Radiohead: The Best Of | ||||
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Greatest hits album by | ||||
Released | 2 June 2008 | |||
Length | 75:30 130:50 (special edition) | |||
Label | ||||
Producer | ||||
Radiohead chronology | ||||
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Radiohead: The Best Of is a greatest hits album by the English rock band Radiohead, released on 2 June 2008 by Parlophone Records in the UK and by Capitol Records in the US, subsidiaries of EMI. It contains songs from Radiohead's first six albums, recorded while they were under contract with EMI. The compilation debuted at number 4 on the UK Albums Chart and received mostly positive reviews. Radiohead had no creative input and were critical of the release.
Release
Radiohead recorded their first six albums under contract with EMI. After they chose not to renew their contract, EMI released The Best Of and a box set of Radiohead albums to boost their revenue.[1] Radiohead had no creative input, and were reportedly "enraged", seeing best-of compilations as typical of artists in commercial and creative decline.[1] Singer Thom Yorke said:
There's nothing we can do about it. The work is really public property now anyway... It's a wasted opportunity in that if we'd been behind it, and we wanted to do it, then it might have been good ... And now it's like when you move house – you don't want to peer through the window and see what they've done with the wallpaper because it will only upset you.[2]
In 2016, Radiohead's back catalogue was transferred to XL Recordings.[3] The Best Of and the "special editions" of Radiohead albums, issued by EMI in the same year without Radiohead's approval, were removed from streaming services.[3][4]
Content
The standard edition of The Best Of contains 17 tracks from Radiohead's first six albums.[5] The special edition contains a second CD with 13 additional tracks, including the B-side "Talk Show Host" and the live track "True Love Waits", from I Might Be Wrong: Live Recordings (2001).[6] A DVD compilation with 21 music videos, including nine never before released on DVD, was also released.[7]
Reception
Review scores | |
---|---|
Source | Rating |
AllMusic | [8] |
NME | (8/10)[9] |
Pitchfork | (4/10)[6] |
Rolling Stone | [10] |
The Times | [11] |
Radiohead: The Best Of debuted at number 4 on the UK Albums Chart and received generally positive reviews.[citation needed]
Pitchfork critic Scott Plagenhoef praised the quality of the songs, but felt the compilation was unnecessary as Radiohead did not have a "winding, difficult discography to navigate". He wrote that the standard edition contained too many songs from their 90s albums The Bends and OK Computer, and that the expanded special edition missed an opportunity to collect B-sides or rarities.[6]
Track listing
All songs written by Radiohead (Colin Greenwood, Ed O'Brien, Jonny Greenwood, Philip Selway, and Thom Yorke), except where noted.
No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
---|---|---|---|
1. | "Just" (from The Bends, 1995) | 3:55 | |
2. | "Paranoid Android" (from OK Computer, 1997) | 6:27 | |
3. | "Karma Police" (from OK Computer, 1997) | 4:25 | |
4. | "Creep" (from Pablo Honey, 1993) | Radiohead, Albert Hammond, Mike Hazlewood | 4:00 |
5. | "No Surprises" (from OK Computer, 1997) | 3:50 | |
6. | "High and Dry" (from The Bends, 1995) | 4:18 | |
7. | "My Iron Lung" (from The Bends, 1995) | 4:36 | |
8. | "There There" (from Hail to the Thief, 2003) | 5:22 | |
9. | "Lucky" (from OK Computer, 1997) | 4:21 | |
10. | "Optimistic (Edit)" (edited version previously unreleased; original from Kid A, 2000) | 4:53 | |
11. | "Fake Plastic Trees" (from The Bends, 1995) | 4:52 | |
12. | "Idioteque (Edit)" (edited version previously unreleased; original from Kid A, 2000) | Radiohead, Arthur Kreiger, Paul Lansky | 4:35 |
13. | "2 + 2 = 5" (from Hail to the Thief, 2003) | 3:21 | |
14. | "The Bends" (from The Bends, 1995) | 4:08 | |
15. | "Pyramid Song" (from Amnesiac, 2001) | 4:50 | |
16. | "Street Spirit (Fade Out)" (from The Bends, 1995) | 4:13 | |
17. | "Everything in Its Right Place" (from Kid A, 2000) | 4:13 |
Note: "Optimistic (Edit)" is only on some releases of the album.
Special edition
In 2008, Radiohead released a special edition of The Best Of including a bonus disc with 13 extra songs.
Track listing
All songs written by Radiohead (Colin Greenwood, Ed O'Brien, Jonny Greenwood, Philip Selway, and Thom Yorke), except where noted.
- Disc one
No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
---|---|---|---|
1. | "Just" (from The Bends, 1995) | 3:55 | |
2. | "Paranoid Android" (from OK Computer, 1997) | 6:27 | |
3. | "Karma Police" (from OK Computer, 1997) | 4:25 | |
4. | "Creep" (from Pablo Honey, 1993) | Radiohead, Albert Hammond, Mike Hazlewood | 4:00 |
5. | "No Surprises" (from OK Computer, 1997) | 3:50 | |
6. | "High and Dry" (from The Bends, 1995) | 4:18 | |
7. | "My Iron Lung" (from The Bends, 1995) | 4:36 | |
8. | "There There" (from Hail to the Thief, 2003) | 5:22 | |
9. | "Lucky" (from OK Computer, 1997) | 4:21 | |
10. | "Optimistic (Edit)" (edited version previously unreleased; original from Kid A, 2000) | 4:53 | |
11. | "Fake Plastic Trees" (from The Bends, 1995) | 4:52 | |
12. | "Idioteque (Edit)" (edited version previously unreleased; original from Kid A, 2000) | Radiohead, Arthur Kreiger, Paul Lansky | 4:35 |
13. | "2 + 2 = 5" (from Hail to the Thief, 2003) | 3:21 | |
14. | "The Bends" (from The Bends, 1995) | 4:08 | |
15. | "Pyramid Song" (from Amnesiac, 2001) | 4:50 | |
16. | "Street Spirit (Fade Out)" (from The Bends, 1995) | 4:13 | |
17. | "Everything in Its Right Place" (from Kid A, 2000) | 4:13 |
Note: "Optimistic (Edit)" is only on some releases of the album.
- Disc two
No. | Title | Length |
---|---|---|
1. | "Airbag" (from OK Computer, 1997) | 4:44 |
2. | "I Might Be Wrong" (from Amnesiac, 2001) | 4:52 |
3. | "Go to Sleep" (from Hail to the Thief, 2003) | 3:22 |
4. | "Let Down" (from OK Computer, 1997) | 4:59 |
5. | "Planet Telex" (from The Bends, 1995) | 4:18 |
6. | "Exit Music (For a Film)" (from OK Computer, 1997) | 4:28 |
7. | "The National Anthem" (from Kid A, 2000) | 5:52 |
8. | "Knives Out" (from Amnesiac, 2001) | 4:15 |
9. | "Talk Show Host" (B-side to "Street Spirit (Fade Out)", 1996) | 4:39 |
10. | "You" (from Pablo Honey, 1993) | 3:28 |
11. | "Anyone Can Play Guitar" (from Pablo Honey, 1993) | 3:37 |
12. | "How to Disappear Completely" (from Kid A, 2000) | 5:55 |
13. | "True Love Waits (Live in Oslo 9/9/2001)" (live version from I Might Be Wrong: Live Recordings, 2001; studio version (unreleased at the time) from A Moon Shaped Pool, 2016) | 5:04 |
DVD
On 2nd June 2008, Radiohead released a compilation of all their music videos from 1992 to 2003, excluding "Lucky", "Palo Alto", "Idioteque", "Morning Bell", "Motion Picture Soundtrack", "The National Anthem" (MTV Latin America contest), "I Might Be Wrong" (Alternative Video) and "How to Disappear Completely" (Live).
Radiohead: The Best Of | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|
Video by | ||||
Released | 2 June 2008 | |||
Recorded | 1992–2003 | |||
Genre | Alternative rock | |||
Label | Parlophone | |||
Radiohead chronology | ||||
|
Track listing
- "Creep (Radio Version)" (directed by Brett Turnbull)
- "Anyone Can Play Guitar" (directed by Dwight Clarke)
- "Pop Is Dead" (directed by Dwight Clarke)
- "Stop Whispering" (directed by Jeff Plansker)
- "My Iron Lung" (directed by Brett Turnbull)
- "High and Dry" (UK version) (directed by David Mould)
- "High and Dry" (US version) (directed by Paul Cunningham)
- "Fake Plastic Trees" (directed by Jake Scott)
- "Just" (directed by Jamie Thraves)
- "Street Spirit (Fade Out)" (directed by Jonathan Glazer)
- "Paranoid Android" (directed by Magnus Carlsson)
- "Karma Police" (directed by Jonathan Glazer)
- "No Surprises" (directed by Grant Gee)
- "Pyramid Song" (directed by Shynola)
- "Knives Out" (directed by Michel Gondry)
- "I Might Be Wrong" (directed by Sophie Muller)
- "Push Pulk/Like Spinning Plates" (directed by Johnny Hardstaff)
- "There There" (directed by Chris Hopewell)
- "Go to Sleep" (directed by Alex Rutterford)
- "Sit Down. Stand Up." (directed by Ed Holdsworth)
- "2 + 2 = 5" (Live at Belfort Festival) (directed by Fabien Raymond)
Note: Unlike the CD, "Creep" is the censored version instead of the explicit version. The video for "Push Pulk/Like Spinning Plates" is a combination of two songs, "Pulk/Pull Revolving Doors" and "Like Spinning Plates", both from their 2001 studio album Amnesiac.
Charts and certifications
Charts
Chart | Peak Position |
---|---|
Australian Albums Chart[12] | 10 |
Austrian Albums Chart[13] | 23 |
Belgian Albums Chart (Flanders)[14] | 1 |
Belgian Albums Chart (Wallonia)[15] | 3 |
Canadian Albums Chart[16] | 10 |
Danish Albums Chart[17] | 16 |
Dutch Albums Chart[18] | 9 |
Finnish Albums Chart[19] | 35 |
French Albums Chart[20] | 39 |
German Albums Chart[21] | 38 |
Italian Albums Chart[22] | 7 |
Irish Albums Chart[23] | 1 |
New Zealand Albums Chart[24] | 6 |
Norwegian Albums Chart[25] | 17 |
Portuguese Albums Chart[26] | 3 |
Scottish Albums Chart[27] | 6 |
Spanish Albums Chart[28] | 31 |
Swiss Albums Chart[20] | 12 |
UK Albums Chart[29] | 4 |
US Billboard 200[30] | 26 |
US Billboard 200 (Two-disc version)[30] | 81 |
Certifications
Region | Certification | Certified units/sales |
---|---|---|
Belgium (BEA)[31] | Gold | 15,000* |
France (SNEP)[32] | Platinum | 100,000* |
Ireland (IRMA)[33] | Platinum | 15,000^ |
Italy (FIMI)[34] sales since 2009 |
Platinum | 60,000* |
Poland (ZPAV)[35] | Gold | 10,000* |
United Kingdom (BPI)[36] | Platinum | 300,000^ |
* Sales figures based on certification alone. |
References
- ^ a b Forde, Eamonn (18 February 2019). "Chasing rainbows: inside the battle between Radiohead and EMI's Guy Hands". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 7 August 2020.
- ^ Reynolds, Simon (9 May 2008). "Yorke slams Radiohead 'Best Of' LP". Digital Spy. Retrieved 27 September 2008.
- ^ a b "Radiohead's Early Catalog Moves From Warner Bros. to XL". Billboard. Retrieved 5 April 2016.
- ^ Trendell, Andrew. "Here's why so many Radiohead songs disappeared from Spotify + streaming | Gigwise". gigwise.com. Retrieved 20 September 2017.
- ^ "Radiohead to release 'Best Of' compilation". NME. 2 April 2008. Retrieved 2 April 2008.
- ^ a b c Plagenhoef, Scott (5 June 2008). "Radiohead: The Best Of / The Best Of [Special Edition]". Pitchfork.
- ^ "Radiohead 'Best Of' to be released as DVD". NME. 15 April 2008.
- ^ Radiohead: The Best Of at AllMusic
- ^ "Radiohead". NME.
- ^ "Radiohead – Rolling Stone".
- ^ The Times review Archived 15 June 2011 at the Wayback Machine
- ^ "Australian Charts – Radiohead – The Best Of (album)". Australian-charts.com. Retrieved 18 May 2012.
- ^ "Austria Top-40 – Radiohead – The Best Of (album)" (in German). Austriancharts.at. Retrieved 18 May 2012.
- ^ "Charts Vlaanderen – Radiohead – The Best Of (album)" (in Dutch). Ultratop. Retrieved 18 May 2012.
- ^ "Charts Belgique Francophone – Radiohead – The Best Of (album)" (in French). Ultratop. Retrieved 18 May 2012.
- ^ "Radiohead Album & Song Chart History – Canadian Albums". Billboard. Retrieved 18 May 2012.
- ^ "Danish Charts – Radiohead – The Best Of (album)". danishcharts.dk. Retrieved 18 May 2012.
- ^ "Dutch Charts – Radiohead – The Best Of (album)" (in Dutch). Dutchcharts.nl. Retrieved 18 May 2012.
- ^ "Finnish Charts – Radiohead – The Best Of (album)". Finnishcharts.com. Retrieved 18 May 2012.
- ^ a b "Swiss Charts – Radiohead – The Best Of (album)". Hitparade.ch. Retrieved 18 May 2012.
- ^ "Radiohead – Longplay-Chartverfolgung" (in German). Musicline.de. Archived from the original on 23 January 2016. Retrieved 18 May 2012.
- ^ "Italian Charts – Radiohead – The Best Of (album)". Italiancharts.com. Retrieved 18 May 2012.
- ^ "Top 75 Artist Album, Week Ending 12 June 2008". Chart-track.co.uk. Archived from the original on 4 June 2012. Retrieved 18 May 2012.
- ^ "New Zealand Charts – Radiohead – The Best Of (album)". charts.nz. Retrieved 18 May 2012.
- ^ "Norwegian Charts – Radiohead – The Best Of (album)". Norwegiancharts.com. Retrieved 18 May 2012.
- ^ "Portuguese Charts – Radiohead – The Best Of (album)". Portuguesecharts.com. Retrieved 18 May 2012.
- ^ "Official Scottish Albums Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 17 November 2021.
- ^ "Spanish Charts – Radiohead – The Best Of (album)". Spanishcharts.com. Retrieved 18 May 2012.
- ^ "The Official Charts Company – Radiohead – The Best Of". officialcharts.com. Retrieved 18 May 2012.
- ^ a b Billboard at AllMusic
- ^ "Ultratop − Goud en Platina – albums 2009". Ultratop. Hung Medien.
- ^ "French album certifications – Radiohead – The Best Of" (in French). Syndicat National de l'Édition Phonographique.
- ^ "The Irish Charts - 2009 Certification Awards - Platinum". Irish Recorded Music Association.
- ^ "Italian album certifications – Radiohead – The Best Of" (in Italian). Federazione Industria Musicale Italiana. Select "2012" in the "Anno" drop-down menu. Select "The Best Of" in the "Filtra" field. Select "Album e Compilation" under "Sezione".
- ^ "Wyróżnienia – Złote płyty CD - Archiwum - Przyznane w 2008 roku" (in Polish). Polish Society of the Phonographic Industry. 3 September 2008.
- ^ "British album certifications – Radiohead – The Best Of". British Phonographic Industry.
External links
Radiohead: The Best Of at Discogs (list of releases)