On April 4, 1995, Radiohead released a CD called the Bends, which no release since has matched it's quality. Their next release, OK Computer, was even more critically acclaimed and is one of the 20 best records of the 1990's. Since then, Radiohead has followed the Pearl Jam route of being so experimental and trying to stay so far from the mainstream that the band has not released anything close to the quality of their 2nd and 3rd offerings. (Sorry TFD, I know you love some of these newer Radiohead releases, but to me they are just modern day Kraftwerk, which is not my bag.)

It's hard to argue that any other band since 1995 has been more influential in the music business. Unlike Pearl Jam-clones (see crappy bands Creed, The Calling, Lifehouse) most of the Radiohead influenced bands are generally very good.

The most famous is Coldplay, but there are others well worth checking out. Travis is from the "Fake Plastic Trees" style of Radiohead that Coldplay and Keane comes from. (For more on Keane, check out Will's previous entry.)

In the more rocking from America category, Remy Zero and Palo Alto should be mentioned. I recommend the Golden Hum CD by Remy Zero, as it's echoes U2 and Radiohead, kind of like what Radiohead's first album, Pablo Honey sounded like. Palo Alto is a great unknown band for which their 2003 release, "Heroes & Villains" is a great starting off point.

Finally, let me get to the best release of 2004, "Absolution" by Muse. Have you ever wondered what Radiohead would sound like if they were trying to completely rock out? Well, Muse is that band, sounding like a Heavy Metal Queen, with a Thom Yorke sound-alike behind the mic. Not all songs are heavy on "Absoulution", but all of them sound majestic, with a couple by lead singer Matthew Bellamy reaching Jeff Buckley or Rufus Wainwright heights.
If you like Radiohead, buy Absolution. It's a stereophonic revolution.