Hail To The Thief
Radiohead
- 2 x LP
- Label
- XL Recordings
Hail to the Thief is the sixth studio album by Radiohead, released on 9 June 2003 by Parlophone in the UK and a day later by Capitol Records in the United States. It was produced by longtime Radiohead collaborator Nigel Godrich in Los Angeles. To avoid the protracted recording sessions of their previous albums, Kid A (2000) and Amnesiac (2001), Radiohead recorded Hail to the Thief quickly, focusing on recording live takes rather than overdubs. Songwriter Thom Yorke wrote many of the lyrics in response to the War on Terror and the resurgence of right-wing politics in the west at the turn of the millennium.
Despite a high-profile internet leak ten weeks before release, Hail to the Thief debuted at number one on the UK Albums Chart and number three on the US Billboard 200 chart, and was certified platinum in the UK, US and Canada. It produced three charting singles: "There There", "Go to Sleep" and "2 + 2 = 5". The album received positive reviews and was the fifth consecutive Radiohead album nominated for a Grammy Award for Best Alternative Music Album.