Music Appreciation

Radiohead are back — fitter, happier and better than before
After the summer of Oasis, it’s the winter of Radiohead — as Britain’s most enigmatic band announce 20 European dates from London to Madrid

Jonathan Dean
Wednesday September 03 2025, 3.00pm BST, The Times



What a thrill: Britain’s best band are back. Radiohead live are a symphonic beast of sound and vision with a huge range of songs, from the acoustic ballads that sold them millions of CDs in the 1990s to the pulsating electronica that became their sound this century. Being able to see Thom Yorke (vocals, guitars, piano, dancing), Jonny Greenwood (every instrument on the planet), Ed O’Brien (guitars, switches and knobs), Colin Greenwood (bass) and Phil Selway (drums) tear through their nine albums will for many be the gig of the year. As flyers distributed across European cities this week revealed, their tour will start in Madrid on November 4 before reaching the UK, with four London dates at the O2 Arena, two weeks later.

The tickets — which go on sale next week — will sell out in seconds, with many fans willing to pay double. The band will play Madrid, Bologna, London, Copenhagen and Berlin.

Why now? And where is their new music? Because while Oasis have been having the time of their lives on their present tour — singing songs from decades ago, Liam and Noel Gallagher’s frostiness has apparently thawed — Radiohead’s comeback is harder to explain. They have never toured without new songs before, so this jaunt appears to be solely about playing the greatest hits.

And sure, take my money, plus booking fee. But the band have spent decades innovating, reconfiguring rock music. A best-of tour is stranger than when they put a free album out.

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