The influence of Radiohead

The influence of Radiohead

FEATURE: Children A: The influence of Radiohead's "Kid A" 10 years later
Alternative Music

By early 1999, British alternative five-piece RADIOHEAD had risen from the buzz-bin dwellings of their first two albums-1993's radio-friendly Pablo Honey and 1995's commercial breakthrough The Bends-and were perched atop the rock world after the release of their third and most artistically valid work to date, OK Computer. That album, released in 1997, saw the band breaking away from traditional trends in favor of more ambient, electronic and experimental fare. However, on the cusp of the new millennium, Radiohead found themselves at a creative crossroads that nearly pulled the notorious perfectionists apart. Enigmatic frontman Thom Yorke battled severe depression and felt increasingly stifled by conventional album ideology, as the band spent nearly 18 months writing and recording their next full-length. At a time when Creed and 3 Doors Down were dominating radio with paint-by-numbers modern rock, many discerning listeners looked to Radiohead for the next great rock anthem from what was regarded by many to be the most anticipated album since Nirvana's In Utero. But when Radiohead unleashed Kid A on Oct. 2, 2000, there were no stadium-filling anthems, no real singles and nothing resembling their hits "Paranoid Android" or "Karma Police"-in fact, there was hardly any guitar or drums at all. From the muted, distorted synthesizer chords of opener "Everything In Its Right Place," it was immediately clear that Radiohead had veered far from expectations. Like an intentionally dense, minimalist, electronics-heavy, post-rock opera rooted in jazz and IDM, Kid A left many fans stunned. Yorke's voice became another instrument melding into a layered cacophony of blips and synthetic sounds that occasionally bled into lush orchestral pieces and starkly original compositions. In addition, the band had little regard for traditional marketing methods, creating online clips to tease the album instead of music videos. It was the beginning of Radiohead's new career as musical and industrial innovators. Ten years after its release, Kid A is largely thought of as a post-modern masterpiece and the first major musical step forward of the 21st century. Its influence is difficult to detect within other bands" work since the sound is close to impossible to replicate, but its effect on musicians-and the music industry-is everywhere. -Tim Karan Source: Alternative Press Magazine