Street Spirit (Fade Out)

The genius of Street Spirit's harmony lies in its radical simplicity. Three chords — Am, Em, and C — cycle endlessly in arpeggiated form, creating a hypnotic, almost trance-like effect. By using the minor v (Em) rather than a major V (E), the progression avoids any sense of dominant-tonic resolution, trapping the listener in an unresolved loop that perfectly embodies the song's existential themes. The harmonic vocabulary is beginner-level, but the emotional impact is anything but — proof that restraint and repetition can be more powerful than complexity.

Thom Yorke wrote the central guitar arpeggio that defines the song, which was then played by guitarist Ed O'Brien. The band recorded several versions before settling on the final arrangement, a process Yorke described as going round in circles until something suddenly clicked. Yorke considered it a breakthrough moment, later saying that if he ever forgot why he started his career, this song was the reason.

"Street Spirit (Fade Out)" is the final track on Radiohead's The Bends (1995), released as a single in January 1996. Built on a mesmerizing fingerpicked guitar arpeggio cycling through three chords, it channels existential dread into one of the most haunting album closers in alternative rock history. The song proved Radiohead were far more than the band behind "Creep," reaching number five on the UK Singles Chart.