I don't understand OK Computer... - Music - Forums : Best Ever Albums

RoundTheBend
I miss the comfort in being sad

Location: Ground Control

I was 89 years old.

Daydreamer

sethmadsen wrote:

I was 89 years old.

Me too.
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carpents

bobbyb5 wrote:

Wrong. That's all part of the mythology. (snip) I wouldnt care about any of this except for the fact that its always a bad thing to overpraise something, because then we only get more of it.

Well, we *did* get more of it, didn't we? All of a sudden it went (in the USA) from being obscure & strange to like Radiohead to being mainstream. It wasn't The Bends which did this, it was OK Computer, so obviously there was *something* about it which warrants myth-making.

Whether or not Radiohead was a direct influence on a particular band after this, they definitely influenced music in general.

[I was in my 20s in 1997, and loved The Bends before OK Computer came out. I also haven't liked anything that Radiohead has done in the last 10+ years.]

To the OP: Keep in mind that nostalgia plays a part in any individual's ranking of albums. I would guess that most people here are in their 30s or 40s, and this album hit at an influential point. That being said, I truly do think it's one of the best albums ever made, and I liked it from the day I bought the CD. I had already appreciated the band via Pablo Honey and The Bends, so those might have helped acclimate me to the sound.

boyd94

bobbyb5 wrote:

It wasnt even groundbreaking when it came out. So much mythology has been built up around OK computer that people who weren't quite old enough at the time probably believe this mythology. Here's the truth about what happened when it came out. Like me most people found it to be a very agreeable, rather amusing little album. I had it and listened to it occasionally over the course of one or two years. And then like everybody else at the time, I just considered it another pleasant little album. Not horrible by any means, but not great by any means. But people talk about it today like it was a gift of the Gods that changed the course of history, and that people still haven't gotten over to this very day. This is a lot of nonsense. It was just another alt-rock album that some people and a few critics decided they would call their album of the year. No different than say, Green Day a few years earlier or blur or Oasis or any one of a hundred other albums.

If this is all true, why didn't it go the way of Britpop and be forgotten as a mildly embarrassing phase?

The Bends hasn't aged very well in most peoples estimations, but the same can't be said of OK Computer. There's clearly something to it that sets it apart.

RoundTheBend
I miss the comfort in being sad

Location: Ground Control

boyd94 wrote:

If this is all true, why didn't it go the way of Britpop and be forgotten as a mildly embarrassing phase?

The Bends hasn't aged very well in most peoples estimations, but the same can't be said of OK Computer. There's clearly something to it that sets it apart.

Graeme2

Gender: Male
Location: The Upside Down

BowieGhostsBub wrote:

I'm by no means a music geru or consider myself "well listened." I'm very new to it in general, but I just don't know why OK Computer is so revered and is the top album on this site. Maybe it was really ground breaking when it came out I'm guessing. I'm not knocking it one bit. It's simply that I don't understand it.

Because people really like it. If you dont then that's fine. People on RYM really like it too. And on most other places in the world where people get on about what the best record ever is, you probably will hear it mentioned. If there was no Internet it would still be in my top 3 ever. Because its pretty good. And I really like it. It always seems to be this and dark side of the moon at the top. Why is that? Does anyone really care that much? It's just music and not as good as the first stone roses but still good yeah. I'm bored. if you don't like it, listen to some other acclaimed album from people who talk shit like me, you may discover a gem. People who know about music said radiohead are great, so I like them. I put radiohead live at Glastonbury on for my sons today, they said it was shit. I then put Liam Gallagher on and they said they didn't think it could get worse but it has. I enjoyed it though.

Tha1ChiefRocka
Yeah, well hey, I'm really sorry.

Location: Kansas

Something has to be the best, so it might as well be an album that most people enjoy on some level. Which is the same with pretty much any medium. Citizen Kane was a flop when it came out, but has now somehow become the "Best Movie Ever". Something has to be at the top, and this album is the one that, for whatever reason, seems to be the consensus. That being said I do genuinely like it quite a bit and believe it's Radiohead's best.

Temporary33

I'll explain why I think OK Computer is one of the few entries in the catalog of Radiohead that possesses much "merit"(Not necessarily the word I'd like to use though). It's just genuine. I don't think it's as revolutionary as others, but it has a very genuine and human take to it that makes the music and lyricism come to life. It's a good example of expression, specifically expression of sadness.

Captain_Dude

Gender: Male
Age: 54

BowieGhostsBub wrote:

I'm by no means a music guru or consider myself "well listened." I'm very new to it in general, but I just don't know why OK Computer is so revered and is the top album on this site. Maybe it was really ground breaking when it came out I'm guessing. I'm not knocking it one bit. It's simply that I don't understand it.

I couldn't agree with you more. I am a HUGE music fan...and I like many different genres. However, I cannot wrap my head around why so many like this album. I have tried so many times to listen to it and I still have absolutely no interest in its contents. >sigh<
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RoundTheBend
I miss the comfort in being sad

Location: Ground Control

Captain_Dude wrote:

I couldn't agree with you more. I am a HUGE music fan...and I like many different genres. However, I cannot wrap my head around why so many like this album. I have tried so many times to listen to it and I still have absolutely no interest in its contents. >sigh<

Out of curiosity, is this true of any Radiohead work? I feel this way about Bowie and Dylan... individual works are mind blowing, but many of their albums are a stretch for me.

Anyway, I think In Rainbows and Kid A are just as good of an album as OK Computer. Even the Bends is almost on par. If you haven't already, check those out? And if you have, I get it via Bowie and Dylan.

I mean this album is on my top 100 and perhaps I'm contridicting myself a little cause I suck at words... but basically I get it when some artists are lauded as the greatest ever and I go listen to all their albums expecting such and find a few gems, but really aren't as great across the board.

I do dig:

For the lyrics/songwriting and the fact that it's really just him instead of trying to "write" music.

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The Times They Are A-Changin' by Bob Dylan

Bowie: it's like he wanted to try rock but just had to do something different, well put together album:

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The Man Who Sold The World by David Bowie