Worst to Best: Radiohead

    Radiohead is probably the most critically-acclaimed musical act in the last 3 decades. Their discography was one of the most consistent of all time. Whether it's Grunge, Britpop, Art Rock, IDM, Radiohead does it well. So I will rank their 9 LP from worst to best.

Radiohead

    Keep that in mind, none of them are completely awful, it's all in the context of their discography.

    9. Pablo Honey

 

    Although Pablo Honey had one of the most important moments in their whole discography( creep, of course), Pablo Honey was still Radiohead's least interesting album. They sounded like any bands else at that point, a bit Grunge a bit Britpop. With that being said, this album is still good production-wise. Creep is still a classic rock song, You is a massively underrated song, and the Anyone Can Play Guitar live show at the MTV Beach House is the greatest moment of all time. 

    Score: 6.0/10

    8. The King of Limbs

    The King of Limbs is definitely the most polarizing Radiohead album. Maybe because it's the least rocky album, and it's often seen as one of their worst work. It's still slightly better than Pablo Honey though, some of the materials here are actually amazing. Bloom is a fantastic opener, the IDM and Jungle influence actually remind me of why Radiohead is such a great band - always involving and trying new sounds. 

    Score: 6.5/10

    7. Hail to the Thief

    This is Radiohead's longest and most political album. To some degree, I think it was the most accessible album, not because they weren't taking any sonic risks. Some of the songs are based on a more pop structure, making the record sounds easier on the ears. My biggest issue is Hail to the Thief being bloated and inconsistent. Like The King of Limbs, there were definitely a lot of interesting things about this album, but Radiohead just didn't perfect them on songs. But 2+2=5 and A Wolf at the Door are so goddamn fantastic though.

    Score: 8.0/10

    6. Amnesiac

    Amnesiac, aka Kid A leftover. Even though it's a leftover, it's still a very great album. Compared to Kid A, the elements on this one are even weirder. The opening track Packt Like Sardines In a Crused Tin Box even sounds like something fallen in the sewer. As a follow-up to Kid A, this album is an interesting one. It isn't as good as Kid A, but it's equally interesting as Kid A.

    Score: 8.3/10

    5. The Bends

    I think The Bends is a hit-or-miss to lots of the Radiohead fans now, it's great on its own field, but it's far different from what they were doing after The Bends. With that being said, this is one of my favorite Britpop albums. Probably their most catchy album, lots of great tunes, Fake Plastic Trees is my top 5 songs of Radiohead. Another great thing about this album is it really helped Radiohead make their big transition - from Pablo Honey to OK Computer.

    Score: 9.0/10

    4. A Moon Shaped Pool

    I remember there was a list that was made by a data scientist, said that A Moon Shaped Pool is their saddest and most gloomy record. And I totally agree. This album is melancholy, heart-wrenching, and gorgeous. And to be frank, I think this album is a career-defining moment for them. They've truly figured their sound out after 8 albums. In their entire career, this is the most mature work they've ever put out, and it's stunning and beautiful. This more folk influence is exactly what they should go after experimenting for twenty-plus years.

     Score: 9.5/10

    Everyone's top three are probably these three albums but in different orders, and it's hard to rank them because they are all spectacular in their unique way. But I'm quite confident about this order:

  

    3. In Rainbows

    A fan's favorite album, and it's not hard to see why. Firstly, this album gets the best flow, from the icy 15 Steps to the emotional Videotape, it doesn't have a single miss here. Even one of the lower points, Faust Arp, has its own unique sound and fits the album immaculately. It's crazy to see how Radiohead balanced everything so perfectly. In Rainbows has those amusing highs and incredibly emotional lows. Bodysnatchers is the track that still amazes me after countless listens, the rawness and abstract are absolutely at their peak. At the same time, tracks like Nude and Videotape are still going to take you down after the highs. Weird Fishes/Arpeggi and Jigsaw Falling Into Place showcase how great Radiohead is at song structure. One tiny issue is the lyrics kind of missing out, making me can't relate to this record, lyrically.

    Score: 9.7/10

    2. Kid A

    Radiohead was never the most experimental band on the planet, but this album is the most experimental they could get. In that case, Kid A is a lot of people's favorite. Radiohead took the most adventurous decision after OK Computer, made probably the best turn, the most successful transition in music history. Pretty much nothing else to say about this album, it was the boldest artistic statement they've ever made, and it defined their whole career for ten-plus years.

    Score: 10/10

    1. OK Computer

    An album needs no introduction at this time. This is the perfect Radiohead album, and actually the most perfect album I've ever heard. When people say that listening to music is all about sonic bliss, this album truly means it. OK Computer is unparalleled. What makes this album greater: after 25 years, the lyrical theme still fits perfectly. Even today, we still live in this computer-ruled dystopian world. That's my point why OK Computer is better than Kid A.

    Score: 10/10