Included: tracks by Leonard Cohen, Aphex Twin and David Byrne.
Radiohead have shared on social media the playlist that was played in arenas before the concerts of their 2025 European tour. The selection, compiled by Thom Yorke himself, includes songs by artists such as Leonard Cohen, Aphex Twin, David Byrne and Syd Barrett.
What’s on your ears
The playlist begins with Radiohead themselves – with “Seattle Ambient Recordings (Minidisks)” – and continues with pieces by Francois Bayle, Faust, Bill Evans, The Corries and the others mentioned. Other acts represented include Moondog, Lee Hazlewood, Duke Ellington and Plastikman. The finale includes tracks from Mark Pritchard, the Gaelic Psalm Singers and the aforementioned David Byrne.
The group also gives a classification of the whole thing: “Experience (or re-experience) the atmosphere of a European arena while you wait for Radiohead to take the stage – Thom’s pre-show mix from 2025 is now available,” said Radiohead on their social media channels. The playlist is available for streaming on Spotify, for example.
Here is the band’s social post:
First tour after a seven year break
In September 2025, Radiohead announced their first tour in seven years. From November 4th to December 16th the band played 20 gigs. These include four concerts in the capital on December 8th, 9th, 11th and 12th. The Berlin shows in the Uber Arena were all sold out.
For the tour, the band had previously announced that they would play their performances “in the round” – with the stage in the middle of the hall – and take a spontaneous approach to the setlist every evening. To achieve this, Radiohead had rehearsed over 65 songs from their entire catalog in advance during rehearsals.
Future plans remain open
Thom Yorke and Co. have apparently not yet considered any further concert dates. When announcing the European tour, Philip Selway simply stated: “For now there will only be these shows, but who knows where it will all lead.”
Editorial recommendations
But fans hope that Radiohead will return to the studio in 2026. The group hasn’t released any new music since 2016’s “A Moon Shaped Pool.” In an interview with “The Times” in October 2025, the band members were cautious about concrete plans. When asked about new Radiohead songs, Jonny Greenwood replied: “I don’t know.” Thom Yorke added: “We didn’t think beyond the tour. I’m just amazed we’ve made it this far.”