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Radiohead are an English rock band that formed in Oxfordshire in 1986. Radiohead's lineup, which has never changed, consists of Thom Yorke, Jonny Greenwood, Ed O'Brien, Colin Greenwood and Phil Selway.

Radiohead released their first single, "Creep" in 1992, followed by their debut album Pablo Honey (1993). Although initially unsuccessful, the song became a worldwide hit by the time it was re-issued a year later. Radiohead's popularity increased in the United Kingdom with their second album, The Bends (1995), which featured dense guitar atmospheres and Yorke's falsetto singing. However, Radiohead's third album propelled them to greater attention. Featuring an expansive sound and themes of modern alienation, OK Computer (1997) was warmly received by critics, and has often been named a landmark record of the 1990s.

Radiohead's next recordings, Kid A (2000) and Amnesiac (2001), saw Radiohead reach their peak of global popularity even as their music divided fans and critics. The period marked a change in Radiohead's style, with influences including experimental electronic music as well as Krautrock, jazz and modern classical music. Radiohead's shift away from standard rock songwriting also resulted in greater flexibility, with each member playing a wider range of instruments in the studio and at live concerts. Radiohead's latest album, Hail to the Thief (2003), mixed guitar-driven rock, electronic influences and topical lyrics, and was seen to blend styles from throughout Radiohead's career.

Among Radiohead members' earliest influences were Queen and Elvis Costello; post-punk acts such as Joy Division, Magazine, and 1980s alternative rock bands such as R.E.M., Pixies, The Smiths, and Sonic Youth. 1980s dance act Soul II Soul was another early inspiration, with several early demos, such as that for High and Dry, layered with dance beats. However, by the mid-1990s, around the release of OK Computer, Radiohead began mentioning an interest in electronic music, such as that of trip-hop act Massive Attack and the instrumental hip hop of DJ Shadow, which Radiohead claimed as major influences on the sound of OK Computer. Other influences on the album were Miles Davis and Ennio Morricone, along with 1960s pop groups such as The Beatles and The Beach Boys. Jonny Greenwood also cited composer Krzysztof Penderecki as an inspiration on the sound of OK Computer. During this era, critics noted musical similarities between OK Computer and progressive rock bands such as Pink Floyd. However, Radiohead have denied that their musical style is influenced by progressive rock.

The more electronic sound of Radiohead's next two albums, Kid A and Amnesiac, was the result of Yorke's admiration for the glitch, ambient techno and IDM styles exemplified by the Warp Records label and acts such as Autechre, Aphex Twin, Boards of Canada and Squarepusher. Jazz, such as that of Charles Mingus and Alice Coltrane, and 1970s Krautrock bands such as Can and Neu! were other major influences on Radiohead during this period. Greenwood's interest in 20th century classical music continued to play a role, as the influence of Penderecki and especially Olivier Messiaen was increasingly apparent; for several tracks on Kid A and subsequent albums, Greenwood has played the Ondes Martenot, an early electronic instrument popularised by the composer.

With Hail to the Thief, Radiohead continued their electronic influences of their previous two albums, although with renewed emphasis on guitar rock. Accordingly, Radiohead said they had tried to achieve the same "swagger" in their live performances as The Rolling Stones. Although The Beatles and Neil Young were a source of musical inspiration during this period, Radiohead also continued to cite their influence by classical musicians and Can.