Radiohead

English rock-band Radiohead was formed in 1986 in Oxfordshire. The band's lineup remained the same since that time. So, Radiohead consists of: Thom Yorke – leader, vocals, rhythm-guitar, keyboards, programming; Jonny Greenwood – solo-guitar, keyboards, mouth-organ, saxophone, xylophone, etc.; Ed O'Brien - guitar, back-vocals, percussions; Colin Greenwood – bass-guitar, keyboards and Phil Selway - drums. The band's music styles have often changed, according to the latest tendencies. So, among the works of Radiohead it's possible to find grunge, light-rock, britpop and even IDM (Intelligent Dance Music).

Up to 1992 Radiohead hasn't released any recordings. In 1992 their first single Creep was released and then in 1993 Radiohead recorded a debut album, titled Pablo Honey. In spite of the fact that the album was evidently unsuccessful, the single became a worldwide hit. Radiohead's popularity in the UK intensified after the release of their second album The Bends in Fall 1995. An expressive, charming voice of Thom Yorke, which seemed to be coming from Space, and specific guitar sounds were warmly perceived both by critics and the audience. OK Computer - the third studio album of Radiohead, released in 1997, was nominated for Grammy as an "Album Of The Year". OK Computer won in the nomination "The Best Alternative Project". It has also got into the Rolling's Stones list of The 500 Best Albums of All Time, and occupied the 162 position; on the 110 position the previous disc The Bends was situated.

Radiohead reached the top of their popularity after the release of two new discs Kid A (October 2000) and Amnesiac (June 2001). In this period a change of band's style became visible, with influences including electronic music, jazz and modern classical music. The Radiohead's departure from the standards of rock became evident in new songs and in another way of performing. The sound experiments, which were just faintly indicated in OK Computer, occupied a topping position on Kid A and Amnesiac. On these discs the band used a few guitars, drum-machines, wind instruments and computer effects. The musicians have expanded a range of the instruments they played in the studio and at live shows. The sixth studio album Hail to the Thief was released in June 2003. It was notable for mixing various styles, blending guitar-driven rock, electronic influences and topical lyrics.

Radiohead recently completed their seventh studio album, In Rainbows, released through their own website on October 10, 2007 as a digital download, for which users could set any price they liked. In spite of the fact that it was possible to download the album for free, Radiohead earned 5 million pounds during first two days. The band plans to record a deluxe boxed version of In Rainbows that will include a double vinyl disc, a book, eight bonus tracks and two CDs. It will be available in December. Traditional CDs will come into the market at the same time. In 2008, the British band released an extremely interesting compilation album titled Radiohead: The Best Of. The record included the group’s best works, such as Karma Police, Creep, Idioteque and many others. There is absolutely no doubt that the highest level of performance and excellent choice of compositions make Radiohead: The Best Of quite valuable issue not only for Radiohead’s fans, but also for all the lovers of original music.