Pick the Next Single: Radiohead - Kid A

[Anton Djamoos]

Last week, "Become What You Hate" won by an overwhelming margin to become what you all thought should be the next single from Midtown's Living Well is the Best Revenge. This week we're going to shift focus from pop-punk to the brooding and the more ambiguous. It's time to decide what should have been.

Radiohead's Kid A came out in 2000 and became an unqualified success even without any formal music video or single. An early Internet leak and buzz from previous albums helped this band succeed into mainstream territory sales of over one million albums sold. Later, the song "Optimistic" made it onto the Billboard charts, reaching as high as #10 on the modern rock charts.

This album was not meant for the mainstream though. A lyric booklet was never published because vocalist Thomas Yorke said (http://www.followmearound.com/presscuttings.php?year=2001&cutting=131) "the lyrics are absolutely brutal and horrible" which also explains how the vocals are intertwined with the music.

Can an album this far from what is commonly found to be popular be accepted into the mainstream? That is your job to decide. You must pick the song that you think would be the best next single for the band. What will you choose and why? Please list all reasons as to why you think your song pick would be the best choice.

Remember: We are not looking for what you think is the best song...we want what will be the best single. There is a difference.

Note: This is purely for discussion purposes and is in no way indicative of what the record label will be doing. This is not a contest to decide what the single will be; it is a hypothetical question to spur discussion and to gauge what people would do

[Tom Good]

Kid-A

[Brianfarg]

Everything is in its right place.

[chowski]

Shit. I clicked the wrong one. lol

I've always thought "Idioteque" was catchy as fuck. Favorite Radiohead song of mine? Possibly.

[reav]

While I think Optimistic is a good choice, I don't recall this album having any actual singles. I do remember however, Everything In It's Right Place being played in the US remake of Vanilla Sky with Tom Cruise.

[Travis Parno]

i feel like "National Anthem" has a catchy enough bass riff to gain some radio popularity. most of the other tracks, other than maybe "Idioteque," while still amazing, take a little more thought to really get into. i dunno, just an opinion.

[doyouhas?]

national anthem is amazing. in limbo would be the worst choice i think. i absolutely love that song, but its not exactly radio friendly

[heartsynapse]

Idioteque or The National Anthem would do well, I think.

[purplestuff]

idioteque would be the best choice I think, although the entire album jams. motion picture soundtrack is one of my favorite songs ever.

[eleventh_hour]

Idioteque is probably the most radio-friendly.

[Boo Radley]

No singles. This is best enjoyed as a whole album.

[Ruggiero2oo8]

Idioteque.

[Anthony Lutz]

Fucking Idioteque!!!!!

[radio napalm]

I think there's a reason why this album never had any singles. Overall, it's just not very radio friendly.

[sayyes]

Idioteque in a landslide

[Praetor]

I agree, Idioteque.

[smelltheglove]

i feel like "National Anthem" has a catchy enough bass riff to gain some radio popularity. most of the other tracks, other than maybe "Idioteque," while still amazing, take a little more thought to really get into. i dunno, just an opinion.


I'll second that. great album, but picking a single is TOUGH.

you guys should do "in reverie", that's an album that had no second single and had little mainstream success and dreamworks dropped em on arrival almost.

[alcoholandirony]

Idioteque.

[theripped0ne]

HIP HIP HOORAY for Idioteque!

that song is a bugout, just like the album. thanks for putting this poll up.

[Manbotisdead]

I'd say that Mornig Bell would be a rad choice for a single.

How to Disappear wouldn't be a bad one either. Idioteque is also obviously a good one.

[oldy]

It'd have to be Idioteque, really. I've heard it played in a club before, haha. It went down pretty well. Even so, saying that it's the most single-worthy isn't saying much, it's just a bit catchier than the rest of the album. Live, though, it is such a tune: http://youtube.com/watch?v=gfPX9UKON40

[Steve Henderson]

"How To Disappear Completely" is easily my favorite Radiohead song ever.

[The Revisionist]

Obviously "Idioteque".

[oldy]

Also, who voted for Treefingers? hahaha

[honeststoryline]

i think single wise; it is a close call between national anthem and idioteque. i think i'd have to go with national anthem though - that bass line, man. one of the catchiest ever. plus, i just love that song.

[Steve Henderson]

No singles. This is best enjoyed as a whole album.
Ding ding ding! While I have a favorite song from the record, you are indeed correct.

[FUCKDIRTYWIPES]

ideoteque is perfect for it....wow what an album.

[yoyoninjagirl]

How to Disappear Completely. I love that song.

[notoaststereo]

motion picture soundtrack.

[hmmmmmm]

god, I love this album.
Changed how I look at making my own music.
love it, love it, love it.

I voted Idiotque.

[Stephen Chamberlain]

"National Anthem." That's one the songs they performed from Kid A on SNL.

[Scott Weber]

Idioteque would have made the best single.

[youngmountain]

One of the best albums ever, and to be honest there arnt really any 'singles" on it as people said. Idioteque is the most marketable song, however i feel it would be kinda mis-representative of the band and for that reason i voted for how to dissapear completely as it isnt too challenging and kinda sets people up for what to expect from radiohead. Also it would probably appeal to alot of the new 'indie' fans therefor increasing radiohead's fan base.

[Dan CiTi]

This should be done for Saves The Day's Through Being Cool.

[singyoutocoma]

i feel like "National Anthem" has a catchy enough bass riff to gain some radio popularity.

I concur.

[domesticyeti]

this is one of my all time favorite cds. i'm going with idioteque, but national anthem is a close second.

[mogwaifearsatan]

"How To Disappear Completely" is easily my favorite Radiohead song ever.

Steve, I think I like you.

[youngmountain]

was never a fan of national anthem for some reason, besides its not vocal led enough to be a single.

[Steve Henderson]

Steve, I think I like you.
:wave:

Oh, and by the way, I am finishing up the LOOOONG Dear Hunter interview...should be up tomorrow or this weekend.

[elemenohpe]

idioteque, ftw.

[likethesquid]

Totaly Idioteque. As a single, there will be very few 'mainstreamers' able to appreciate any other song, so its Idioteque by default.

[Genuma]

Wait. What about Midtown?

[ForlrnPerplxity]

Idioteque would make the better single, so that's my pick. Everything In Its Right Place is my favorite song off of Kid A, though.

[ControlFreak]

idioteque would be the best choice I think, although the entire album jams. motion picture soundtrack is one of my favorite songs ever.
The harp part gives me chills everytime...

[mattybobviously]

I wish this was Amnesiac so I could pick "Like Spinning Plates"


That being said, I voted Idioteque, but I'm in the "enjoy it as a whole" camp.

[kylestarr]

this was very tough between idioteque and everything in its right place. i went with idioteque.

[Scott Weber]

I wish this was Amnesiac so I could pick "Like Spinning Plates"


That being said, I voted Idioteque, but I'm in the "enjoy it as a whole" camp.
Like Spinning Plates would make an awful single...

[captainamazing4]

i picked idioteque. it makes the most sense...

[joelibyan]

luckily i had my ipod right here with me and i went back and checked them all out...
i picked national anthem. for a radio listen, something that makes you want to turn it up and sing along with at a red light, thats it...
idioteque would be a song that makes me get up and dance with my gf if a dj put it on at a club, which is a whole different experience than the radio.

[mattybobviously]

Like Spinning Plates would make an awful single...

Oh entirely. But hearing it come on the radio would be the funniest thing ever.

[LPMagic]

This album shouldn't have any singles. It's the perfect example of why people should listen to albums from start to finish and receive the artwork and not worry about radio play, videos being strewn about online and placed on MTV / VH1 at 3 in the morning, or what song will show up when they hit shuffle on their iPods.

- Jeff

[Radiology]

To me, Kid A is the best album to ever be created. PERFECT in every way possible, genius, inovative, creative, mind-blowing, I can't stress enough how much I love this album. To me it's better than anything the Beatles, Led Zeplin, Queen and Radiohead themselves have ever done. This was taking music to a new level, it's a complete work of art. I must agree with others and say that this album doesn't need a single, it's a piece of music that must be enjoyed as a whole, a full experience. "Motion Picture Soundtrack" is easily my favorite song, with the "rebirth" at the end of the album, it gives me goosebumps. But if I had to choose a single, I'd go with "Idioteque", has defenetly gotten more recognition as a song and by radio since the years have gone past after it's release. Kid A truely is perfect.

[Shatter_Glass]

Everything in it's Right Place. That song should be heard my every human ears

[LPMagic]

Everything in it's Right Place. That song should be heard my every human ears
I assume you mean "by every human ear", and if so, I agree with you.

- Jeff

[thedondeluge]

Morning Bell, or Optimistic, Idioteque is one of my favorite songs but I just don't think it's a single.