Kid A
by Radiohead
  • Record Label: Capitol
  • Release Date: Oct 3, 2000
User Score
8.9

Universal acclaim- based on 1244 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 1,134 out of 1244
  2. Mixed: 20 out of 1244
  3. Negative: 90 out of 1244

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  1. MetalMovieNerd
    Nov 6, 2012
    2
    There was commenter who said that "If you don't get Radiohead you don't get music". No, I get Radiohead... I just don't like this album in general. Now don't get me wrong, The Bends and OK Computer are some of the best alternative rock albums of the 90's. However people proclaimed this as the 2000's equivalent of Nevermind (by Nirvana) and that's just not accurate. There is nothing artfulThere was commenter who said that "If you don't get Radiohead you don't get music". No, I get Radiohead... I just don't like this album in general. Now don't get me wrong, The Bends and OK Computer are some of the best alternative rock albums of the 90's. However people proclaimed this as the 2000's equivalent of Nevermind (by Nirvana) and that's just not accurate. There is nothing artful about unstructured noise and lyrics that have no meaning. And the worse thing is that this album is more successful commercially than White Pony by Deftones. If this album has more success, critically and commercially, than an album that has structure, character, and has some kind of musical/lyrical progression in it then there is something wrong with musical listeners. Now, if you'd excuse me I'm going to go and listen to some progressive metal, a genre of music that has actual structure and requires playing instruments.… Expand
  2. SpaceKing7
    Nov 2, 2021
    0
    Shockingly pretentious and self-indulgent. That’s all this album has been, all it is, and all it ever will be, just like all of Radiohead’s other albums.
  3. J.Shak
    Jul 28, 2006
    0
    This is the worst album I've ever heard. Saying that it was play school music would be an insult to play school.
  4. adols
    Feb 5, 2006
    2
    horrible shit
  5. lewist
    May 12, 2006
    0
    this album is fucking awful.
  6. Dan
    Aug 31, 2002
    3
    among the most overrated albums of all time, kid a is rife with some interesting songs sabotaged by thom yorke's distored, incomprehensible vocals and the bands' new "keyboard wizardry" (my ass) if this is the direction brit pop is heading, i think i'd much rather stay on my side of the atlantic. radiohead's recent outpouring are FAR outclassed by their American among the most overrated albums of all time, kid a is rife with some interesting songs sabotaged by thom yorke's distored, incomprehensible vocals and the bands' new "keyboard wizardry" (my ass) if this is the direction brit pop is heading, i think i'd much rather stay on my side of the atlantic. radiohead's recent outpouring are FAR outclassed by their American semi-counterparts Modest Mouse, Sparklehorse, and Mercury Rev, all three of which have put out consistently great albums in a similar vein, three of which (modest mouse's the moon and antarctica, sparklehorse's good morning spider, and mercury rev's deserter's songs) are destined for the future fame and influence that so many critics were so quick to attribute to this half half-rate bucket of pretentious slop. thumbs down. saved from the very bottom of the scale by the tracks idioteque and how to disappear completely.… Expand
  7. HamishI
    Nov 4, 2003
    1
    This album bites! I really liked Radiohead until they released this utter piece of crap which should be cast way to the compost heap from whence it came. I chucked the CD into the bin after listening to it. They are trying to be somewhat experimental but come off sounding like a bunch of no-talent, tone deaf fools. The sad thing is, I KNOW they can do better, much, much better.
  8. KiwiJ
    Jan 21, 2004
    3
    Oh dear! The sound of a band which has received far more critical adulation that was necessary. Attempting to stretch the boundaries of rock is one thing but at the end of the day, we all prefer melodies and meaningful lyrics, things which are sadly absent on Kid A. This is the sort of album that everybody raves about in order to appear cool and relevant, but honestly, when was the last Oh dear! The sound of a band which has received far more critical adulation that was necessary. Attempting to stretch the boundaries of rock is one thing but at the end of the day, we all prefer melodies and meaningful lyrics, things which are sadly absent on Kid A. This is the sort of album that everybody raves about in order to appear cool and relevant, but honestly, when was the last time anyone actually sat down and listened to it. The case for the prosecution rests.… Expand
  9. [Anonymous]
    Oct 9, 2005
    2
    this is some bullshit. radiohead is a pretentious, overrated band, and thom yorke is a class A douche.
  10. BrianMcC
    Mar 5, 2006
    1
    They are lucky to get a '1' here....and I like Radiohead! "OK Computer" was a classic, the "Bends" is somewhat mainstream but full of melody and audio addiction. What can anyone with a mind and some kind of objectivity say positively about "Kid A"? I've tried....I can't find anything! This is the biggest bunch of trash on CD since Rick Springfield became a rock star! They are lucky to get a '1' here....and I like Radiohead! "OK Computer" was a classic, the "Bends" is somewhat mainstream but full of melody and audio addiction. What can anyone with a mind and some kind of objectivity say positively about "Kid A"? I've tried....I can't find anything! This is the biggest bunch of trash on CD since Rick Springfield became a rock star! It is full of noises that I could reproduce with a couple of college guys on a roadtrip to Las Vegas. Don't let any Radio fans seduce one into thinking otherwise, this is pure junk!… Expand
  11. billbob
    Mar 29, 2006
    3
    i lost all faith in radiohead after ok computer. the bends was ok, and pablo honey was great. how this mess happend is wut i demand 2 no!
  12. kieferh
    Jun 22, 2006
    1
    sorry savage toast(queer name...where did you get it?) i have to disagree with you, because this album is like a bake potatoe with no butter or sour creem....lacking spice and orginality
  13. Poophead528
    Aug 6, 2023
    3
    Haha, kid a is a good album you guys are hilarious, wait, you're serious? This album is an electronic mess, and this is coming from someone with a radiohead cd 15 years after cds were relevant. One part of Motion Picture Soundtrack sounds like a bunch of clips of squidward playing clarinet. Ok, ok, Idioteqe is good and I really like How to Dissapear completely. But I do not like this albumHaha, kid a is a good album you guys are hilarious, wait, you're serious? This album is an electronic mess, and this is coming from someone with a radiohead cd 15 years after cds were relevant. One part of Motion Picture Soundtrack sounds like a bunch of clips of squidward playing clarinet. Ok, ok, Idioteqe is good and I really like How to Dissapear completely. But I do not like this album overall.… Expand
  14. ChrisR.
    Oct 6, 2007
    0
    Ha ha! Just kidding! 10/10 If you don't get Radiohead you don't get music.

Awards & Rankings

29
#29 Best Album of 2000
2
#2 Most Discussed Album of 2000
2
#2 Most Shared Album of 2000

Critic Reviews

All reviews »
Metascore
80

Generally favorable reviews - based on 24 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 19 out of 24
  2. Mixed: 4 out of 24
  3. Negative: 1 out of 24
  1. Pitchfork
    100
    Comparing this to other albums is like comparing an aquarium to blue construction paper.... It's the sound of a band, and its leader, losing faith in themselves, destroying themselves, and subsequently rebuilding a perfect entity. In other words, Radiohead hated being Radiohead, but ended up with the most ideal, natural Radiohead record yet.
    Read full review
  2. Spin
    90
    Radiohead have completely immersed themselves in the studio-as-instrument--signal processing, radical stereo separation, and other antinaturalistic techniques. Even the precious Guitars--saturated with effects and gaseous with sustain--resemble natural phenomena rather than power chords or lead lines. Essentially, this is a post-rock record.... Kid A is not only Radiohead's bravest album but its best one as well. [Oct 2000, p.172]
  3. Ink Blot Magazine
    80
    For an album that apparently grew out of the band trying to get away from melody, there's a lot of it here. They can't help themselves. They try to do a song with a robotic dance beat, load it up with bleak phrases like "laughing till my head comes off" and "take the money and run" and "this is really happening," call it "Idioteque" for chrissake, and what stands out are not the beat and not the phrases or the apparent concept of dance music being silly when horrible things are happening in the world, but the seven or eight different heartwrenching vocal lines and the amazing way they intertwine.
    Read full review
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