The 5 Best Radiohead Songs, Ranked

Published Oct 27, 2026, 7:03 AM EDT Audrey Connelly is a writer living and working in Boston, MA. Music is and has always been one of the most important parts of her life. While rock & roll is her true love, Audrey's taste runs the gamut. Deep cuts, overplayed Billboard Hot 100 hits, trip hop, reggae, musical theater. It's all fair game. However, if she's being totally honest, she is not a huge fan of (most) country music, but she is (mostly) willing to give anything a listen or two. She has previously contributed to Atwood Magazine and has brought her passion for writing and music – specifically classic and alternative rock – to Collider. Radiohead is one of the most influential and interesting bands to ever grace the rock music scene. The group has been pushing boundaries and redefining genres since their 1985 formation in Oxfordshire, England. Over their decades-long career, their sound has changed dramatically – but their lineup has not. The original five members are all still part of the band. Perhaps it is decades of working together and gelling as a band that has allowed them to create such masterpieces. Few groups have done more for alternative rock (or music in general) than the inimitable Radiohead. While everyone and their mom knows “Creep,” their catalog goes so much deeper than this hit single. In fact, “Creep” is far from their best work – an opinion that the band (specifically frontman Thom Yorke) vehemently shares. They have released nine studio albums since 1993, incorporating art rock, grunge, electronica, prog rock, and (to their great dismay) Britpop into their work. Here are the five most creative, well-produced, and beautifully dark Radiohead songs of all time. 5 “Lift” – ‘OK Computer OKNOTOK 1997 2017’ (2017) In 2017, Radiohead released OK Computer OKNOTOK 1997 2017. The album is a reissue of their 1997 album OK Computer, including remasters of the original album and its B-sides along with three unreleased tracks. The re-release garnered a lot of media attention and an extremely favorable critical reception, specifically in regards to the new material – including “Lift.” This track was written and recorded in 1997, initially intended to be the lead single on the original album. Instead, the band pulled a 180 and scrapped it entirely – that is, up until the 2017 reissue. They have been performing “Lift” in their live performances since 1996, making it an elusive favorite for diehard Radiohead fans – many consider the song to be a lost classic. “Lift” is a guitar-driven, Britpop-leaning anthem, capturing the last of their older sound as they diverged from traditional rock music and forayed into a more abstract, electronic format. The song features yearning, contemplative lyrics and a steady build, walking the line between uplifting and depressing. In the lyrics, Thom Yorke addresses himself directly: “This is the place/ Sit down, you're safe now/ You've been stuck in a lift/ We've been trying to reach you, Thom.” The song captures the feeling of false optimism and being trapped by the pressures and responsibilities of fame. The accompanying music video shows Yorke in an elevator with a rotating cast of characters and unusual scenes revealed through the opening doors. Beautiful and introspective, it is our good fortune that Radiohead finally decided to release this track. 4 “Jigsaw Falling Into Place” – ‘In Rainbows’ (2007) Few songs capture a moment in time and an ephemeral feeling the way that “Jigsaw Falling Into Place” does. The track is the lead single from the album In Rainbows, which was released in 2007 on the band’s website with no prior publicity. The band allowed fans to set their own price when purchasing the album, an unprecedented move that was both applauded and criticized. “Jigsaw” was written by Yorke whilst drinking in a bar, and it encapsulates the feeling of meeting someone out at a bar… and all the complicated and intoxicating emotions that come with the experience. Right from the get-go, the track is tight and fast-paced, built upon the foundation of Colin Greenwood’s relentless bassline. It mirrors a racing heartbeat – fueled by booze or attraction? Either way, it makes you want to get up and move your body. The song is frenzied and anxiety-inducing, in a good way (if that is even possible), like the anticipation of a fun night that you know is eventually going to go to s***. There is an octave jump in the vocals during the bridge, indicative of the hysteria and elation of an unexpected drunk encounter. Time Magazine calls “Jigsaw” “a doomed relationship in four minutes,”which is an excellent way to sum up this wildly singular song. 3 “High and Dry” – ‘The Bends’ (1995) “High and Dry” is definitely one of Radiohead’s safer, more conventional songs – but that does not make it any less wonderful. It was initially written and recorded for their debut album Pablo Honey, but was later remastered and released in '95 as the second single for The Bends. Similar to his feelings towards “Creep”, Yorke views “High and Dry” as overly polished and lacking ambition and experimentation. However, there is great beauty in the song’s simplicity, which led to its being a ‘90s radio staple. These days, the track oozes nostalgia. The relatable lyrics play into the track’s lasting popularity – they tell the story of someone who’s just been dumped, left behind and set adrift in the gaping absence left behind by someone they love. Any song alluding to a failed relationship is bound to resonate with listeners. While the subject matter is surely not sunshine and rainbows, the music itself balances melancholy and catharsis. Soaring acoustics and euphoric falsetto vocals buoy the track into the stratosphere, making the listener feel as if they are flying. It's the perfect song to play when driving away from an ex’s place – in the rain, preferably. 2 “Stop Whispering” – Pablo Honey (1993) “Stop Whispering” is the third single from Radiohead’s debut album, Pablo Honey. The album was not initially successful – it made very little impact on the indie/alt-rock scene at the time. Many critics found it derivative and underdeveloped, an opinion that would eventually become subverted as the album gained traction. These days, Pablo Honey is appreciated for the masterpiece that it is. This song is about finding the strength to express yourself in a world that's constantly telling you how to think and who to be. The lyrics are about breaking free and letting go of what others may think – leaning into authenticity and individuality. “Stop Whispering” is sprawling and atmospheric, putting Yorke’s impressive vocals on display throughout the growing intensity of the track. The music is anthemic and bright (especially compared to the rest of Radiohead’s discography) and parallels the inspiring and unrestrained content of the lyrics. Seldom featured on lists of Radiohead’s best songs and omitted from their Radiohead: The Best Of 2008 compilation album, this track is criminally underrated. 1 “Exit Music (For a Film)” – 'OK Computer' (1997) Coming in at number one: “Exit Music (For a Film)” from the 1997 album OK Computer. This song is unique in every sense of the word. It was successfully commissioned by director Baz Luhrmann for his 1996 reimagining of William Shakepeare's Romeo + Juliet. The only other commission Radiohead has ever accepted was for the 007 film Spectre, but the movie’s producers ultimately decided the piece they wrote was too dark for the James Bond franchise. The meaning behind the word “exit” in this song is twofold: it refers to the end of the film as well as the deaths of Romeo and Juliet – an "exit" from the mortal coil, if you will. The lyrics are dark and romantic, capturing Romeo and Juliet’s all-consuming desperation to be together – a love so powerful, it means more than life itself. The song was recorded in a stairwell in St. Catherine’s Court, a manor in Bath, England. This allowed for the vocals to be imbued with reverberation from the stone walls around them, adding to the cinematic quality of the song. The introduction of electronica and cinematic influences in "Exit Music (For a Film)" set the tone for the rest of OK Computer. They layered in choir and electronic vocals, incorporating both human and machine into the track. A slow, lyrical build leads to a breathtaking crescendo. Yorke’s vocals are unleashed and a distorted bassline and drums are introduced. You can feel it in your chest – in fact, you can feel it in every part of your body. It is perhaps the best climax in any rock song ever made.