15 Albums That Influenced Me: OK Computer by Radiohead: The Album That Made Me Cry
A personal reflection on how this album shaped me
A Facebook Challenge That Made Me Look Back
Recently, I was nominated in a Facebook challenge to post 15 albums that heavily influenced me. It got me thinking about the albums that didn’t just sound good but actually changed something inside me.
Some albums hit you instantly, making you want to jump around or sing along. Others creep into your soul, quietly reshaping how you think, how you feel, and how you experience music.
For me, one of those albums was OK Computer by Radiohead.
It wasn’t just an album I listened to—it was an album that unlocked emotions I didn’t even know music could tap into.
It was the first album that made me cry. And honestly? It still usually does.
The First Time I Heard OK Computer
I was 16 years old, and I had just joined Stage2 Youth Theatre. The first production I watched was The Collector, a dark and intense play.
During one scene—a series of tableaus depicting domestic violence—they played Exit Music (For a Film).
I don’t think I was prepared for how much that combination of music and imagery would affect me.
The song wasn’t just background noise—it felt like it was part of the scene’s DNA, weaving itself into the emotions unfolding on stage. It wasn’t just sad; it was gut-wrenching, eerie, and beautiful all at once.
I left the performance that night quiet, feeling something I couldn’t quite explain. The next day, I went to the library and borrowed OK Computer because I needed to hear more.
An Album That Confused and Moved Me
I had no idea what to expect when I pressed play.
At first, it was confusing. It didn’t sound like the albums I was used to. It wasn’t straightforward rock, it wasn’t upbeat, and it definitely wasn’t trying to be catchy.
But something about it felt important.
It was as if the album didn’t just want to be heard—it wanted to be felt.
And I did feel it.
For the first time, I found myself listening to an album that made me feel deeply sad but also completely captivated. It was bittersweet, like watching a sunset on the last day of a great holiday—you don’t want it to end, but you can’t look away.
That’s when I realised that music didn’t have to be about making you happy or hyping you up—it could be about sitting with emotions you didn’t quite understand.
Why OK Computer Still Feels Like an Emotional Punch
Even now, decades later, OK Computer still feels like an album I have to mentally prepare for.
🎭 It reminds me of my 16-year-old self – The kid who was still figuring out what music could do, still discovering that music could deeply affect him.
🎭 It feels like a friend who understands sadness – Not in a dramatic, let’s-cry-for-no-reason way, but in a way that says, “Yeah, the world is weird, isolating, and kind of terrifying—but you’re not alone in feeling that way.”
🎭 It makes me pause and actually listen – So much of my music listening now is on the go, in the background while working, driving, cooking, anything! But OK Computer? I can’t just put it on and ignore it. It demands my attention.
The Two Songs That Have Stayed With Me the Most
💥 Paranoid Android – The first time I heard it, I didn’t know what the hell was happening. It shifts and twists so unpredictably that it felt like a musical rollercoaster. The moment where it slows down into that ghostly, choral section with two lead vocal lines singing different parts still gives me chills.
💥 Exit Music (For a Film) – This is the song that started it all for me. To this day, I can’t hear it without getting a lump in my throat. There’s something about the way it builds from a whisper to an explosion that feels like a slow, emotional collapse. And it really conveys a sense of fear and heightened emotion.
Why This Album Will Always Matter to Me
Many albums, no matter how much I love them, start to lose their impact over time.
But not OK Computer.
It’s one of the few albums I’ve ever heard that still makes me feel almost exactly the same way I did the first time I listened to it. It is hugely nostalgic to me and transports me straight back to being 16 and 17 again.
I don’t listen to it often—not because I don’t love it, but because I know that every time I do, it’s going to make me feel something real.
And for that, it will always be one of the most important albums of my life.
How OK Computer Connects to My Work as an Alternative Wedding DJ
As a wedding DJ, I’ve played everything from punk and metal first dances to gothic wedding receptions. But I can confidently say that OK Computer is not an album that gets requested very often—if at all.
And that makes sense. It’s moody, melancholic, and existential, which isn’t exactly the vibe most couples are going for on their wedding day. That said, if a couple ever did request Paranoid Android or Exit Music (For a Film), I’d be more than happy to play them!
Because that’s the beauty of being an alternative wedding DJ—it’s about making sure the music reflects the couple, not just playing the usual wedding hits.
I might never get to play OK Computer at a wedding, but that doesn’t mean it hasn’t influenced the way I approach music. It taught me that music should make people feel something, whether it’s joy, nostalgia, or deep emotional connection—and that’s something I bring to every set I play.
Who Else Will Join Me in This Challenge?
This whole reflection started because of a Facebook nomination challenge, and I’d love to hear from others.
🎵 What’s an album that changed the way you experience music?
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🔗 Related Post: My Thoughts on Another Album That Shaped Me
🔗 Pitchfork: What It Felt Like to Review OK Computer When It First Came Out
🔗 The Guardian: Radiohead: OK Computer OKNOTOK 1997-2017 review – prescient and correct