Acclaimed Music Forums

The basic idea is to rank the tracks off the album each week to see how each track compares to each other. It's an excuse to go back to classic albums and a way to gauge the best and worst tracks of the most acclaimed albums. Simply rank all the tracks from your favorite to your least.

I plan to go in cycles of decades with the 1950s and 2010s once every other cycle. I will go with the top album of each respective decade, but I might skip questionable albums (I doubt anyone wants to rank the tracks of 69 Love Songs, no matter how great the album is). Next week will be Radiohead's Kid A.

Also, if you missed an album that you want to rank, you can do so in this thread. Please keep it to 1 old album per week. I will update the results. Please don't bump previous threads. I'd like to keep everything in the current topic and the result topic.



OK Computer track listing:
1. Airbag
2. Paranoid Android
3. Subterranean Homesick Alien
4. Exit Music (For a Film)
5. Let Down
6. Karma Police
7. Fitter Happier
8. Electioneering
9. Climbing Up the Walls
10. No Surprises
11. Lucky
12. The Tourist

1. Paranoid Android
2. Let Down
3. Karma Police
4. No Surprises
5. Exit Music (For a Film)
6. Lucky
7. Climbing Up the Walls
8. Airbag
9. Subterranean Homesick Alien
10. The Tourist
11. Fitter Happier
12. Electioneering

1. Paranoid Android
2. No Surprises
3. Let Down
4. Airbag
5. Lucky
6. Climbing Up The Walls
7. Karma Police
8. Exit Music (For A Film)
9. Electioneering
10. Subterranean Homesick Alien
11. The Tourist
12. Fitter Happier

Alright! This is the one I was waiting for. It might have lost the albums poll, but it's my #1 for a reason! This album is loaded with classic after classic. The worst song here would be the best song on most other albums.

The Top Two were a cinch. But I think the best way to articulate my feelings is through a running commentary!

Paranoid Android (My #10 song. The "Bohemian Rhapsody" or "Won't get Fooled Again" of the '90s.)
Karma Police (My #25 song. Experimental and moving. Takes a close second.)
Exit Music (For a Film) (Heartwarming and powerful. I think this actually would work as a closing track, fitting the title. With Moonbeam's algorithm, this could make the all-time list for sure!)
Let Down (Good. Not as emotional as "Exit Music (For a Film)" but otherwise comes close to it)
No Surprises (The most "poppy" of these tracks. I'd recommend this to a Radiohead newcomer who doesn't know them past "Creep")
Electioneering (Sounds like Deep Purple or some classic rock, which is not a bad thing at all.)
Fitter Happier (Kinda funny if you think of it a certain way. This is why the album got its name)
Lucky (The most depressing track Radiohead ever did. Great lyrics, sad music, a solid experience)
Airbag (Sounds like a lot of alt-rock from the '90s. Airy guitar is like Verve or Oasis. Fits well with the scene.)
Subterranean Homesick Alien (Slow-moving but emotional. Interesting this comes right after "Paranoid Android", possibly a double Douglas Adams reference )
Climbing up the Walls (More interesting than enjoyable. Near the bottom because most of the rest of the album is both. I do think this was an influence on heavier bands like Band of Skulls or Karnivool)
The Tourist (Beautiful music, but not much else)

This ends my gushing. Yes, we will have two Radiohead albums in a row. This is not a problem at all! It's no hyperbole that I am one of the biggest Radiohead fans on AM, even amongst several of them.

10. No Surprises
5. Let Down
2. Paranoid Android
4. Exit Music (For a Film)
6. Karma Police
9. Climbing Up the Walls
11. Lucky
3. Subterranean Homesick Alien
7. Fitter Happier
1. Airbag
8. Electioneering
12. The Tourist

2. Paranoid Android
12. The Tourist
3. Subterranean Homesick Alien
6. Karma Police
10. No Surprises
11. Lucky
5. Let Down
4. Exit Music (For a Film)
9. Climbing Up the Walls
1. Airbag
8. Electioneering
7. Fitter Happier

This one hovers around the entry point of my top 100. The top four songs here feel like a cut above everything else.

2. Paranoid Android
5. Let Down
6. Karma Police
11. Lucky
12. The Tourist
3. Subterranean Homesick Alien
1. Airbag
10. No Surprises
7. Fitter Happier
8. Electioneering
9. Climbing Up the Walls
4. Exit Music (For a Film)

1. Lucky
2. Airbag
3. Paranoid Android
4. No Surprises
5. Let Down
6. Exit Music (For a Film)
7. The Tourist
8. Karma Police
9. Climbing Up the Walls
10. Subterranean Homesick Alien
11. Fitter Happier
12. Electioneering

10. No Surprises
8. Electioneering
1. Airbag
9. Climbing Up the Walls
4. Exit Music (For a Film)
2. Paranoid Android
6. Karma Police
3. Subterranean Homesick Alien
11. Lucky
5. Let Down
12. The Tourist
7. Fitter Happier

5 masterpieces, 2 great songs, 2 ok ones and 2 I don't care for.
I know for some people No Surprises is a lovely poppy song, but I still think it's the most depressing piece of modern music, maybe because it hits right where it hurts.

And I know Electioneering is going to end at the bottom, but damn I love that song...

6. Karma Police
10. No Surprises
3. Subterranean Homesick Alien
1. Airbag
11. Lucky
7. Fitter Happier
2. Paranoid Android
12. The Tourist
5. Let Down
8. Electioneering
4. Exit Music (For a Film)
9. Climbing Up the Walls

It might say something about how I feel about an album when a seemingly-out-of-an-80s-dystopian-film sound snippet like Fitter Happier moves me more than fantastic compositions like Paranoid Android and Exit Music (For a Film). Each time I listen to this album, I feel like it's a masterpiece I just fail to relate to. I love both The Bends and Kid A but this album seems to exist in some sort of musical uncanny valley in my mind. And uncanny is not the right term either, for most of this album, I actually fail to feel anything at all, like there's an extremely moving scene going on and each time I'm reaching it, a plexiglass wall stops me. I guess this album was made for paranoid androids and I'm just too much of an happy-go-lucky human to care. And that's coming from someone who considers Blade Runner and Ghost in the Shell to be some of the greatest movies (and pieces of art, for that matter) ever.

BTW, if you all love this kind of music, there's a band of Spanish Radiohead copycats called Los Piratas that might suit you. Their 2001 album Ultrasónica is #37 on Rolling Stone Spain's list of the 50 greatest Spanish rock albums ever.

2. Paranoid Android
10. No Surprises
6. Karma Police
5. Let Down
9. Climbing Up the Walls
1. Airbag
11. Lucky
4. Exit Music (For a Film)
8. Electioneering
3. Subterranean Homesick Alien
12. The Tourist
7. Fitter Happier

1. Karma Police
2. Paranoid Android
3. Exit Music (For a Film)
4. No Surprises
5. Let Down
6. Airbag
7. The Tourist
8. Lucky
9. Subterranean Homesick Blues
10. Climbing up the Walls
11. Fitter Happier
12. Electioneering

whuntva wrote:Alright! This is the one I was waiting for. It might have lost the albums poll, but it's my #1 for a reason! This album is loaded with classic after classic. The worst song here would be the best song on most other albums.

The Top Two were a cinch. But I think the best way to articulate my feelings is through a running commentary!

Paranoid Android (My #10 song. The "Bohemian Rhapsody" or "Won't get Fooled Again" of the '90s.)
Karma Police (My #25 song. Experimental and moving. Takes a close second.)
Exit Music (For a Film) (Heartwarming and powerful. I think this actually would work as a closing track, fitting the title. With Moonbeam's algorithm, this could make the all-time list for sure!)
Let Down (Good. Not as emotional as "Exit Music (For a Film)" but otherwise comes close to it)
No Surprises (The most "poppy" of these tracks. I'd recommend this to a Radiohead newcomer who doesn't know them past "Creep")
Electioneering (Sounds like Deep Purple or some classic rock, which is not a bad thing at all.)
Fitter Happier (Kinda funny if you think of it a certain way. This is why the album got its name)
Lucky (The most depressing track Radiohead ever did. Great lyrics, sad music, a solid experience)
Airbag (Sounds like a lot of alt-rock from the '90s. Airy guitar is like Verve or Oasis. Fits well with the scene.)
Subterranean Homesick Alien (Slow-moving but emotional. Interesting this comes right after "Paranoid Android", possibly a double Douglas Adams reference )
Climbing up the Walls (More interesting than enjoyable. Near the bottom because most of the rest of the album is both. I do think this was an influence on heavier bands like Band of Skulls or Karnivool)
The Tourist (Beautiful music, but not much else)

This ends my gushing. Yes, we will have two Radiohead albums in a row. This is not a problem at all! It's no hyperbole that I am one of the biggest Radiohead fans on AM, even amongst several of them.

You probably would have voted OK Computer to number one, depending how you would rank The Velvet Underground and Nico

^^^Actually, I did vote in that poll. OK Computer was my #1 and VU was "only" #19.

Make of that what thou wilt.

10. No Surprises
5. Let Down
12. The Tourist
2. Paranoid Android
3. Subterranean Homesick Alien
4. Exit Music (For a Film)
6. Karma Police
1. Airbag
9. Climbing Up the Walls
8. Electioneering
11. Lucky
7. Fitter Happier

I too am one of the biggest Radiohead fans on AM. OK Computer and Kid A were my #'s 1 and 2 on the album poll and it was no contest for me (the hardest part was deciding which one was #1).

7. Fitter Happier
6. Karma Police
4. Exit Music (For a Film)
3. Subterranean Homesick Alien
2. Paranoid Android
10. No Surprises
8. Electioneering
1. Airbag
11. Lucky
12. The Tourist
9. Climbing Up the Wall
5. Let Down

To me Fitter Happier is the heart (or CPU?) of OK Computer. It's also more than a song to me, it exists in its own paranoid plane of existence, watching over the rest of the album.

2. Paranoid Android
10. No Surprises
4. Exit Music (For a Film)
5. Let Down
11. Lucky
6. Karma Police
1. Airbag
8. Electioneering
12. The Tourist
3. Subterranean Homesick Alien
9. Climbing Up the Walls
7. Fitter Happier

Miles Davis - Kind of Blue

1. So What
2. Freddie Freeloader
4. All Blues
3. Blue in Green
5. Flamenco Sketches

Kind of Blue is the first album I had not heard prior to this game. It was delightful. I have never gotten deep into jazz music; I believe John Coltrane's A Love Supreme was the only jazz record I had listened to. I find this album nearly as good, though.

Radiohead - OK Computer

2. Paranoid Android
5. Let Down
9. Climbing Up the Walls
8. Electioneering
6. Karma Police
3. Subterranean Homesick Alien
1. Airbag
10. No Surprises
11. Lucky
12. The Tourist
4. Exit Music (For a Film)
7. Fitter Happier

I had OK Computer ranked at number three on my all-time list, but this most recent listen made me realize it should leapfrog Kid A for the number two spot. I don't suppose that would've been enough to supplant The Velvet Underground & Nico for the forum poll.

It's almost impossible to rank the songs, they are almost all "perfect". The first 8 songs of my list are incredibly beautiful.

Great :
2. Paranoid Android
10. No Surprises
4. Exit Music (For a Film)
6. Karma Police
1. Airbag
3. Subterranean Homesick Alien
12. The Tourist
11. Lucky
9. Climbing Up the Walls
5. Let Down

Good :
8. Electioneering

Don't like :
7. Fitter Happier

6. Karma Police
2. Paranoid Android
1. Airbag
5. Let Down
10. No Surprises
8. Electioneering
3. Subterranean Homesick Alien
11. Lucky
9. Climbing Up the Walls
12. The Tourist
4. Exit Music (For a Film)
7. Fitter Happier

4. Exit Music (For a Film)
5. Let Down
2. Paranoid Android
9. Climbing Up the Walls
3. Subterranean Homesick Alien
1. Airbag
11. Lucky
6. Karma Police
12. The Tourist
10. No Surprises
8. Electioneering
7. Fitter Happier

9. Climbing Up the Walls
2. Paranoid Android
4. Exit Music (For a Film)
11. Lucky
8. Electioneering
5. Let Down
10. No Surprises
6. Karma Police
3. Subterranean Homesick Alien
7. Fitter Happier
1. Airbag
12. The Tourist

I'm always a little surprised that "Climbing Up the Walls" ranks so low with a lot of people. To me, it's one of the most menacing musical experiences to be had, treading a line between unnerving and downright scary.

Really hard to rank, very few standout tracks, which isn't a bad thing. Fitter Happier evokes the strongest emotions for me, especially after the mellow Karma Police, wherefore I'm going to put it on top of the list. The only song I don't enjoy at all is Let Down.

1. Fitter Happier
2. Subterranean Homesick Alien
3. No Surprises
4. Karma Police
5. Climbing Up the Walls
6. Airbag
7. Paranoid Android
8. Lucky
9. Exit Music (For a Film)
10. The Tourist
11. Electioneering
12. Let Down

Now that I look at it, the places 1 to 8 are almost interchangeable. As I already said, the album is so concise and well-balanced that any ranking really is arbitrary

I might as well throw my hat into the ring

1- Karma Police (longtime favorite beats forum/critical favorite...barely)
2- Paranoid Android
3- Airbag
4- Electioneering
5- Exit Music (For a Film)
6- Let Down
7- The Tourist
8-Climbing Up the Walls
9- Subterranean Homesick Alien
10- No Surprises
11- Lucky
12- Fitter Happier

2. Paranoid Android
6. Karma Police
10. No Surprises
3. Subterranean Homesick Alien
4. Exit Music (For a Film)
5. Let Down
1. Airbag
11. Lucky
12. The Tourist
9. Climbing Up the Walls
7. Fitter Happier
8. Electioneering

5. Let Down
3. Subterranean Homesick Alien
10. No Surprises
11. Lucky
1. Airbag
6. Karma Police
2. Paranoid Android
9. Climbing Up the Walls
4. Exit Music (For a Film)
12. The Tourist
8. Electioneering
7. Fitter Happier

01. No Surprises
02. Paranoid Android
03. Karma Police
04. Let Down
05. Airbag
06. The Tourist
07. Subterranean Homesick Alien
08. Lucky
09. Exit Music (For a Film)
10. Electioneering
11. Climbing Up the Walls
12. Fitter Happier

10. No Surprises
6. Karma Police
9. Climbing Up the Walls
5. Let Down
3. Subterranean Homesick Alien
2. Paranoid Android
11. Lucky
4. Exit Music (For a Film)
12. The Tourist
8. Electioneering
7. Fitter Happier
1. Airbag

1 | Karma Police
2 | Paranoid Android
3 | Exit Music (For a Film)
4 | Lucky
5 | Let Down
6 | Airbag
7 | No Surprises
8 | Subterranean Homesick Alien
9 | The Tourist
10 | Electioneering
11 | Climbing Up the Walls
12 | Fitter Happier

My #3 album of all time, but all of my 10/10s can be considered tied for #1.

10. No Surprises
9. Climbing Up the Walls
2. Paranoid Android
3. Subterranean Homesick Alien
1. Airbag
12. The Tourist
8. Electioneering
5. Let Down
11. Lucky
4. Exit Music (For a Film)
7. Fitter Happier
6. Karma Police

02 | Paranoid Android
05 | Let Down
10 | No Surprises
06 | Karma Police
01 | Airbag
12 |The Tourist
09 | Climbing Up the Walls
04 | Exit Music (For a Film)
11 | Lucky
03 | Subterranean Homesick Alien
08 | Electioneering
07 | Fitter Happier

1. Climbing Up the Walls
2. Exit Music (For a Film)
3. Airbag
4. Paranoid Android
5. Karma Police
6. No Surprises
7. The Tourist
8. Let Down
9. Electioneering
10. Lucky
11. Subterranean Homesick Alien
12. Fitter Happier

5. Let Down
6. Karma Police
2. Paranoid Android
10. No Surprises
4. Exit Music (For a Film)
9. Climbing Up the Walls
11. Lucky
1. Airbag
3. Subterranean Homesick Alien
8. Electioneering
12. The Tourist
7. Fitter Happier

6. Karma Police
2. Paranoid Android
10. No Surprises
9. Climbing Up the Walls
8. Electioneering
1. Airbag
12. The Tourist
3. Subterranean Homesick Alien
4. Exit Music (For a Film)
11. Lucky
5. Let Down
7. Fitter Happier

2. Paranoid Android
5. Let Down
6. Karma Police
3. Subterranean Homesick Alien
1. Airbag
10. No Surprises
4. Exit Music (For a Film)
11. Lucky
9. Climbing Up the Walls
12. The Tourist
8. Electioneering
7. Fitter Happier

"Open up your skull. I'll be there"

01 | Climbing Up the Walls
02 | No Surprises
03 | Paranoid Android
04 | Let Down
05 | Subterranean Homesick Alien
06 | Lucky
07 | Airbag
08 | The Tourist
09 | Electioneering
10 | Karma Police
11 | Exit Music (For a Film)
12 | Fitter Happier

2. Paranoid Android
6. Karma Police
3. Subterranean Homesick Alien
5. Let Down
11. Lucky
1. Airbag
9. Climbing Up the Walls
10. No Surprises
8. Electioneering
4. Exit Music (For a Film)
12. The Tourist
7. Fitter Happier

1. Paranoid android
2. Let down
3. Karma police
4. Exit music (for a film)
5. Climbing up the walls
6. Lucky
7. The tourist
8. Subterranean homesick alien
9. No surprises
10. Airbag
11. Electioneering
12. Fitter happier

1. Airbag
9. Climbing Up the Walls
2. Paranoid Android
4. Exit Music (For a Film)
6. Karma Police
10. No Surprises
7. Fitter Happier
11. Lucky
8. Electioneering
3. Subterranean Homesick Alien
5. Let Down
12. The Tourist

The last 4 are typically interchangeable for me.

Welcome to the Forum, talking!

4. Exit Music (For a Film)
9. Climbing Up the Walls
10. No Surprises
6. Karma Police
11. Lucky
5. Let Down
8. Electioneering
1. Airbag
12. The Tourist
2. Paranoid Android
3. Subterranean Homesick Alien
7. Fitter Happier

2. Paranoid Android
5. Let Down
3. Subterranean Homesick Alien
7. Fitter Happier
11. Lucky
12. The Tourist
6. Karma Police
4. Exit Music (For a Film)
10. No Surprises
1. Airbag
9. Climbing Up the Walls
8. Electioneering

2. Paranoid Android
3. Subterranean Homesick Alien
1. Airbag
4. Exit Music (For a Film)
5. Let Down
6. Karma Police
8. Electioneering
10. No Surprises
11. Lucky
7. Fitter Happier
9. Climbing Up the Walls
12. The Tourist

6. Karma Police
10. No Surprises
2. Paranoid Android
4. Exit Music (For a Film)
11. Lucky
5. Let Down
1. Airbag
3. Subterranean Homesick Alien
12. The Tourist
9. Climbing Up the Walls
8. Electioneering
7. Fitter Happier

11| Lucky
09| Climbing Up the Walls
04| Exit Music (for a Film)
08| Electioneering
12| The Tourist
07| Fitter Happier
10| No Surprises
05| Let Down
03| Subterranean Homesick Alien
02| Paranoid Android
01| Airbag
06| Karma Police

Looks like I'm late to the party on this one, but I'll paste my rankings from the newest post here.

01. Paranoid Android
02. Karma Police
03. No Surprises
04. Let Down
05. Lucky
06. Exit Music (For a Film)
07. Airbag
08. Subterranean Homesick Alien
09. Climbing Up The Walls (in an album full of high impact tracks, this one gets unfairly lost in the shuffle)
10. Electioneering
11. Fitter Happier
12. The Tourist

6. Karma Police
10. No Surprises
4. Exit Music (For a Film)
5. Let Down
2. Paranoid Android
11. Lucky
3. Subterranean Homesick Alien
9. Climbing Up the Walls
1. Airbag
8. Electioneering
12. The Tourist
7. Fitter Happier

06 | Karma Police
10 | No Surprises
02 | Paranoid Android
05 | Let Down
09 | Climbing Up the Walls
11 | Lucky
04 | Exit Music (For a Film)
01 | Airbag
12 | The Tourist
03 | Subterranean Homesick Alien
07 | Fitter Happier
08 | Electioneering

2. Paranoid Android
10. No Surprises
6. Karma Police
5. Let Down
4. Exit Music (For a Film)
1. Airbag
7. Fitter Happier
8. Electioneering
11. Lucky
3. Subterranean Homesick Alien
9. Climbing Up the Walls
12. The Tourist