Radiohead new album pops up on Napster

The love/hate relationship between the world's best band and the Internet

According to a variety of sources, Radiohead's eagerly awaited new album Kid A is available in its entirety on Napster. Quite a feat considering the intense security that had been put around the album.

Radiohead are arguably the greatest band on the planet at the moment - if you have ever seen them play live, you'll know why (I'd say the Jayhawks were better - news ed) - but they are unlikely to be that annoyed that the album is on the Net. The band has got used to the Internet's copyright defying ways but still switches between a joyful acceptance of the medium and an all-too-human annoyance that people rip them off.

Radiohead has used the Internet quite extensively in the making of the new album - one band member actually posted a regular diary on the band's site about how the recording session were going. However during its European tour earlier this year, lead singer Thom Yorke muttered about his new songs will "all be available on the bloody Internet tomorrow".

Still, the boys aren't exactly poor and what do we care? Get on there and download them. Then buy the CD because, let's face it, it's better quality and it's nice just to have it, ain't it? ®