10 2000s Rock Albums You Constantly Have To Defend Loving

10. Radiohead - Kid A

In a surprising move that left many critics and listeners dumbfounded, Radiohead bid farewell to the guitar completely following the immense success of more rock-friendly LPs such as 'The Bends' and 'OK Computer'. The result was 2000's 'Kid A', an experimental piece of moody ambience.

The Oxfordshire crew's fourth studio effort arrived on a tsunami of hype. Three years on from 'OK Computer', Radiohead had firmly solidified themselves as one of the UK's most important and influential acts. Never ones to stick to their laurels, Thom Yorke and co. blended electronica, jazz and classical whilst dropping conventional lyricism.

Many of these curious decisions stemmed from Yorke's creative issues at the time, including writer's block and a general disdain for groups he felt were copying Radiohead's sound. In a stark statement against expectations and the music media as a whole, 'Kid A' was born. Despite the hard work put into the LP, the group did almost no promotional work for it, not even releasing a single in support of its release.

All of these calls were unsurprisingly greeted with a polarised, often frosty reception, with some critics even dismissing the album as an act of self-destruction. For fans who'd grown accustomed to the more alternative rock-focused style of prior albums, 'Kid A' was, at best, a head scratcher.

More than two decades later, the LP's critical reputation has grown immensely. For fans, though, it remains a love it or hate it kind of deal, frequently sparking debates over its merits.