honorable Mentions
“Subterranean Homesick Alien” — OK Computer
This song makes me growl. It’s sensual and sung close to your ear. There is more storytelling here than I am used to for Radiohead, but it’s still more grounded than others off of OK Computer. "They'd shut me away, but I’d be all right…” damn, man. Now I’m in my feels.
“Jigsaw Falling into Place” — In Rainbows
This song toys with you, setting up a soulful self-reflection, but switching into something with more of a bite. The low hums, quick riff changes and deeper voice from Yorke make this a real treat. This is definitely a dark dessert off of the album and less ‘experimental’ than others in their discography, allowing it to be adored by die-hard fans and the Radiohead tourist.