Radiohead – Best Animated Album Covers

'Hail to the Thief'

Radiohead's Thom Yorke says many of the words that appear in the 'Hail to the Thief' artwork were ones that stood out to him when listening to political discussions about the aftermath of 9/11 and the war in Afghanistan.

Art director Stanley Donwood then took them and created a piece titled 'Pacific Coast,' with the phrases taking the place of buildings. He said he was inspired by the roadside signage he saw in Los Angeles, which was meant to catch the eye no matter how dark the subject matter. In this animated GIF, it's even more eye-catching, as the towers of wordage make the commentary subliminal.