ABSTRACT
The variety of individual genre perceptions becomes apparent when one is aware of the larger stylistic elements and developments that make up a musical text. Radiohead’s music is the subject of a wide and diverse discourse that is shaped by audiences, journalists, and industries alike. Radiohead’s music has followed a stylistic trajectory that touches upon many different genres and musical influences resulting in a complex amalgamation of styles. The chapter shows how notions of genre and transgression appear in Radiohead’s music, how they transform over time, and how they can be made sense of. A look at Radiohead’s studio albums shows interesting dynamic constructs and changes. The composition and use of lyrics in songs is an important part of immediate stylistic perception and thus a significant indicator of genre. The concept of production and sound design in the studio presents a further element of interest to genre scholars and warrants a brief overview.
