Which Radiohead albums are faked most
The targets combine high demand with valuable original and special editions.
- OK Computer (Parlophone NODATA 01, 1997) — the original double LP first pressing is the prime target.
- The Bends (Parlophone PCS 7372, 1995) — first pressings are heavily reproduced.
- Kid A (Parlophone, 2000) — the original pressing with the hidden booklet under the tray is faked.
- OKNOTOK 1997-2017 (XL, 2017) and other XL-era reissues and box sets are reproduced, including coloured-vinyl variants.
Parlophone and XL label details to check
Radiohead's 1990s and early-2000s albums appeared on Parlophone, while their later catalogue and reissues moved to XL Recordings. The label generation and catalogue number must match the era: OK Computer used NODATA 01, The Bends used PCS 7372, and the XL-era OKNOTOK and reissues carry XL catalogue numbers. Counterfeit labels often use the wrong label design, an incorrect colour, or credits that don't belong to the pressing.
Genuine labels are sharply printed with accurate colour and correctly positioned logos. Fakes tend to look fuzzy or off-register, use the wrong shade, or carry credits from a later reissue. Because Radiohead's catalogue spans Parlophone and XL with multiple legitimate reissues, it is essential to confirm the label, catalogue number and credits match the specific documented pressing rather than a later reissue or a counterfeit.
Pressing variants and OKNOTOK details
Radiohead releases have many legitimate pressing variants — original Parlophone first pressings, later XL reissues, anniversary editions and coloured-vinyl runs — and counterfeiters exploit this complexity. OKNOTOK 1997-2017 was issued in standard black and a limited blue-vinyl box-set form with a cassette and book; genuine box sets have the correct components, board quality and print, while fakes miss components, use the wrong vinyl colour, or supply a poorly reproduced book.
Kid A's original pressing famously hid a booklet beneath the inner tray of the special packaging, a detail reproductions often miss or get wrong. Across all titles, verify that the pressing variant actually existed for that catalogue number, that coloured-vinyl colours match official releases, and that all components and inserts are present and correctly printed. A variant that was never officially issued, or a box set missing its components, is a clear red flag.
Matrix and dead-wax tells
Genuine pressings carry matrix numbers in the dead wax that match the catalogue and pressing plant, often with mastering and cutting credits. OK Computer first pressings show NODATA 01 family matrix codes, The Bends shows PCS 7372 codes, and XL-era reissues show their own matrix families with plant identifiers. The matrix should have an authentic stamped or hand-cut appearance consistent with the pressing era.
Counterfeits commonly show matrix numbers that are too uniform, in the wrong font, or that don't correspond to any documented pressing. A photographically reproduced run-out looks soft or printed rather than crisply incised, and coloured-vinyl fakes sometimes carry a matrix that belongs to a different pressing entirely. Always cross-reference the full matrix against documented examples for the exact pressing and variant you believe you have.
Current market value of genuine pressings
A clean original Parlophone first-pressing OK Computer sells for around £80-£250, with mint copies higher, while a first-pressing The Bends runs around £60-£200 and an original Kid A with the hidden booklet around £60-£180. The limited blue-vinyl OKNOTOK box set with all components commands around £150-£400, and other official coloured-vinyl variants vary widely.
Because the original first pressings and limited box sets carry significant premiums over standard reissues, any cheap copy advertised as a first pressing or limited variant should be checked against the catalogue, matrix, label and components before you trust it. The recent vintage of these records makes them easy to reproduce, so the dead-wax and packaging evidence is decisive.