OK Computer Analysis: An Audio Corpus Study of Radiohead

Collins, Nick

Abstract

The application of music information retrieval techniques in popular music studies has great promise. In the present work, a corpus of Radiohead songs across their career from 1992 to 2017 are subjected to automated audio analysis. We examine findings from a number of granularities and perspectives, including within song and between song examination of both timbral-rhythmic and harmonic features. Chronological changes include possible career spanning effects for a band's releases such as slowing tempi and reduced brightness, and the timbral markers of Radiohead's expanding approach to instrumental resources most identified with the Kid A and Amnesiac era. We conclude with a discussion highlighting some challenges for this approach, and the potential for a field of audio file based career analysis.

Citation

Collins, N. (2022). OK Computer Analysis: An Audio Corpus Study of Radiohead. [No known commissioning body]

• Report Type: Project Report
• Online Publication Date: Nov 29, 2022
• Publication Date: 2022
• Deposit Date: Dec 6, 2022
• Publicly Available Date: Dec 6, 2022
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.48550/arxiv.2211.15834
• Public URL: https://durham-repository.worktribe.com/output/1603575
• Related Public URLs: https://arxiv.org/abs/2211.15834
• Additional Information: Type: monograph; Subtype: project_report