Band

Radiohead

Active1985-present
OriginAbingdon, Oxfordshire, England
Albums9
Tracks100

Most frequent collaborator: Nigel Godrich  ·  87 tracks

Alternative RockArt RockExperimental RockElectronica
100%
Authorship
Complete Artist

Holds writing credit on 100 of 100 tracks

Does Radiohead write their own songs?

Yes, entirely. Radiohead are credited on 100% of their catalogue, and almost every song is credited collectively to all five members rather than to individuals. Thom Yorke is the main lyricist, but the music is shared. The only outside writers on any track are on 'Creep,' added after a legal settlement.

By the Numbers

9
Studio Albums
100
Tracks Credited
100%
Self-Written
more than 30 million
Records Sold
41
Years Active
11
Collaborators

Authorship Breakdown 100 / 100 self-written

Who wrote the songs?

Across all 100 tracks: how many Radiohead wrote alone, how many they co-wrote, and how many were written by others. The bracket marks every track they hold any writing credit on.

Radiohead has a writing credit100%
98%
2%
Sole author98tracks98%
Co-written2tracks2%
Outside writers0tracks0%

Role Fingerprint how they contribute

Lyricist Performer Composer Producer
Radiohead's roles across the catalogue

Share of all 100 tracks where they are personally credited, by role.

Lyricist (words)100%
Composer (music)100%
Producer87%
Performer99%

Member Credit Breakdown share of tracks each member is credited on

Percentage of all 100 tracks, across every album, where each member holds a credit - split by role.

MemberPeriodLyricsMusicProductionPerformance
Thom Yorke 1985-present
100%
100%
0%
99%
Jonny Greenwood 1985-present
88%
100%
0%
0%
Colin Greenwood 1985-present
88%
100%
0%
0%
Ed O'Brien 1985-present
88%
100%
0%
0%
Phil Selway 1985-present
88%
100%
0%
0%

Authorship Over Time writing credit per album

Radiohead's writing credit per album, in release order. Hover any bar for the album.

avg 100%
100%
100%
100%
100%
100%
100%
100%
100%
100%
1993Pablo Honey
1995The Bends
1997OK Computer
2000Kid A
2001Amnesiac
2003Hail to the Thief
2007In Rainbows
2011The King of Limbs
2016A Moon Shaped Pool
Early · 100% written
Mid · 100% written
Late · 100% written

Authorship by Decade track-weighted

100%
1990s
Pablo Honey, The Bends +1 more
100%
2000s
Kid A, Amnesiac +2 more
100%
2010s
The King of Limbs, A Moon Shaped Pool

Authorship Spectrum pure performer to complete author

Where Radiohead sits on the scale from a pure performer (0%, sings songs written by others) to a complete author (100%, writes everything). The bright marker is their catalogue authorship score, plotted against other artists on the site.

Radiohead
Other artists on the site

Reference artists spread across the scale, closest by genre and era.

Whitney Houston5%
Backstreet Boys25%
NSYNC41%
Boyz II Men51%
TLC59%
Guns N' Roses78%
David Bowie88%
100%Radiohead
Pure Performer0%
Songwriter~50%
Complete Author100%

Who Really Wrote the Hits signature songs

Creep
Pablo Honey
Written by Thom Yorke, Albert Hammond, Mike Hazlewood, Jonny Greenwood, Colin Greenwood, Ed O'Brien, Phil Selway
Co-wrote
Fake Plastic Trees
The Bends
Written by Thom Yorke, Jonny Greenwood, Colin Greenwood, Ed O'Brien, Phil Selway
Wrote it
Just
The Bends
Written by Thom Yorke, Jonny Greenwood, Colin Greenwood, Ed O'Brien, Phil Selway
Wrote it
Street Spirit (Fade Out)
The Bends
Written by Thom Yorke, Jonny Greenwood, Colin Greenwood, Ed O'Brien, Phil Selway
Wrote it
Paranoid Android
OK Computer
Written by Thom Yorke, Jonny Greenwood, Colin Greenwood, Ed O'Brien, Phil Selway
Wrote it
Karma Police
OK Computer
Written by Thom Yorke, Jonny Greenwood, Colin Greenwood, Ed O'Brien, Phil Selway
Wrote it
No Surprises
OK Computer
Written by Thom Yorke, Jonny Greenwood, Colin Greenwood, Ed O'Brien, Phil Selway
Wrote it
Pyramid Song
Amnesiac
Written by Thom Yorke, Jonny Greenwood, Colin Greenwood, Ed O'Brien, Phil Selway
Wrote it
Knives Out
Amnesiac
Written by Thom Yorke, Jonny Greenwood, Colin Greenwood, Ed O'Brien, Phil Selway
Wrote it
Go to Sleep
Hail to the Thief
Written by Thom Yorke, Jonny Greenwood, Colin Greenwood, Ed O'Brien, Phil Selway
Wrote it
2 + 2 = 5
Hail to the Thief
Written by Thom Yorke, Jonny Greenwood, Colin Greenwood, Ed O'Brien, Phil Selway
Wrote it
Jigsaw Falling into Place
In Rainbows
Written by Thom Yorke, Jonny Greenwood, Colin Greenwood, Ed O'Brien, Phil Selway
Wrote it
Nude
In Rainbows
Written by Thom Yorke, Jonny Greenwood, Colin Greenwood, Ed O'Brien, Phil Selway
Wrote it
Lotus Flower
The King of Limbs
Written by Thom Yorke, Jonny Greenwood, Colin Greenwood, Ed O'Brien, Phil Selway
Wrote it
Burn the Witch
A Moon Shaped Pool
Written by Thom Yorke, Jonny Greenwood, Colin Greenwood, Ed O'Brien, Phil Selway
Wrote it

Discography 9 albums

Collaborator Network who they worked with most

Radiohead100 tracks
NG87 JL11 SS10 PQ10 CH2 AH1

Bubble size = tracks worked on together. NG Nigel Godrich · JL John Leckie · SS Sean Slade · PQ Paul Q. Kolderie · CH Chris Hufford · AH Albert Hammond

The Writers & Producers Behind Radiohead 6 key collaborators

NG
Nigel Godrich
Producer
The Bends / OK Computer / Kid A / Amnesiac87 tracks
JL
John Leckie
Producer
The Bends11 tracks
SS
Sean Slade
Producer
Pablo Honey10 tracks
PQ
Paul Q. Kolderie
Producer
Pablo Honey10 tracks
CH
Chris Hufford
Producer
Pablo Honey2 tracks
AH
Albert Hammond
Songwriter
Pablo Honey1 tracks

The Authorship Story

Data Insight

Radiohead's songwriting credit has evolved across their catalog. On Pablo Honey, credits explicitly separate 'all lyrics by Thom Yorke' from 'all music by Radiohead'; from The Bends onward, all songs are collectively credited to Radiohead as a unit, with no individual lyricist/composer distinction in the official liner notes. 'Creep' on Pablo Honey carries additional credits for Albert Hammond and Mike Hazlewood due to an interpolation of 'The Air That I Breathe'. 'Idioteque' on Kid A samples compositions by Paul Lansky and Arthur Kreiger. Nigel Godrich has co-produced every album from OK Computer onward, effectively functioning as a sixth creative collaborator.

Quick Facts

  • SalesHave sold more than 30 million albums worldwide
  • Rock HallInducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2019
  • Collective creditAlmost every song is credited to all five members, not to individuals
  • In RainbowsReleased their 2007 album as a pay-what-you-want download, a landmark for the industry
  • GrammysWon Best Alternative Music Album for Kid A and In Rainbows

Creative Fingerprint

A band that shares everything: Radiohead credit almost every song to all five members collectively, so they sit at 100% authorship, with the only outside names appearing on 'Creep' after a settlement over an older song.

The Story

Radiohead is an English rock band formed in Abingdon, Oxfordshire, in 1985, consisting of Thom Yorke (vocals, guitar, keyboards), Jonny Greenwood (guitar, keyboards), Colin Greenwood (bass), Ed O'Brien (guitar), and Phil Selway (drums). Initially recording as On a Friday, they signed to Parlophone in 1991, released their debut Pablo Honey in 1993, and broke through to international fame with the single 'Creep'. Their 1997 landmark OK Computer and the experimental electronic turn of Kid A (2000) are widely regarded as defining albums in the history of rock music. Inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2019, they have sold over 30 million albums worldwide and are considered one of the most influential bands of the past three decades.

Awards & Recognition

Inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2019
Won the Grammy for Best Alternative Music Album for Kid A and In Rainbows
OK Computer (1997) is frequently ranked among the greatest albums of all time
Ranked among the most influential and acclaimed rock bands of their era, with over 30 million albums sold

Frequently Asked Questions Radiohead

Does Radiohead write their own songs?
Yes, entirely. Radiohead are credited on 100% of their catalogue, and almost every song is credited collectively to all five members rather than to individuals. Thom Yorke is the main lyricist, but the music is shared. The only outside writers on any track are on 'Creep,' added after a legal settlement.
Who writes Radiohead's songs?
Thom Yorke is the band's main songwriter and lyricist, while Jonny Greenwood is a central musical force. From The Bends onward, the band credits songs to Radiohead as a whole, so all five members share the writing credit even when contributions differ.
Why does 'Creep' have extra songwriters?
'Creep' credits Albert Hammond and Mike Hazlewood alongside Radiohead. After the release, the publisher of 'The Air That I Breathe' pursued legal action over the similarity, and the two were given co-writing credits and a share of the royalties. It is the only Radiohead song with outside writers.
Who wrote 'Karma Police'?
'Karma Police,' from OK Computer (1997), was written by Radiohead and credited to all five members, with lyrics by Thom Yorke. It is one of the band's most beloved songs and a centerpiece of their most acclaimed album.
How many albums has Radiohead released?
This catalogue covers nine studio albums, from Pablo Honey (1993) through A Moon Shaped Pool (2016), including OK Computer, Kid A, and In Rainbows.
Why is OK Computer so important?
OK Computer (1997) is widely considered one of the greatest albums ever made, praised for its themes of technology and alienation and songs like 'Paranoid Android' and 'No Surprises.' It moved Radiohead from a guitar band to art-rock innovators.
What was the In Rainbows pay-what-you-want release?
In 2007 Radiohead released In Rainbows as a download where fans chose their own price, including nothing. It was a landmark moment for the music industry and showed an artist bypassing the traditional label model.
Are Radiohead in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame?
Yes. Radiohead were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2019, recognised as one of the most influential and experimental rock bands of their generation.
What genre is Radiohead?
Radiohead play alternative rock, art rock, and experimental rock that stretches into electronica, moving from the guitar sound of The Bends to the electronic textures of Kid A.

Sources

Wikipedia: Radiohead Wikipedia: Creep (Radiohead song)