OK Computer
OK Computer is an album by the band Radiohead. It was released in 1997.[1] It reached No.1 in the UK Albums Chart. Four singles were released from it. "Paranoid Android" reached No.3 in the UK. "No Surprises" reached No.4. It got good reviews. Pitchfork gave it 10 out of 10.[2]
OK Computer | ||||
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Studio album by | ||||
Released | June 16, 1997 | |||
Recorded |
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Studio | ||||
Genre | ||||
Length | 53:21 | |||
Label | ||||
Producer | Nigel Godrich | |||
Radiohead chronology | ||||
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Radiohead studio album chronology | ||||
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Singles from OK Computer | ||||
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Reception
Professional ratings | |
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Review scores | |
Source | Rating |
AllMusic | ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
Chicago Tribune | ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
Entertainment Weekly | B+[5] |
The Guardian | ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
NME | 10/10[7] |
Pitchfork Media | 10/10[8] |
Q | ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
Rolling Stone | ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
Spin | 8/10[11] |
The Village Voice | B−[12] |
Many music writers and fans loved OK Computer. Both English and American writers said the album would be important for a long time,[13][14] and that the album was new and interesting. It was compared to Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band, another famous and important album. In the English press, the album got good reviews in NME,[7] Melody Maker,[15] The Guardian,[6] and Q.[9] In North America, Rolling Stone,[10] Spin,[11] and Pitchfork Media[8] published good reviews. In The New Yorker, Alex Ross compared Radiohead's new and artistic music to the more classic rock sounds of Oasis. Ross wrote that "this band has pulled off one of the great art-pop balancing acts in the history of rock."[16]
However, not all critics enjoyed the record. Robert Christgau from The Village Voice called it "arid" art rock.[12]
The album appeared in many 1997 critics' lists and listener polls for best album of the year. Many magazines listed it as the best or second best of the year. It was a nominee for the 1997 Mercury Prize, a prestigious award recognising the best British or Irish album of the year.[17]
Radiohead found it hard to deal with how much people liked OK Computer. Some members of the band thought the press loved it too much. The band did not like that their songs were called "art" when they thought their songs were pop music. However, singer Thom Yorke was happy that some people understood his musical goals: "People got all the things, all the textures and the sounds and the atmospheres we were trying to create."[18]
Track listing
All songs written and composed by Radiohead (Colin Greenwood, Ed O'Brien, Jonny Greenwood, Philip Selway, and Thom Yorke).
No. | Title | Length |
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1. | "Airbag" | 4:44 |
2. | "Paranoid Android" | 6:23 |
3. | "Subterranean Homesick Alien" | 4:27 |
4. | "Exit Music (For a Film)" | 4:24 |
5. | "Let Down" | 4:59 |
6. | "Karma Police" | 4:21 |
7. | "Fitter Happier" | 1:57 |
8. | "Electioneering" | 3:50 |
9. | "Climbing Up the Walls" | 4:45 |
10. | "No Surprises" | 3:48 |
11. | "Lucky" | 4:19 |
12. | "The Tourist" | 5:24 |
"Collector's Edition"/"Special Collector's Edition" Disc 2[19] | |||||||||
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No. | Title | Length | |||||||
1. | "Polyethylene (Parts 1 & 2)" | 4:24 | |||||||
2. | "Pearly*" | 3:37 | |||||||
3. | "A Reminder" | 3:54 | |||||||
4. | "Melatonin" | 2:10 | |||||||
5. | "Meeting in the Aisle" | 3:10 | |||||||
6. | "Lull" | 2:29 | |||||||
7. | "Climbing Up the Walls" (Zero 7 Mix) | 5:19 | |||||||
8. | "Climbing Up the Walls" (Fila Brazillia Mix) | 6:26 | |||||||
9. | "Palo Alto" | 3:44 | |||||||
10. | "How I Made My Millions" | 3:09 | |||||||
11. | "Airbag" (Live in Berlin) | 4:49 | |||||||
12. | "Lucky" (Live in Florence) | 4:37 | |||||||
13. | "Climbing Up the Walls" (BBC Radio 1 evening session, May 28, 1997) | 4:21 | |||||||
14. | "Exit Music (For a Film)" (BBC Radio 1 evening session, May 28, 1997) | 4:35 | |||||||
15. | "No Surprises" (BBC Radio 1 evening session, May 28, 1997) | 3:58 |
"Special Collector's Edition" DVD[20] | |||||||||
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No. | Title | Length | |||||||
1. | "Paranoid Android" | ||||||||
2. | "Karma Police" | ||||||||
3. | "No Surprises" | ||||||||
4. | "Paranoid Android" (Live on Later... with Jools Holland, May 31, 1997) | ||||||||
5. | "No Surprises" (Live on Later... with Jools Holland, May 31, 1997) | ||||||||
6. | "Airbag" (Live on Later... with Jools Holland, May 31, 1997) |
Personnel
Charts and certifications
Singles
Year | Song | Peak positions | ||||||||||
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UK [35] | US Mod [36] | NZ [37] | AUS [38] | SWE [39] | NL [40] | |||||||
1997 | "Paranoid Android" | 3 | – | – | 29 | 53 | 61 | |||||
"Let Down" | – | 29 | – | – | – | – | ||||||
"Karma Police" | 8 | 14 | 32 | – | – | 50 | ||||||
1998 | "No Surprises" | 4 | – | 23 | 47 | – | 58 | |||||
"–" denotes releases that did not chart. |
Certifications
Region | Certification | Certified units/sales |
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Argentina (CAPIF)[41] | Platinum | 60,000^ |
Australia (ARIA)[42] | Platinum | 70,000^ |
Belgium (BEA)[43] | 2× Platinum | 100,000* |
Canada (Music Canada)[44] | 4× Platinum | 400,000![]() |
France (SNEP)[46] | 2× Gold | 321,500[45] |
Italy (FIMI)[47] | Platinum | 50,000* |
Japan (RIAJ)[48] | Gold | 100,000^ |
Netherlands (NVPI)[49] | Platinum | 100,000^ |
New Zealand (RMNZ)[50] | Platinum | 15,000^ |
Norway (IFPI Norway)[51] | Gold | 25,000* |
Spain (PROMUSICAE)[52] | Gold | 50,000^ |
Sweden (GLF)[53] | Gold | 40,000^ |
Switzerland (IFPI Switzerland)[54] | Gold | 25,000^ |
United Kingdom (BPI)[56] | 5× Platinum | 1,579,415[55] |
United States (RIAA)[57] | 2× Platinum | 2,000,000^ |
Summaries | ||
Europe (IFPI)[58] | 3× Platinum | 3,000,000* |
*sales figures based on certification alone |
Notes
Footnotes
Citations