10 Times Popular Musicians Tried Out Completely Unexpected Genres
5. Radiohead - Pop Is Dead
They may be a band regarded by many as gods of experimental art rock, but Radiohead are not without their missteps. The track that stands out most starkly in their discography is the 1993 non-album single “Pop Is Dead”. It was a commercial failure at the time - but perhaps they released it ten years too early.
For, the genius of the Radiohead we know and love (aside from a slightly chromatic chord or two), is replaced with a strangely flat indie anthem. Instead of a ghostly falsetto, Thom Yorke sings a snarky, straightforward melody worthy of Pete Doherty, replete with sub-Alex Turner witticisms: “Radio has salmonella / And now you know you’re gonna die.”
But the best line is: “The emperor really has no clothes on / And his skin is peeling off.” Nobody is arguing with you there, Thom.