Thom Yorke

Not to be confused with Tom Yorke or Tom York.

Thom Yorke
Yorke on stage
Yorke in 2018
Background information
Birth nameThomas Edward Yorke
Also known as
  • Sisi Bakbak[1]
  • Tchock[2]
  • The White Chocolate Farm
  • Zachariah Wildwood
  • Thmx
Born (1968-10-07) 7 October 1968 (age 56)
Wellingborough, Northamptonshire, England
Genres
Occupations
  • Singer
  • songwriter
  • composer
Instruments
  • Vocals
  • guitar
  • keyboards
  • bass
Years active1985–present
LabelsXL
Member of
Formerly ofAtoms for Peace
Spouses
  • ​
    ​
    (m. 2003; sep. 2015)​
  • Dajana Roncione
    ​
    (m. 2020)​

Thomas Edward Yorke (born 7 October 1968) is an English musician who is the main vocalist and songwriter of the rock band Radiohead. He plays guitar, bass, keyboards and other instruments, and is noted for his falsetto. Rolling Stone described Yorke as one of the greatest and most influential singers of his generation.

Yorke formed Radiohead with schoolmates at Abingdon School in Oxfordshire. They gained notice with their debut single, "Creep", and went on to achieve acclaim and sales of more than 30 million albums. Yorke's early influences included alternative rock acts such as Pixies and R.E.M. With Radiohead's fourth album, Kid A (2000), Yorke moved into electronic music, influenced by Warp acts such as Aphex Twin. For most of his career, he has worked with the producer Nigel Godrich and the cover artist Stanley Donwood.

Yorke's solo work comprises mainly electronic music. His debut solo album, The Eraser, was released in 2006. To perform it live, he formed a new band, Atoms for Peace, with musicians including Godrich and the Red Hot Chili Peppers bassist Flea. They released an album, Amok, in 2013. Yorke's second solo album, Tomorrow's Modern Boxes, was released in 2014, followed by Anima in 2019. In 2021, Yorke debuted a new band, the Smile, with the Radiohead guitarist Jonny Greenwood and the drummer Tom Skinner; they have released three albums. Yorke has collaborated with artists including PJ Harvey, Björk, Flying Lotus and Modeselektor, and has composed for film and theatre, including the films Suspiria (2018) and Confidenza (2024).

Yorke is an activist on behalf of human rights, animal rights, environmental and anti-war causes, and his lyrics incorporate political themes. He has been critical of the music industry, particularly of major labels and streaming services such as Spotify. With Radiohead and his solo work, he has employed alternative release platforms such as pay-what-you-want and BitTorrent. He was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as a member of Radiohead in 2019.

  1. ^ Cite error: The named reference sisi was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  2. ^ McLean, Craig (18 June 2006). "All messed up". London: guardian.co.uk. Retrieved 9 July 2009.
  3. ^ "Review: ANIMA". AllMusic. Retrieved 3 December 2023.
  4. ^ Leahey, Andrew (September 2007). "Book reviews: Dead Children Playing: A Picture Book". CMJ. Vol. 64, no. 151. p. 62.
  5. ^ Cite error: The named reference Rolling Stone-2011 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).