The Beatles or Radiohead?

[Mr. Shankly]

So I find it an interesting conundrum that Radiohead has the number one ranked album, but The Beatles are the number one ranked band/artist overall on Best Ever Albums. Also, a number of Radiohead's albums appear in the top 20 overall as do The Beatles. Since this is an album site, I want to focus this debate on albums and consistency and quality overall.

Love 'em or think they're overrated, The Beatles made great albums, and most critics would say they were the first band to treat the album as an art form in and of itself, as opposed to just a collection of songs. From the mid-60's through the end of the 60's, the Beatles stuck with this approach and others followed and subsequently, we had the album era and AOR radio etc.

Now, it looks as though the album as an art form is a dying concept in the world of popular music (of course, there are a few exceptions), but without a doubt, in the late 90's and 2000's Radiohead has embraced the album as an art form and in this day and age, they are without equal when it comes to making consistently quality albums. From The Bends through Rainbows, they haven't let up. It's no surprise that OK Computer is lauded as highly as it is, although I wonder if the younger age spectrum of members on this site has anything to do with it.

As great as Radiohead is, is OK Computer a better album than anything The Beatles officially released? Why or why not? And the big question is: Has Radiohead actually topped the Beatles in terms of consistency of album quality over the span of their career or are The Beatles still the kings of the LP as art form in pop music? Maybe it's too early to ask that question. Not to influence you too much, but it's important to keep in mind, the sonic tools and breadth of musical ideas both bands were able to draw from.

As for you naysayers of one or both bands, when you say those bands are overrated, your comment has more to do with musical preference or some kind of revisionist hipster stance, than objectivity of quality, so please don't bother here with those comments because you may not like one or the other or both, but you're wrong that they're overrated. Both bands are hugely important, and both bands are titans of their respective eras and both have made great albums.

Ok, let the discussion and battle commence.
(I wanted to make this a poll, but I can't figure out how to do it. Oh, well.)

[Elston]

Disregarding your arrogance and tiresome throatclearing (and your peculiar tendency to label something you don't understand or agree with as 'hipster'):

I think the Beatles generally made better albums and have better overall consistency. I think they're a better band. But still, I think Radiohead experimented a bit more. I can't say the Beatles have anything comparable to Kid A, though maybe Magical Mystery Tour has something to say about that. Radiohead is a bit hit and miss, though I think OK Computer & Kid A are masterpieces. And the Bends & In Rainbows (and perhaps Amnesiac & Hail) are very good albums. The thing is, the Beatles released nothing BUT masterpieces. They are probably the best band ever, or very close to it. Whereas Radiohead are like ONE of the best bands of the past 20 years. I'm not sure there is a modern day Beatles.

[cartoken]

As you've mentioned it. it's also a metter of generation. my Vote (as part of the youngest generation.......) goes clearely to Radiohead !!!!


Radiohead 1 - Beattles 0

8)

[Mr. Shankly]

[joyofdivision]

Rubber Soul (9) vs. Pablo Honey (7)
Revolver (10) vs. The Bends (9)
Sgt Pepper (10) vs. OK Computer (10)
Magical MysteryTour (9) vs. Kid A (10)
The White Album (9) vs Amnesiac (9)
Let It Be ( 8 ) vs Hail to the Thief (9)
Abbey Road (9) vs In Rainbows (10)

Totals
The Beatles 64, Radiohead 64

Too close to call!

[Alt-Rocker77]

Radiohead hasn't released 12 official albums yet, so I don't think it's fair to judge with scrutiny, but I think that shear fact that the Beatles are Radiohead's predecessors gives them a bit of an upper hand in the trailblazing aspect of music. If I were to put in the most objective sense, I would say that win because they more "essential albums" (Sgt. Pepper, Rubber Soul, Revolver, Abbey Road, The Beatles, Past Masters) Radiohead has four at this point (The Bends, OK Computer, Kid A, In Rainbows) so I guess that about puts it in the most objective way.

[joannajewsom]

[1234567890]

What JJ said, her face says it all. Thank you rolling stone.
My opinion? "Never mind the bullocks, here's the sex pistols." not just pretty words.

[Mr. Shankly]

[Elston]

I really don't care Shankly. I like a man with a libido.