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Rank the Radiohead albums!...help me out

DiRtyFranK38DiRtyFranK38 Posts: 3,131
edited February 2010 in Other Music
so i randomly bought the bends the other day at a local record store. got home and listened to it. BLEW MY MIND TO BITS. i've probably listened to it about 30 times since i got it (last saturday?). its beautiful, moving, and just purely brilliant. so now i'm gonna have to buy all the radiohead albums. but i'm curious to see how all of you rank their albums in order from best to worst and if you could, give a little blurb about each to help with my decisions of what to get next.
2006: Hartford
2008: MSG 1, Hartford, Mansfield 2, Ed Solo NYC 1
2009: London (O2), Philly 1, 2, 3, & 4
2010: Hartford, Boston, MSG 1 & 2
2011: Ed Solo Hartford
2012: Philly (MIA Fest)
2013: Worcester 2, Brooklyn 1 & 2, Hartford
Post edited by Unknown User on

Comments

  • InHerOwnWorldInHerOwnWorld Posts: 592
    The Bends is one of the greatest albums of all time. I was lucky enough to see Radiohead open for REM in 05. It was when The Bends first came out. I think I was the only one there who knew the songs. Enjoy your new obsession my friend. 8-)
  • DiRtyFranK38DiRtyFranK38 Posts: 3,131
    InHerOwnWorld wrote:
    The Bends is one of the greatest albums of all time. I was lucky enough to see Radiohead open for REM in 05. It was when The Bends first came out. I think I was the only one there who knew the songs. Enjoy your new obsession my friend. 8-)

    thats awesome! how would you rank all their albums?
    2006: Hartford
    2008: MSG 1, Hartford, Mansfield 2, Ed Solo NYC 1
    2009: London (O2), Philly 1, 2, 3, & 4
    2010: Hartford, Boston, MSG 1 & 2
    2011: Ed Solo Hartford
    2012: Philly (MIA Fest)
    2013: Worcester 2, Brooklyn 1 & 2, Hartford
  • justamjustam Posts: 21,412
    I don't feel like ranking all the albums but you'll probably like Hail to the Thief if you buy that next.
    &&&&&&&&&&&&&&
  • jervin007jervin007 Posts: 3,182
    1. The Bends
    2. OK Computer
    3. Kid A
    4. Amnesiac
    5. Hail to the Thief
    6. In Rainbows
    7. Pablo Honey (but by no means is this a bad album, it has some great songs on it!)
    PJ:
    2003 Mansfield: July 2
    2004 Boston: Sept 28 & 29
    2005 Montreal: Sept 15
    2006 Boston: May 24 & 25
    2008 Hartford: June 27, Mansfield: June 28,
    2010 Boston: May 17
    2013 Worcester: Oct 15, Hartford: Oct 25,
    2016 Hampton: April 18, Raleigh: April 20 (cancelled), Columbia: April 21. Quebec: May 5. Boston (Fenway): August 7

    EV Solo: Boston 8/2/08, Boston 6/16/11
  • Newch91Newch91 Posts: 17,560
    To me, they're like Pearl Jam albums...too tough to rank. They're that good. I'd say, Pablo Honey and then OK Computer. OK will change your life.
    Shows: 6.27.08 Hartford, CT/5.15.10 Hartford, CT/6.18.2011 Hartford, CT (EV Solo)/10.19.13 Brooklyn/10.25.13 Hartford
    "Becoming a Bruce fan is like hitting puberty as a musical fan. It's inevitable." - dcfaithful
  • InHerOwnWorldInHerOwnWorld Posts: 592
    The Bends
    Ok Computer
    Pablo Honey
    Kid A

    Those are the ones I really like. The other ones don't get much play.
  • sdb11281usasdb11281usa Posts: 8
    I randomly just listened to every Radiohead album in chronological order on Monday because I wanted to get further acquainted with their new stuff. It's tough to put them in order, but I have to say:

    1) The Bends
    2) OK Computer
    3) Pablo Honey
    4) In Rainbows
    5) Kid A
    6) Hail to the Thief
    7) Amnesiac

    I was never really into their more electronic stuff, so that definitely affected the ranking for Kid A and Amnesiac.
  • eeriepadaveeeriepadave West Chester, PA Posts: 42,424
    1. The Bends
    2. In Rainbows
    3. OK Computer
    4. Kid A
    5. Pablo Honey
    6. Amnesiac
    7. Hail To The Thief
    8/28/98- Camden, NJ
    10/31/09- Philly
    5/21/10- NYC
    9/2/12- Philly, PA
    7/19/13- Wrigley
    10/19/13- Brooklyn, NY
    10/21/13- Philly, PA
    10/22/13- Philly, PA
    10/27/13- Baltimore, MD
    4/28/16- Philly, PA
    4/29/16- Philly, PA
    5/1/16- NYC
    5/2/16- NYC
    9/2/18- Boston, MA
    9/4/18- Boston, MA
    9/14/22- Camden, NJ
    9/7/24- Philly, PA
    9/9/24- Philly, PA
    Tres Mts.- 3/23/11- Philly. PA
    Eddie Vedder- 6/25/11- Philly, PA
    RNDM- 3/9/16- Philly, PA
  • SVRDhand13SVRDhand13 Posts: 26,522
    1) OK Computer- 10
    2) Kid A- 10
    3) The Bends- 9.5
    4) Amnesiac- 9
    5) In Rainbows- 9
    6) Hail to the Thief- 8.5
    7) Pablo Honey- 7.5


    And I rated them out of 10. This is my 2nd favorite band.
    severed hand thirteen
    2006: Gorge 7/23 2008: Hartford 6/27 Beacon 7/1 2009: Spectrum 10/30-31
    2010: Newark 5/18 MSG 5/20-21 2011: PJ20 9/3-4 2012: Made In America 9/2
    2013: Brooklyn 10/18-19 Philly 10/21-22 Hartford 10/25 2014: ACL10/12
    2015: NYC 9/23 2016: Tampa 4/11 Philly 4/28-29 MSG 5/1-2 Fenway 8/5+8/7
    2017: RRHoF 4/7   2018: Fenway 9/2+9/4   2021: Sea Hear Now 9/18 
    2022: MSG 9/11  2024: MSG 9/3-4 Philly 9/7+9/9 Fenway 9/15+9/17
    2025: Pittsburgh 5/16+5/18
  • IsaacIsaac Posts: 137
    InHerOwnWorld wrote:
    The Bends is one of the greatest albums of all time. I was lucky enough to see Radiohead open for REM in 05. It was when The Bends first came out. I think I was the only one there who knew the songs. Enjoy your new obsession my friend. 8-)

    I am with Inherownworld with one difference...

    Ok Comp is 1st then...
    The Bends
    Pablo Honey
    Kid A

    To quantify...
    OK Comp is 1st for me cause it has the themes similar to The Bends... good melodies and such.

    But OK Comp also has risky elements that they tried to repeat in Kid A and Amnesiac.

    If it is any help for you I am also a big "No Code" fan... which was released around the same time as OK Computer (ok being a bit later). I felt like they (no code and ok comp) were both the 1st experimental albums from these bands, with raw uncomfortable moments (no code=lukin... ok comp=electroneering) but with really beautiful and stark moments (no code=off he goes... ok comp=let down).

    Anyway, this is all my opinion, but I thought I would quantify rather than just listing...

    enjoy!
  • dcfaithfuldcfaithful Posts: 13,076
    I'm not a Radiohead nerd, and I only own 3 albums...but they're all great in my opinion

    The Bends
    Amnesiac
    OK Computer

    all fantastic. I personally love The Bends and Amnesiac. I've heard wonderful things about Kid A, but haven't made the plunge into it yet. It's on my list, but I'm just not that blown away by Radiohead. That being said, I do respect them as the act that they are. I believe they've pushed boundaries, and have definitely made a mark that will be influential and remembered for some time to come.

    Just my two cents. :geek:
    7/2/06 - Denver, CO
    6/12/08 - Tampa, FL
    8/23/09 - Chicago, IL
    9/28/09 - Salt Lake City, UT (11 years too long!!!)
    9/03/11 - East Troy, WI - PJ20 - Night 1
    9/04/11 - East Troy, WI - PJ20 - Night 2
  • EquallyWorthlessEquallyWorthless Posts: 3,993
    Kid A
    Kid A
    Kid A
    Kid A
    Kid A





    Everything Else


    seriously though
    Kid A
    The Bends
    Amnesiac
    Ok Comp
    In Rainbows
    Hail to the Thief
    Pablo Honey
    {if (work != 0) {
    work = work + 1;
    sleep = sleep - work * 10;}
    else if (work >= 0) {
    reality.equals(false);
    work = work +1;
    }system("pause");
    return 0;}
  • dcfaithfuldcfaithful Posts: 13,076
    InHerOwnWorld wrote:
    The Bends is one of the greatest albums of all time. I was lucky enough to see Radiohead open for REM in 05. It was when The Bends first came out. I think I was the only one there who knew the songs. Enjoy your new obsession my friend. 8-)

    If you saw the open for REM, and The Bends had just been released, wouldn't it have been 1995?

    Not trying to correct you, as I am not too sure myself. :?
    7/2/06 - Denver, CO
    6/12/08 - Tampa, FL
    8/23/09 - Chicago, IL
    9/28/09 - Salt Lake City, UT (11 years too long!!!)
    9/03/11 - East Troy, WI - PJ20 - Night 1
    9/04/11 - East Troy, WI - PJ20 - Night 2
  • IsaacIsaac Posts: 137
    Yeah would have been 95... REM had a major tour that year too... so that would make since.

    Oh and by the way... to the original thread bearer: *ALL* of the Radio Head music videos are grand... youtube them...
  • FenwayFaithfulFenwayFaithful Posts: 8,626
    Everyone hates Pablo Honey. Radiohead at its best, for me, is The Bends and Pablo Honey. The other stuff is fantastic and unique all its own, but I love the early stuff.
    "FF, I've heard the droning about the Sawx being the baby dolls. Yeah, I get it, you guys invented baseball and suffered forever. I get it." -JearlPam0925
  • benjsbenjs Toronto, ON Posts: 9,223
    1. The Bends
    2. In Rainbows
    3. OK Computer
    4. Kid A
    5. Amnesiac
    6. Hail To The Thief
    7. Pablo Honey
    '05 - TO, '06 - TO 1, '08 - NYC 1 & 2, '09 - TO, Chi 1 & 2, '10 - Buffalo, NYC 1 & 2, '11 - TO 1 & 2, Hamilton, '13 - Buffalo, Brooklyn 1 & 2, '15 - Global Citizen, '16 - TO 1 & 2, Chi 2

    EV
    Toronto Film Festival 9/11/2007, '08 - Toronto 1 & 2, '09 - Albany 1, '11 - Chicago 1
  • DewieCoxDewieCox Posts: 11,430
    The Bends
    OK Computer
    Kid a
    In Rainbows
    Amnesiac
    Hail To The Thief
    Pablo Honey
  • DeLukinDeLukin Posts: 2,757
    OK Computer is definitely their best - it combines the guitar centered rock of the Bends with some experimental stuff as a sign of things to come. BUT it's definitely an acquired taste. You loved The Bends instantly, but OKC might take a few more listens and a lot more patience before it grabs you. It's a brilliant album though...
    I smile, but who am I kidding...
  • benjsbenjs Toronto, ON Posts: 9,223
    DeLukin wrote:
    OK Computer is definitely their best - it combines the guitar centered rock of the Bends with some experimental stuff as a sign of things to come. BUT it's definitely an acquired taste. You loved The Bends instantly, but OKC might take a few more listens and a lot more patience before it grabs you. It's a brilliant album though...
    I actually found the opposite. I feel like a lot of it depends which album you start with.. it's very much like Pearl Jam, in the sense that the first album you listen to - that's the sound you associate with the band. Then you listen to more albums, and realize they're all over the place in terms of the sound.
    '05 - TO, '06 - TO 1, '08 - NYC 1 & 2, '09 - TO, Chi 1 & 2, '10 - Buffalo, NYC 1 & 2, '11 - TO 1 & 2, Hamilton, '13 - Buffalo, Brooklyn 1 & 2, '15 - Global Citizen, '16 - TO 1 & 2, Chi 2

    EV
    Toronto Film Festival 9/11/2007, '08 - Toronto 1 & 2, '09 - Albany 1, '11 - Chicago 1
  • intodeepintodeep Posts: 7,240
    DiRtyFranK38 wrote:
    so i randomly bought the bends the other day at a local record store. got home and listened to it. BLEW MY MIND TO BITS. i've probably listened to it about 30 times since i got it (last saturday?). its beautiful, moving, and just purely brilliant. so now i'm gonna have to buy all the radiohead albums. but i'm curious to see how all of you rank their albums in order from best to worst and if you could, give a little blurb about each to help with my decisions of what to get next.
    Where have you been the past 17 years? :lol: I've never met anyone that is just now checking out radiohead.

    Either way that is cool

    Here is how i rank them:
    Ok Computer
    The Bends
    Kid A
    In Rainbows
    Hail to the Thief
    Amnesiac
    Pablo Honey
    Charlotte 00
    Charlotte 03
    Asheville 04
    Atlanta 12
    Greenville 16, Columbia 16
    Seattle 18 
    Nashville 22
    Ohana Festival 24 x2
  • stateoflove79stateoflove79 Posts: 2,845
    OK Computer
    Hail To The Thief
    In Rainbows
    Kid A
    The Bends
    Amnesiac
    Pablo Honey
    Is it so wrong to think that love can keep us safe?
  • 1STmammal2wearPants1STmammal2wearPants Worcester, MA Posts: 2,948
    My ranking:

    1) OK Computer
    2) The Bends
    3) In Rainbows
    4) Kid A
    5) Pablo Honey
    6) Hail to Thief
    7) Amnesiac
    2003 Mansfield III 
    2004 Boston I 
    2006 Boston I 
    2008 Bonnaroo, Hartford, Mansfield I 
    2010 Hartford 
    2013 Worcester I, Worcester II, Hartford 
    2016 Bonnaroo, Fenway I, Fenway II 
    2018 Fenway I, Fenway II 
    2021 Sea.Hear.Now
    2022 Camden
    2024 MSG I, Fenway I, Fenway II
  • DewieCoxDewieCox Posts: 11,430
    benjs wrote:
    1. The Bends
    2. In Rainbows
    3. OK Computer
    4. Kid A
    5. Amnesiac
    6. Hail To The Thief
    7. Pablo Honey

    nice!!
  • tcaporaletcaporale Posts: 1,577
    1. OK Computer [Might seriously be my favorite album of all time; the whole thing is excellent from start-to-finish, the production flourishes are perfect, and this album really changed how I listen to music. From the cut-up drums on "Airbag" to the ending seconds of "The Tourist" the album just takes you for a ride. "Paranoid Android" is basically their mission statement: the first part showcases their ability for odd time signatures and sci-fi themes, the second part shows that they can rock with the best of them, and then the third part highlights their vocal melodies and Thom Yorke's now-patented sad, affected delivery.]

    2. The Bends [While it might have lost a tiny bit of luster over time due to some of its more dated production work on songs like "Black Star," this album perfectly melds Radiohead more fun, angsty early days with "Just" and their more haunting, ethereal material, as with "Street Spirit". And, like on "My Iron Lung," sort of a precursor to "Paranoid Android," it can all occur within the same song.]

    3. In Rainbows [All killer, no filler. A definite departure from Hail to the Thief in that respect. The album has an organic, song-based feel to it that none of their previous albums had. Apart from the electro-meets-jazz opener of "15 Step" and the distortion of "Bodysnatchers," the rest of the album is defined by some of the most beautiful songs ever put to record. This band is still in their prime.]

    4. Kid A [Is this overrated? Yes, most likely. Individually, some of the songs can seem difficult to get through. But if one looks at the album as a whole experience instead of individual tracks, it's not hard to see why it's referred to as the best album of the past decade. With Kid A Radiohead have one of the most successful experiments in all of rock music. Implementing electronics and free jazz, rarely has the band sounded more exciting, particularly on "Idioteque" and "The National Anthem".]

    5. Hail to the Thief [Yes, it has filler. Yes, the production isn't as amazing as it was on their previous three albums to this, largely because the songs were performed live. But the best of this album is up there as some of the band's greatest material. Case in point: "There There". Marrying tribal drums with distorted guitar, the song is Radiohead at its most adventurous and thrilling.]

    6. Amnesiac ["Pyramid Song," "You and Whose Army?," "Knives Out," "I Might Be Wrong," and "Life in a Glasshouse" are all amazing songs. The rest can be difficult to get through, as this album, sometimes dubbed Kid B, is even more willfully experimental. However, it can be a very rewarding listen.]

    7. Pablo Honey [Everybody has to start somewhere, right? Yes, nothing here really stands up with the band's best material. However, it's a fun album. "Creep" and "Blow Out" display the potential the band would realize on The Bends.]
  • Got a hard hard headGot a hard hard head Posts: 638
    jervin007 wrote:
    1. The Bends
    2. OK Computer
    3. Kid A
    4. Amnesiac
    5. Hail to the Thief
    6. In Rainbows
    7. Pablo Honey (but by no means is this a bad album, it has some great songs on it!)

    That's exactly how I would list them - great minds think alike. ;)

    As fantastic an album as Ok Computer is, The Bends had a massive, massive impact on me and it was light years ahead of anything else out at the time.
    It's gonna be a glorious day...
  • OutOfBreathOutOfBreath Posts: 1,804
    Hmmm

    Pretty much a tie between the bends and ok computer for the top spot.
    Then In Rainbows and Kid A. I really loved the latest album in it's stripped down sound.
    Bringing up the rear is Hail to the thief, Amnesiac (like Kid A, but not as good imo) and Pablo Honey last.

    All good though.

    Peace
    Dan
    "YOU [humans] NEED TO BELIEVE IN THINGS THAT AREN'T TRUE. HOW ELSE CAN THEY BECOME?" - Death

    "Every judgment teeters on the brink of error. To claim absolute knowledge is to become monstrous. Knowledge is an unending adventure at the edge of uncertainty." - Frank Herbert, Dune, 1965
  • Back_PedalBack_Pedal Posts: 1,171
    1. In Rainbows
    2. Kid A
    3. OK Computer (You might want to get this next though, before Kid A)
    4. Amnesiac
    5. Hail to the Thief
    6. The Bends
    7. Pablo Honey
    Thanks EPOTTSIII!
    "Vinyl or not, you will need to pay someone to take RA of your hands" - Smile05
    424, xxx
  • mfc2006mfc2006 HTOWN Posts: 37,484
    Ok Computer
    Hail To The Thief
    In Rainbows
    The Bends
    Amnesiac
    Kid A
    Pablo Honey
    I LOVE MUSIC.
    www.cluthelee.com
    www.cluthe.com
  • deadmosquitodeadmosquito Posts: 729
    kid a
    the bends
    ok computer
    in rainbows
    amnesiac
    hail to the thief
    pablo honey
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