Insert Radiohead Headline Here

Trolling for news goodies to stockpile for our OPP roundup every morning, do you even realize how difficult it's become to turn away from the Medusa stare of endless headlines containing the magic word "Radiohead"?

Since announcing fans could pay whatever they'd like for In Rainbows and turning the entire music industry upside down in the process, the R-word has been slapped onto headlines ranging from the psychological state of Britney Spears to Madonna topping the charts to Coldplay's upcoming marketing plans (and this was just within the last 24 hours). Has Radiohead become the new "sex" in internet headlines? Or at least the new "Miley Cyrus"?

Exhibit 1: The US Weekly Approach - Or, spicing up a tired gossip headline with the R-word. This morning's Gigwise story - "Radiohead Help Britney Spears Overcome Personal Trauma" - took the boring saga of Britney Spears' mental health and suddenly made it relevant again by debating whether In Rainbows was responsible for her improved demeanor. Bonus points for the visual (see photo above)!

Choice excerpt - Perhaps it’s Radiohead who are helping Britney overcome her personal problems, which last year saw her shave her own head in a local hairdresser. Is a collaboration on the cards? What do you think about Britney’s choice of music? Let us know by posting a comment below...

Exhibit 2: Radiohead As A Verb - Just as Xerox and Google have grown from product names to action verbs ("Can you xerox the TPS reports?" or "We should google those Miley Cyrus Vanity Fair pics"), a new shorthand for describing emerging marketing techniques may as well be some form of the R-word, such as "radioheadding, radioheaded, radioheads". Confused? Check out this recent article "Coldplay to outdo Radiohead?".

Choice excerpt - It appears that Coldplay plan to somehow out Radiohead, Radiohead with a new "marketing" plan.

Exhibit 3: Radiohead Pulls A Homer - Kindred spirit to Exhibit 2, the noun Radiohead has now taken a far broader definition than 5 dudes in a band from Oxfordshire. In a classic Simpsons episode, Homer's blundering towards success results in his name being included in the dictionary; thus the phrase "to pull a Homer" is born. Similarly, the act of allowing fans to pay what they want seems to have earned Radiohead similar ubiquity.

Choice headline - "Madonna Refuses To 'Do A Radiohead' With Future Albums"

...and this is all just the tip of the iceberg from two days of "news" stories. Factor in recent discussions of the latest releases from major artists including The Raconteurs, Nine Inch Nails, Coldplay, and Beck all being couched within the framework of the "Radiohead model", the ongoing "Nude" Remix contest, and the kickoff of Radiohead's summer tour and it looks like we'll be Radioheadding all summer. Which, of course, is totally Radiohead with us.

Listen: "Nude" (Holy Fuck Remix)

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