In the past month or so I have read perhaps a dozen or so lists that describe the best albums of the decade. Frequently at the top or there about is Radiohead’s Kid A, released all the way back in 2000. I don’t want to add another glowing review of the album (although I’m sure some of my enthusiasm will rub off) as that would be unnecessary. What I do not want to question is; given its critical success as well as being a product of one of the world’s most commercially successful acts, why did it not have a bigger crossover appeal than it did and affect mainstream culture in an enduring way. At the end of the decade, despite Radiohead being consistently popular the dent into popular culture seems minimal. I’m not seeking to deny Radiohead’s mega star status however it seems this album in particular only saturated the heights of indie-fandom, remaining the favourite of virtually every Radiohead fanatic I know whilst OK computer was the one which basked in the limelight. At this point I should add this article is not meant to be an indictment of a mainstream culture, I’m sure I could write several different articles to serve that purpose, this is simply to outline something I find to be an anomaly and try to understand the reasons why. Neither is this a justification of acts who I thought deserved to have gained widespread success. Radiohead were and are a mainstream act who achieved widespread success and to me it still feels that while OK computer has had enjoyed an enduring popular legacy, the superior Kid A has had little impact in terms of effecting popular culture.
Released in October 2000, Kid A immediately topped the British charts outselling all the other top ten albums combined. This was back in the heady days of 2000 as well when albums, although available, weren’t so easily obtained on the internet. Furthermore, it proved an equal success on the other side of the Atlantic, debuting at No. 1 selling 210,000 in its first week. Perhaps surprisingly, critical acclaim was somewhat mixed and Kid A gained much of its status through revision. Take for example Drowned in Sounds 2009 article ‘Radiohead's Kid A - the DiS re-appraisal’ where they accepted ‘the shameful knowledge DiS awarded Kid A a scathing 4/10, way-back-when’. There were rave reviews at the time; however it seems facile to concentrate too much on critical reception when this piece is meant to be about its failure to cross into mainstream culture; a place where popularity has never relied on opinion leaders
Perhaps I should justify why I feel this way. Looking back, there appeared to be some genuinely exciting mainstream British music in the early 90’s (I would have been a toddler then so perhaps this is based on nostalgia). However, Britpop threw the nation back into an era of sterility and increasingly dull ideas. I can’t deny that millions of people didn’t enjoy the sing-a- long choruses that Oasis consistently provided and I can’t claim I didn’t for some time either. Revisiting those songs though I find nothing but laddishness and stupidity. Am I being a snob? Yes, of course I am. Me criticising Oasis is a totally retrospective action. However, I never heard Kid A when it was first released, I only really started to appreciate it when I was probably around 16 (I’m 21 now). My argument is completely decontextualised, I have no idea what it may have been like to sing along to Wonderwall at Knebworth or to feel the fervent excitement of being on the verge of something new when Kid A was released. These things were based on experience and I’m not going to attempt to pretend I have that. My argument is based on me looking back at the last twenty or so years of music from a purely musical context and assessing what I feel to be the peaks and troughs.
Despite being named album the decade by the Times and Pitchfork, looking back at the successes of 2009 I see little direct influence by an album which is justly seen to be seminal. The biggest selling acts were people such as Lady Gaga, The Black eyed peas and Cheryl Cole. Ok, ill stop. I accept that there will always be some kind of disjuncture between alternative and popular culture; I don’t expect that much of Radiohead. For instance though, take La Roux, sometime who could be considered to have gained success in both the mainstream and alternative press. I see little evolutionary effect from Kid A; and this is the point where I need to do a bit of arse-licking, Kid A was the one album with mainstream success which was introspective, thoughtful, and engaging. A forward thinking departure from both their previous works as well as their mainstream contemporaries. Given this, why has the noughties been the decade of the retro throwback rather than the one of progression it could have been. It could have been the decade when innovation and progression seeped into popular culture however it was one where no innovator despite Radiohead seemed to challenge the higher echelons of the charts. I’m not saying the last decade hasn’t been one of innovation however the internet has dispersed this into increasing niches and sub-genres.
Perhaps not the greatest indicator, but one which reflects popular taste would be Channel 4’s 100 greatest albums shown back in 2006. At the time of watching I remember being vitriolic that The Smiths’ The Queen Is Dead only made number 20 but as I look back now I almost howl as OK computer sits at no.1, the bends at 22 and Kid A is nowhere in sight. I’m not annoyed at the fact someone could choose to disagree with me, actually I’m not annoyed at all, Channel 4’s 100 greatest albums is hardly a cultural leader, I just find it odd. To me Kid A seemed the perfect mix of creativity and commerce, one where the ideas existed coincidentally. Kid A showed a self conscious desire to move away from their previous ‘rock’ albums and drift away from the limelight. However, this failed, Kid A was an unbridled success but one with little popular culture impact in mainstream musical terms.
So there you go, looking back I’m disappointed that Kid A didn’t have the impact it perhaps could have despite commercial and critical success. To use a cliché though, hindsight is a wonderful thing, and without me being fully able to understand the thoughts of feelings of those who perhaps enjoyed every minute of the X factor, perhaps it’s not so surprising that Kid A hasn’t made the step over into a pop culture classic. Essentially though, I’m spoilt. OK computer has had the impact I hoped that Kid A could have had; I’m going have to accept that despite my love for Kid A it has a more popular older brother in OK computer. Radiohead are one of the biggest bands on the planet however their masterpiece still seems to be the reserve of their diehard fans. It’s a traditional tale, but one which still disappoints me.
By Sam Manning
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