Customer Rating: 
Summary: No Surprises in this Best-of Radiohead Collection.
Comment: I'm not usually a big fan of "best-of" compilations, and this Radiohead retrospective explains why. EMI released Radiohead: The Best Of in June, 2008 without any input from the band after it quit the label, and without any songs from In Rainbows. As a result, there are "no surprises" here. The compilation includes singles, album tracks, and one b-side the band released from 1992 to 2005 while Radiohead was with EMI. Because this disc was not sanctioned by the band, one wonders what tracks Radiohead itself would have selected for its first compilation, or whether such an innovative band would have ever released a retrospective package of greatest hits. While this disc offers an excellent introduction to Radiohead at its most radio-friendly, it is basically irrelevant to longtime Radiohead fans. For anyone new to Radiohead, I would recommend investing your money in The Bends and OK Computer instead, and for longtime fans of the band, I recommend getting your hands on a bootleg copy of the band's recent 2008 Hollywood Bowl show (available on the internet). Tracks featured here include:
1. Just (from The Bends) 3:54
2. Paranoid Android (Single Edit) (originally from OK Computer) 6:27
3. Karma Police (from OK Computer) 4:24
4. Creep (from Pablo Honey) 3:57
5. No Surprises (from OK Computer) 3:48
6. High And Dry (from The Bends) 4:17
7. My Iron Lung (from The Bends) 4:36
8. There, There (from Hail to the Thief) 5:21
9. Lucky (from OK Computer) 4:18
10. Optimistic (US radio promotion for Kid A) 4:54
11. Fake Plastic Trees (from The Bends) 4:51
12. Idioteque (Edit) (originally from Kid A) 4:37
13. 2 + 2 = 5 (from Hail to the Thief) 3:19
14. The Bends (from The Bends) 4:05
15. Pyramid Song (from Amnesiac) 4:49
16. Street Spirit (Fade Out) (from The Bends) 4:13
17. Everything In Its Right Place (from Kid A) 4:10
G. Merritt
Customer Rating:
Summary: Great 'Best Of' comp to intro new listeners
Comment: Of course, it's very personal, but this is one of those rare occasions when I think the producers have chosen almost EXACTLY the same trax I would have chosen to intro new listeners to Radiohead - the catchiest, hookiest, most sublime trax that really show how this group is in a league of their own. I don't think this compilation in any way detracts from the individual albums, and I really like the flow - not disjointed in any way. I purchased it bc. you can pick up a brand new copy for under $7!
Customer Rating: 
Summary: Best band in the world, but do not buy this
Comment: My zero star review in no way reflects the music. Radiohead is the best band in the world, but this was released by Capital Records solely to cash in as a way to get revenge on the band after they left their label.
Buy Radiohead's albums, their music is meant to be listened to as albums, not as a collection of singles.
To sum: Capital records = Lame
Radiohead = Amazing
Customer Rating:
Summary: The Best Of or The Most Popular?
Comment: There always is that fine line that must be toed to determine when it is best to put out a "best of" album. If it is done too soon then the band risks the appearance of being pompous while if it takes too long the disc could likely turn into a rather superficial touching of what the best music of a band really is. And while there is certainly no science behind knowing when is the right time to put out a best of compilation, there are certain factors that need to go into the decision making to ensure that the timing is indeed as good as it should be.
With several successful albums now under their belt, Radiohead's latest release The Best Of is a seventeen track album that is an interesting way to do a best of album. Rather than focus on simply the purely best music of the band, it seems as though perhaps this album instead has gone the route of taking the most popular Radiohead songs and placing them almost in a mix-tape sort of way on this album.
It seems as though the band likely had little oversight in the production of this best of album because really there are no surprises on the album. The songs that you would expect to see on this album simply based upon a perception of popularity do in fact make the track listing for the album. It would be much more interesting to have the band's insight shown on the album relative to which tracks they have produced that they themselves feel are their best music. As is often the case, the band's take on their best songs often varies greatly from what the mainstream radio crowd might think of the band's music.
Again showing no surprise, the majority of the songs, totaling six, on The Best Of come from The Bends album which, again, is perhaps the most popular album the band has released in terms of the general mainstream music listener. Then you have four tracks from OK Computer, three tracks from Kid A and one track each from Pablo Honey, Amnesiac and Hail to the Thief.
Though the music of Radiohead sort of really needs no explanation as it relates to The Best Of, the music on this album is nothing more than the studio recordings of the songs listed in the track listing. The lack of creativity shown in the production of this album is rather troubling since realistically most people that like Radiohead for one reason or another more likely than not have each one of these tracks already on their Ipod. A little originality perhaps even in throwing in a live track or two could really have gone a long way for The Best Of.
Radiohead is comprised of Thom Yorke, Jonny Greenwood, Colin Greenwood, Ed O'Brien and Phil Selway.
Track listing:
1. Just
2. Paranoid Android
3. Karma Police
4. Creep
5. No Surprises
6. High and Dry
7. My Iron Lung
8. There There
9. Lucky
10. Optimistic
11. Fake Plastic Trees
12. Idioteque
13. 2+2=5
14. The Bends
15. Pyramid Song
16. Street Spirit (Fade Out)
17. Everything In Its Right Place
Though the music on this album is indeed some of Radiohead's best and most popular works, The Best Of falls grossly short in convincing the listener as to why there was any need to purchase the album. The lack of originality and band input is evident and it is a shame that it appears that the only motive for releasing this The Best Of is simply to reap additional quick profits.
The Best Of is on the Capitol Records label and was all of Radiohead's music was produced by Nigel Godrich, John Leckie, Sean Slade and Paul Kolderie.
For more information about Radiohead, check out their website at www.radiohead.com.
Customer Rating:
Summary: The Most Amazing Collection...If You Can Play It!
Comment: One of the most amazing collections of music ever put together...BUT...my record player can't play it! These records were manufactured to be just a few millimeters larger than your standard vinyl record and due to the larger size, they won't play on some record players!
I own the Pioneer PL-990. If you own the same player, do not expect to play these records on your machine. It simply won't work.
I will one day play these albums in my home. But I will need to purchase a different record player to do so.
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