Radiohead - Kid A

The album that sparked a million late-night muso debates, it’s easy to forget just how bold a statement Kid A made upon its release. Taking its cue from contemporary jazz, krautrock and obscure electro, and yet somehow still sounding like it was being beamed at us from another planet, it remains the definitive statement of turn-of-the-century ennui. At times unremittingly bleak, Thom Yorke and co. knew they’d be alienating vast swathes of their fanbase who are still to this day wondering where the guitars have gone. But the band’s reward has been to change the musical landscape with an album that even now sounds ahead of its time. Almost a genre unto itself, not only did Kid A mark the reinvention of Radiohead, it also represented a giant leap forward for the world of leftfield music. (Paul Harrington)