10 Albums That Changed Rock History
6. Kid A - Radiohead
Radiohead had one of the greatest layups that you could possibly ask for after making OK Computer. Taking their sound into the stadium rock genre, they had pretty much cemented themselves as a modern day version of U2, determined to lead rock into the next generation. And then the '00s happened and we got stuck with digitized Radiohead.
Given how much they changed up their sound on Kid A, it's a wonder why there wasn't rioting in the streets. This was Radiohead diving head first into the electronica pool, and it ended up being one of the greatest records of the decade. Using the glitchy atmospherics to their advantage, Kid A is the sound of Radiohead playing in the middle of a cold wasteland, where the only way you can really communicate comes from these electronic pads.
As different as this was from their previous work, it makes total sense when you look back on it. Since OK Computer focused on themes of computers running our lives, this is the dystopian future detailing what that might look like, with songs that feel like they're just on the verge of sanity when you listen to them. Though Radiohead would get even better after this, Kid A is the gamechanger that signaled the start of the next wave of rock.