DISQUS

Drupal · 2 years ago

Wow, that's quite the comprehensive list! Good effort.

ma9net · 8 months ago

and then some....i used this guide to dl some good radiohead songs and im blown away by the accuracy of the description

outstanding!!

simon · 2 years ago

That must have taken you a while to put together, wicked, love it. I would have put knives out as thats my fav, great to see just in there.

webomatica · 2 years ago

Yeah I listened to all the Radiohead albums repeatedly for about two or three months to get really familiar with them.

Thanks for visiting and commenting.

Yup · 2 years ago

"The National Anthem" rules...especially within its KID A environment!
Good list though!

Luke Atiyah · 2 years ago

Where's Let Down???

Flanture · 2 years ago

My favorite album is "Kid A". However, "Hail to the thief" has very powerful songs also. Nice list...

joey · 2 years ago

i love bones from the bends great great song

Jazz · 1 year ago

Hey- love Radiohead! I would never be able to make a list of my favourites of their songs...all too phenomenal.

webomatica · 1 year ago

Personally it was tough to settle on these 20... and now with the new album out, a bit tougher still.

Aiberg · 1 year ago

this is kind of information I would like to see more often on the internet. thank you for your valuable efforts. you have reached many.

Marcus · 1 year ago

Hi,
great list, but my favorite is "The Trickser".

charliehorse · 1 year ago

kinda upset 'How to Disappear Completely' hasn't been mentioned yet.
love the whiny guitar slide that recurs. so haunting.
and the way the song repeats and builds overall.

simon · 1 year ago

How to Disappear completely is fecking amazing song it builds up so well so I agree with you charliehorse.

What about the new album? anyone think it has any classics? Radiohead were on Jules Holland Last night playing weird fishes and bodysnatchers. I really like nude from the new album and house of cards really like that, simple base line, scary stings, real nice layering of sounds makes it really moody.

Cant wait to see them live again

John · 1 year ago

Street Spirit has to be in my top-twenty, as does How To Disappear Completely...Great list though.

Johanna · 1 year ago

Really Creep???

Thom Yorke would hate you for that.

Amanda · 1 year ago

this is a good list, but i can't believe talk show host is missing! that song is ecstasy.

Zach · 1 year ago

The whole band would be PISSED about Creep getting number 1 haha. They don't even play it live. They HATE that song. Radiohead has always rocked, but they started making truly beautiful, shockingly expressive and innovative music the day Thom decided laptops make cool music. The top 10 according to me:
1. National Anthem
2. Everything in its Right Place
3. Morning Bell/Amnesiac
4. You and Whose Army
5. Idioteque
6. There There (The Boney King of Nowhere)
7. Bodysnatchers
8. Nude
9. Myxomatosis
10. Packt Like Sardines in a Crushd Tin Box
11. House of Cards
12. Trans-Atlantic Drawl
13. 15 Step
14. A Punchup at a Wedding
15. My Iron Lung
16. Subterranean Homesick Alien
17. Electioneering
18. Lucky
19. The Amazing Sounds of Orgy
20. Optimistic

That was harder than I thought it would be. Theres no way those are in exactly the right order, but that's impossible.

Albums ranked in order of awesome:
1. Amnesiac
2. Kid A
3. In Rainbows
4. Hail to the Thief
5. OK Computer
6. The Bends
7. Pablo Honey

Megan · 1 year ago

There There (The Boney King of Nowhere) is my current favorite, although it changes nearly every week!

radioking · 1 year ago

Hey, Street Spirit should be included in the top 10. Have you ever read Thom's interpretation of the song in Wikipedia? His explanation is pretty in depth. Personally, listening to the song feels like facing the void. That's why I like it so much.

Steven Davies · 1 year ago

The middle part (this is what you get) with the chord piano reminds me of The Beatles’ Sexy Sadie.
I've heard so many times this song and now I know what she reminds me of.

Madison · 1 year ago

Hey, thanks for the effort you have put in.
High and Dry is my favourite song out of all songs ever written...
It's really interesting to listen to their other music and see how versatile they are.
Thanks for the eye opener and information and detail!!!!

Hummer H3 · 1 year ago

Wow! What a list! I'm gonna have to intervene. Can't wait to see Radiohead may 14th st. Louis, Row EE Center.
1. Paranoid Android
2. Let Down
3. The Reckoner
4. House of Cards
5. Nude
6. Knives Out
7. Subterranean Homesick Alien
8. There, There
9. Fog
10. Lift
11. Everything in it's Right Place
12. Lucky
13. Street Spirit
14. 2+2=5
15. Go to Sleep
16. The Tourist
17. Where I end and you begin
18. Sail to the Moon
19. All I need
20. You and whose Army?

Peace

tyler · 1 year ago

downloaded every song on this list :)

Gerard · 1 year ago

Last Flowers and Videotape have to be included

serene · 2 months ago

ya right, last flowers is absolutely breath-taking

Madeline · 1 year ago

I would need a lot of time to compose a list, and it would be hard with only 20 spaces to fill.
I love Radiohead! Can't wait to see them! Vancouver, August 19th!!!!!

simon · 1 year ago

Radiohead do play creep live, in fact they have played it at almost every gig I have seen them, last one was at the v festival and those who attended south park, they finished with it, it was pissing down with rain and nobody moved an inch.

Cant wait to see them in London in a few weeks

Philip · 1 year ago

The only reason you like creep is because the media has hyped it so much. There isn't a single musical element of it which isn't vastly better implemented on their other work. Your main reasoning seems to be that Creep showed off their talent before their brilliant works to come. Wouldn't this mean that the first time Thom ever spoke would be his best work, since it had implications for his future?
Seriously, Creep over Paranoid Android, Idioteque, Bodysnatchers, Like Spinning Plates, Pyramid Song, and dozens of legitimately profound songs? I am sorry you're so easily influenced by what you hear on the radio.

webomatica · 1 year ago

Philip: At the top of the article: "The order below is chronological, not from best to worst - Creep is not my favorite Radiohead song." I am sorry some people can't seem to read an article from top to bottom and *assume* a list is from best to worst when the article clearly states it's not.

simon · 1 year ago

philip chill your boots, lots of fans love creep, not becuase of media hype, becuase its an old favorite.
Thom hates it becuase that's all anyone wanted to hear back in the day, they were one hit wonders, lucky for us they kept going and just got better and better with each album.

kick on

barcaxavi · 1 year ago

Great list doh!I'm just listening to it right now.I apriciate it!
My favourite is Karma Police!

jimmy · 1 year ago

"Philip: At the top of the article: “The order below is chronological, not from best to worst - Creep is not my favorite Radiohead song.” I am sorry some people can’t seem to read an article from top to bottom and *assume* a list is from best to worst when the article clearly states it’s not."

Exactly.

nnnnnng · 1 year ago

seriously folks, we're all radiohead fans here, but where's the True Love Waits? The I Might Be Wrong? The Motion Picture Soundtrack? The Idioteque? The Let Down? The You Never Wash Up After Yourself? The Trickster? The Talk Show Host? The Bends (song) ? Even Prove Yourself I feel, with its somewhat countering vocal melody, is a very interesting song. Although really it's not much in the face of Like Spinning Plates - if the CD version doesn't make sense, get "I Might Be Wrong : Live Recordings", and you will wish you were 10 years younger so you can listen to it for all that time you missed out on. even though i know the cd's only 7-odd years old, you get my point....

anyway. i liked the list but prove yourself and you are both better than creep, as is the epic Blow Out, for pablo honey tracks. The best radiohead song IS true love waits, it captures everything you listen to them for perfectly.

the likes of idioteque, i might be wrong, like spinning plates and motion picture soundtrack - (VASTLY underrated and VASTLY under analysed - FAR too much is said about much more boring Kid A tracks like In Limbo and Optimistic, just because they're easier listens. MPS is the best song on kid a, apart from everything in its right place and idioteque. and how to disappear completey)

And i haven't even mentioned In Rainbows, a fine piece of work, particularly on 15 Step, All I Need, Reckoner and the brilliant Videotape.

thank you

will · 1 year ago

Big Boots (or Man of War) is a killer song

simon · 1 year ago

Just got my RA D IO HEA_D tickets for Tuesday 24th June at Victoria park, London
Can't wait

Kick on!

Grant · 1 year ago

If it were ordered, "Fake Plastic Trees" should obviously be #1, "Paranoid Android" should be #2, "In Limbo" should be #3.

The following songs were left off that should be there:

"Street Spirit"
"Idioteque"
"How To Disappear Completely"
"Motion Picture Soundtrack"

These shouldn't be on there:

"Creep"
"High and Dry"


"Like Spinning Plates"
"Knives Out"

Tom · 1 year ago

thanks for the list and really good descriptions of these songs. as a new radiohead fan who only has two of their albums this list has helped me great also the comments have helped me pick songs now i can go put them on my ipod and pick for myselve my top 20 but this list has helped alot.

Kay Bee · 1 year ago

You and Whose Army
A Wolf At the Door
National Anthem
My Iron Lung
Subterranean Homesick Alien
Paranoid Android

...too many to list

AP · 1 year ago

I love the work you put into this list, but I wonder if you would have listed the same 20 songs a few days after posting. I'm guessing not. For true Radiohead fans, the favorites are always changing. With that said, however, I can't think of a time that Wolf at the Door wouldn't have made my top 20.

parker · 1 year ago

there is no possible way you could ever say ONE Radiohead song is their best.. frankly, they are all too good. And not enough people have taken in consideration of their newest album In Rainbows, which is unarguably phenomenal. Though each of Radiohead's albums has a taste of its own.. and I could easily say they are probably the most versatile band to ever hit this planet. This band is BRILLIANT... The list above is decent, but just decent.. there are definitely some songs that should not be up there, and there are some songs that definitely should be up there (if your trying to make a top 20).. Im sorry but you can't just review a band like Radiohead for a few months and start analyzing which songs are best and which songs are not..uh, you just can't.
Though their best songs would be:

-Let Down
-Street Spirit
-Just
-Paranoid Android
-Planet Telex
-Myxomatosis
-Idioteque
-Talk Show Host
-Knives Out
-Pyramid Song
-Fake Plastic Trees
-High and Dry
-My Iron Lung
-House of Cards
-No Surprises
-All I Need
-Go to Sleep
-How to Disappear Completely
-Like Spinning Plates
-There There
-The Bends
-Scatterbrain
-Airbag
-Karma Police
-Climbing Up the Walls
-Everything in its Right Place
-Exit Music
-A Punch Up at a Wedding
-Jigsaw Falling Into Place
-The Tourist
-Nude
-Morning Bell
-Lucky
-Motion Picture Soundtrack
-The National Anthem
-The Trickster
-Kid A
-Reckoner
-You and Whose Army
-Optimistic
-Bodysnatchers
-Bulletproof .. I Wish I Was
-Bones
-Electioneering
-Creep (acoustic version)

there ya go

Subash · 1 year ago

Creep is not one of my favorite songs from Radiohead, but great list though. Surprised Street spirit is not up in the list.

newfanatic · 1 year ago

[[“chill your boots” ~ simon]]

lol, ditto that... no list is perfect to everyone

but this has been a great starter list for a newbie like me... or I was a year ago,,,

thank you!!

eriza · 1 year ago

Yay for everyone who put "Electioneering" on their list!

I'm not going to say it's my favorite, cause i agree it's impossible to have one favorite, but it's definitely in my top 5!

Annette · 1 year ago

no surprises!
and i agree with many on the fact that creep is a great song, not their best, but fans love it because it is an old favorite.

Patrick · 1 year ago

I was enjoying the list until Let Down was missing. No Radiohead list is complete without it and this eliminated any thought in my mind that you know what you are talking about.

Matt · 1 year ago

How to disappear needs to be on here, no question. Iron lung is the weakest on the list.

stefan · 1 year ago

I like your taste dude.

luis · 1 year ago

I think its a shame u chose such early stuff.
don't get get me wrong, I love the early work, but they dident really break out and become the phenominal group they are till they put out some of there later work.

Sail to the moon has to be one of the most beautiful songs in the world. its dissapointing to know it was overlooked.

it's obvious you have been listening to radiohead for "several months" simply by your song selection.

had you have been following them for several years, like the majority of fans, I'm sure ur list would look dramatically different

super g dude · 1 year ago

I'm just wondering where "life in a glasshouse" is. the dark jazz plus the strange lyrics definetley would make it one of my top 20.

dec · 1 year ago

i agree wit luis there newer stuff makes them so amazing and individual
street spirit, there there, lucky n knives out r the best

David · 12 months ago

these are all great lists.. here's mine in no specific order:

Exit Music (for a film)
Paranoid Android
2+2=5
A Wolf At The Door
Creep (Acoustic version)
Kid A
Where I End And You Begin
How To Disappear Completely
Rabbit In Your Headlights (although this isnt really a radiohead song... thom yorke sings it!)
Talk Show Host
Street Spirit
Permanent Daylight
The National Anthem
Everything In Its Right Place
Sit Down, Stand Up
Sail to the Moon
Backdrifts
Reckoner
Palo Alto
Weird Fishes/Arpeggi

lol i dont know which band i like better though, radiohead or muse. (PLEASE i dont mean to start a radiohead vs muse debate here.) they both have really distinct and genius styles.. and they're all incredible at what they do. i know that radiohead came first and muse used radiohead as one of their influences.. if anyone here hasn't really gotten into muse, you guys should give them a try! both radiohead and muse have very beautiful and intense styles.

mart · 11 months ago

If i had to pick one song it would be "street spirit" it sends to a place i think i know,but ultimately don't,and i feel good

kay · 10 months ago

i love all of these songs, before i was familiar with their music i listened to them to get used to radiohead & loved them all. after knowing these songs you're used to their style enough to really appreciate the rest. and i think "in rainbows" is pure gold, the music on it is amazing even though many bands can't seem to match up their later cds with the classics... it's awesome. overall, i love packt like sardines in a crushd tin box (or however it's abbreviated) and jigsaw falling into place. i heard that one at a restaurant once and freaked out, it was great. :)

kay · 10 months ago

these songs are great for learning radiohead's style and becoming familiar with the band. i put these on my ipod when i didn't know them very well, but my dad had their entire collection, and i loved all of it. "in rainbows" is also pure genius, i love jigsaw falling into place. one time i heard it at a restaurant and freaked out, it was great and already my favorite song so i loved hearing it there. :) other than that, one that i love is packt like sardines in a crushd tin box, bodysnatchers, and a million more. they really are one of the best bands for building up songs nicely. and i love muse to, i wouldn't say there has to be a radiohead vs. muse debate because though they're comparable, they have distinct styles and a lot of fans would like both bands. it's all good :)

mic · 10 months ago

malisimo

Unknown · 10 months ago

Just one question. How can you rate the top ten Radiohead songs? And secondly why would you only buy particular songs from Itunes? Each of their albums are meant to be listened to from start to finish. After listening to each album starting with Pablo Honey and all the way through In Rainbows you really notice what this band has accomplished. A few of the lists that I read basically name all of their songs and the other list was a collection of the singles they released on the radio. There was not much thinking involved in those lists. Anyways I am not trying to be a snob. If you are going to buy their music, purchase the album and listen to the album the way the musicians intended you to hear the songs. There are also a lot of great B-Sides that were not listed in the lists. I did not even see Bishop's Robes in any of the list. One on their best tracks. Do your homework and you will be rewarded with one of the greatest bands of our times.

tHe.WeBmInStEr · 10 months ago

Creep...? Is one of the songs from RH wich seems like it has nothing to do with theyr genre... Btw where the hell is Street Spirit (Fadeout) ?! :P

Teleblaster · 10 months ago

You put High and Dry on your list? One of their weakest efforts... They were forced into doing it by EMI...

Jake · 10 months ago

O_O
I love High and Dry. I've been listening to Radiohead for less than a month, but I've heard just about everything besides Amnesiac and In Rainbows, and High and Dry is one of my favorites. It's one of their more emotional songs in my opinion.

Anders · 9 months ago

I dunno. How do you rate this. I can only mention the five songs that I have had a most serious love affair with over the years (and I mean that quite literally). This is a very exclusive list, and I guess other circumstances might have led to me picking other songs:

Street spirit
Lucky
I might be wrong
Living in a glass house
Nude

For some reason I always rated Amnesiac as their best album.

fast-shop · 9 months ago

Sail to the Moon - one of my favs - Anyone see them at Victoria park, was a bit dissapointed by the venue and sound, much better in smaller venue - tho when they did the v festival that fooking rocked.

TREY · 8 months ago

Songs that shook me by radiohead and still do to this day:

Fake Plastic Trees
Just
Bulletproof
Nice Dream
Paranoid Android
Exit Music
Let Down
Fitter Happier
All of Kid A except for tracks 5,6 and 7(By far kid A is Radioheads Magnum Opus for me) *Motion Picture Soundtrack is there most emotional song of all time and just downright beautiful
...Amnesiac as well is great as an album but in the middle gets a bit less amazing
From Hail to the Thief: Sit Down. Stand Up.
We suck Young Blood
Go to Sleep
A wolf at the door
In Rainbows: Amazing albums but if forced to pick favorites, Bodysnatchers, All I Need, House of Cards, Nude

james · 8 months ago

my favorite is fake plastic trees
idk why ive always liked it

Jim · 8 months ago

(No Order)
Nude
Weird Fishes/Arpeggi
Karma Police
Wolf At My Door
You And Who Army?
15 Steps
2+2=5
High And Dry
Reckoner
Bodysnatchers
Fake Plastic Trees

Alias · 7 months ago

No How To Disappear Completely?
...
fail.

King · 6 months ago

how about climbing up the walls?

Esteban · 6 months ago

I think you're missing quite a few, for e.g: Palo Alto, Talk Show Host, There There, How To Disappear Completely, The National Anthem

Domus · 5 months ago

All i need. What an under rated song!!!!!!! everyone should listen to it again i think and just think about the lyrics meaning.
Its ridiculous!

Erin · 5 months ago

Okay, people need to chill. This is just one persons opinion. We all have our favorites, none of our lists are going to be EXACTLY the same. I think the bottom line here is that you cannot pick just twenty of the best Radiohead songs. It needs to be more like fifty.

just me · 4 months ago

no one can decide what's best, i guess? in order to make the perfect list we should put all radiohead's songs without any order... nothing's places first and nothing places last

asbani · 1 month ago

WoW all of these songs in the list are awesome, but I'm shocked and suprised to not seen these two songs at your list too.

Jigsaw falling into place
Wolf at the door

These two songs are amazing......They're up to bar with paranoid android for my taste, have fun

jaridious · 1 month ago

my list changes frequently, but i'll post anyway, no pablo honey and no the bends (sorry):

1. climbing up the walls
2. pyramid song
3. paranoid android
4. there there
5. exit music (for a film)
6. you and whose army?
7. reckoner
8. i might be wrong
9. let down
10. how to disappear completely
11. a wolf at the door
12. the national anthem
13. house of cards
14. go to sleep
15. lucky
16. all i need
17. life in a glasshouse
18. motion picture soundtrack
19. cuttooth
20. 2+2=5
21. packt like sardines in a crushd tin box
22. sail to the moon
23. i am a wicked child
24. like spinning plates
25. last flowers

albaab · 2 weeks ago

I alwez thot written reviews of music is shit...how can you descryb Music?? U jst gotta hear it...
My friend...thank you for proving me so ridiculously wrong....so accurate...brilliant piece of write up
This article actually made me discover and convert to Radiohead :D