The Bends: The Album That Changed Radiohead

For the 11th episode of Mixtape Hotline, we dive into Radiohead and the turbulent period surrounding The Bends.

After the unexpected explosion of "Creep," the band found themselves trapped beneath the weight of a massive radio hit they were already beginning to resent. We explore the pressure, uncertainty, and identity crisis that surrounded the making of The Bends, and how that tension ultimately pushed Radiohead toward creating one of the defining rock albums of the 1990s.

We also get into the emotional tone of the record, the leap in songwriting and atmosphere, the early signs of the band's future experimentation, and why The Bends continues to resonate as such a pivotal transitional album in alternative rock history.

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