Radiohead Hail To The Thief (Live Recordings 2003-2009)

ChoruScore Critic consensus / 100

Released Aug 13, 2025 XL Recordings

Early read 2 professional reviews Updated Nov 29, 2025

Broadly positive consensus

Early read based on 2 professional reviews. Radiohead's Hail To The Thief (Live Recordings 2003-2009) arrives as a bracing archive of live energy that reframes songs from the band's early-2000s era as urgent, politically charged performance pieces.

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Critics' Top Tracks

The songs critics returned to most

There, There - Live

1 critic mention

“For some of us “There There” will always be the definitive Radiohead classic” — Rolling Stone

Myxomatosis - Live

2 critic mentions

“Myxomatosis," groovy but kind of nauseous on record, gets juiced here to wild levels of power, its main riff practically growing legs” — Pitchfork

2 + 2 = 5 - Live

2 critic mentions

“From the first crackling expansion of “2+2=5,” we meet a Radiohead who are very much cooking.” — Pitchfork

Full critic consensus

Radiohead's Hail To The Thief (Live Recordings 2003-2009) arrives as a bracing archive of live energy that reframes songs from the band's early-2000s era as urgent, politically charged performance pieces. Across two professional reviews, critics point to the record's ability to turn studio austerity into cathartic release, answering the practical question of whether Hail To The Thief (Live Recordings 2003-2009) is worth a listen with a largely affirmative critical consensus.

Critics consistently highlight standout live tracks that emerge as the record's core: “2 + 2 = 5 - Live”, “Myxomatosis - Live” and “There, There - Live”. Rolling Stone praises the visceral jolt of “There, There” and the hard-rocking momentum that channels political anger into palpable concert heat, while Pitchfork emphasizes how “2 + 2 = 5 - Live” and “Myxomatosis - Live” expand and sear with newfound immediacy. Both reviews also single out “Go To Sleep - Live” and “A Wolf At the Door - Live” for their manic buzz and theatrical bite, making clear answers to searches for the best songs on Hail To The Thief.

The package earned an 80.5/100 consensus score across 2 professional reviews, with reviewers agreeing that the release functions as an archival corrective and a document of performance catharsis. Some nuance appears in how much the live transformations improve upon the originals, but the critical consensus signals that fans and newcomers curious about the record's political unease and historical context will find the live takes both revealing and emotionally immediate. For those scanning Hail To The Thief reviews, the collection positions itself as a vital live companion to the studio era it revisits.

Track Ratings

How critics rated each track, relative to this album (0-100). Only tracks that made critics feel something are rated.

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2 + 2 = 5 - Live

2 mentions