Radiohead get blackmailed by hackers and decide to release OK Computer sessions

Radiohead have today released 18 hours of OK Computer sessions that were leaked online on June 5.

After being blackmailed by internet hackers for $150,000, Radiohead decided to put the sessions on sale on Bandcamp for £18, with proceeds going to Extinction Rebellion, the climate activist group who have been staging widespread protests in London.

Jonny Greenwood also released a statement about the hacking today:

"We got hacked last week - someone stole Thom’s minidisk archive from around the time of OK Computer, and reportedly demanded $150,000 on threat of releasing it. So instead of complaining - much - or ignoring it, we’re releasing all 18 hours on Bandcamp in aid of Extinction Rebellion. Just for the next 18 days. So for £18 you can find out if we should have paid that ransom.

Never intended for public consumption (though some clips did reach the cassette in the OK Computer reissue) it’s only tangentially interesting. And very, very long. Not a phone download. Rainy out, isn’t it though?"

https://t.co/iTcF2VjYRdhttps://t.co/6Pao0hThbU pic.twitter.com/OepiMlEL73

— Jonny Greenwood (@JnnyG) June 11, 2019

In 2017, Radiohead reissued OK Computer, as OKNOTOK in honour of its 20th anniversary. The new album featured three unreleased songs, as well as the long-awaited fan favourite “Lift”.

Buy Radiohead's OK Computer sessions here: radiohead.bandcamp.com/