Radiohead released Pablo Honey in 1993, and their subsequent discography of alternative rock and electronic music defined a generation. Their peak came upon the life-altering release of OK Computer – post-Britpop era – after Oasis and Blur battled it out on the charts and more subversive British bands took centre stage.

It’s difficult to choose just ten songs from Radiohead’s vast repertoire, but as rumours are starting to swirl that a Radiohead 2025 tour might be upon us, it’s time to get acquainted with the songs that any fan should know. 

Read on to discover Radiohead’s top 10 songs, and how you can secure VIP tickets if a tour really is on the cards for the band.

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'Present Tense'

'Recent' might be the wrong word considering A Moon Shaped Pool is almost a decade old, but nevertheless ‘Present Tense’ is a relatively newer b-side in their discography. It's an atmospheric track with heavy, bossa nova style string elements and a samba melody that stands out on the album among soft, tinkling ballads. Depreciating chords create a sense of foreboding in the song, especially coupled with Thom Yorke's haunting vocals.

‘Nude’

‘Nude’ is one of Radiohead’s greatest ballads, graceful and sensual in its slow rhythm and falsetto crooning, giving it a reputation as one of the band's most romantic songs. Lyrically however, the song is about boredom in suburbia, which is pretty standard for OK Computer-era Radiohead. Prior to its release on the 2007 album In Rainbows, it was one of the band’s most popular unreleased songs.

‘How to Disappear Completely’

From the 2002 album Kid A, ‘How To Disappear Completely’ is haunting, anguished, frankly depressing – and one of the most beautiful songs Thom Yorke has ever written. Johnny Greenwood's strings build and build into a crescendo of crystal sharp wails, sonically replicating the feeling of dissociation and confusion.

‘No Surprises’

OK Computer perfectly encapsulates the grey, bored and disillusioned feeling so many had in the late 90s, connecting with those with existential tendencies and defining a moment in British music history. 'No Surprises' serves as an example of this sentiment, as Thom laments of "a job that slowly kills you" over ethereal strings, the dreamlike rock allowing the listener to float away from reality for three blissful minutes.

‘True Love Waits’

Fans really did wait for 'True Love Waits,' as Radiohead had performed versions of it live since 1995 before its eventual studio release in 2016. Thom Yorke creates a Peter Pan and Wendy image with this song, as he promises not to grow up in order to stay in his relationship. Hearing Thom sing about "lollipops and crisps" over the cold, ghostlike piano is jarring in the best way.

‘Idioteque’

‘Idioteque’ is the magnum opus of Radiohead’s more heavily electronic music, with broken and distorted beats to capture the sound of a crackly, blown-out PA system at a club. The lyrics make no sense, the beat chops and changes, but that’s what made the Kid A album so interesting.

‘Weird Fishes / Arpeggi’

'Weird Fishes / Arpeggi' reflects the cover of the In Rainbows album, exploding into an array of colours through mesmerising shoegaze guitars that feel like warm summer sun. Once the first half has built to a peak, the sudden change to 'Arpeggi' with its faster percussion serves to keep the listener guessing. It's a fan favourite song on a fan favourite album.

‘Fake Plastic Trees’

The Bends album is much more based in guitars and traditional rock elements than Radiohead's later works. The song is acoustic and was reportedly inspired by the music of Jeff Buckley, giving Thom Yorke the confidence to sing in his falsetto register which has become his signature. Mournful and brooding, it encapsulates that moody mid-90s energy.

‘Let Down’

It is a travesty that the layered, tinkling instrumental is what makes 'Let Down' so difficult for the band to perform live, leaving fans waiting for its return to setlists until 2017. The song's consistent momentum build up to an explosion of chaos and catharsis that is guaranteed to induce tears.

‘Karma Police’

‘Karma Police’ shows what made OK Computer such a successful album. An interesting mixture of experimental rock guitar and electronic sounds, and lyrical themes of dissatisfaction with capitalism and authority. In the final verse, Thom wails in his trembling voice “phew, for a minute there, I lost myself,” as the guitars begin to distort and oscillate as he descends into the insanity of a mundane life.

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