Ed. note: Chris "dennisobell" Molanphy, our resident chart guru, looks at the upward, downward, and lack of movement on this week's Billboard charts:
For all their popularity the world over, songs by Radiohead haven't exactly set the charts alight. (Even in their homeland: they've never scored a U.K. No. 1.) In part that's due to their status as a top-tier album act; fans would sooner buy the full-length than an individual track.
But it's also a function of Radiohead's erratic approach to singles. Sometimes they pack singles with invaluable B-sides for collectors; sometimes songs are only serviced to radio—and that includes some of the band's catchiest tunes ("Let Down," "Bodysnatchers").
This week, we have evidence that Radiohead should release singles more often—or at least, release them in pieces. They score only the second U.S. Top 40 hit of their career, with one of the least catchy songs on the catchier-than-usual In Rainbows.
"Nude" debuts on the Billboard Hot 100 at No. 37, instantly becoming their biggest hit since "Creep" made No. 34 in 1993. Honestly, though, the two hits aren't remotely comparable in terms of popularity. "Nude" achieves this high chart placement thanks to Radiohead releasing the song as a remix project, and asking rabid fans to pay 99 cents for each piece of the mix. Which they dutifully did.
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Idolator
Chris Martin would love for Coldplay to be one of those maverick bands revolutionizing the world of music through independent online retail and eliminating the time between the creation of an album and it's release, but he feels faithful to EMI, much as you would to an elderly grandparent. "We have absolute respect for the Radioheads and Raconteurs and people who can do what they like. We're in contract though, so we're just going to make the most of it and enjoy the people we get to work with." Actually, the Raconteurs are signed to Warner, Chris. Don't pretend the major label connection is the only reason you can't come up anything more novel than free concerts and recording in a church with Brian Eno.
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Radiohead will play two shows at London's 
