It expanded Radiohead's international popularity and received widespread critical acclaim, and has often been cited as one of the greatest albums of all time. Its abstract lyrics, densely layered sound, and eclectic range of influences laid the groundwork for the band's later, more experimental work.ĭespite lowered sales estimates by the band's record company EMI, who deemed it "uncommercial" and difficult to market, OK Computer debuted at number one on the UK Albums Chart and number 21 on the US Billboard 200. Stylistically, the album initiated a shift in British rock music away from the then-ubiquitous genre of Britpop toward melancholic, atmospheric rock that became more prevalent within the next decade. Critics have noted its lyrics depicting a world fraught with rampant consumerism, social alienation, emotional isolation, and political malaise in this capacity, OK Computer is often interpreted as having prescient insight into the mood of 21st century life. With OK Computer, the band made a deliberate attempt to distance themselves from the guitar-oriented, lyrically introspective style of their previous album The Bends (1995). Produced by Nigel Godrich, it was recorded between July 1996 and March 1997, mostly in the historic mansion of St Catherine's Court. It was first released on in Japan, on 16 June 1997 in the United Kingdom by Parlophone, and on 1 July 1997 in the United States by Capitol Records. Nigel Godrich OK Computer is Radiohead's third studio album.