(Credit: Zach Klein)
Mon 17 November 2025 9:32, UK
Radiohead maestro Jonny Greenwood is a leader of the fretboard. He has delivered many compelling, enthralling and outright astounding moments on the six-string over the years, pushing the instrument to new heights and helping to change its parameters in the contemporary era.
Greenwood’s sonic explorations within Radiohead are marked by his eclectic guitar stylings, innovative use of effects pedals, and a penchant for pushing sonic boundaries. His guitar work, mixing textures and atmospheres, defy conventional norms, elevating Radiohead’s music to intangible realms.
Given that he is such a vital guitarist, the question of Greenwood’s finest moment on the instrument has been a point of conversation for years. Much like Johnny Marr before him, Greenwood’s approach to the instrument has inedibly changed how it is now perceived, and, much like Marr, he has created a universal sound that feels steeped in British culture. But, in typical British fashion, when asked to reflect on his own work, he is unwilling to be too brash.
Naturally, that hasn’t stopped the six-string supremo from being asked about what his favourite guitar line is for the band. Typically coy, the man himself offers up insightful answers that turn the question on its head and present a different perspective. After all, Greenwood and Radiohead have made a career out of thinking outside the box.
Greenwood was questioned about his guitar playing when speaking to The Guardian in 2018 to promote his acclaimed soundtrack for Phantom Thread, longtime collaborator Paul Thomas Anderson’s hit historical drama. Discussing the best work of his career, he was reluctant to mention just one but noted that ‘Ful Stop’ from A Moon Shaped Pool has particularly “satisfying” phasing arpeggios.
“I’m more proud of what we’ve written than how I play. ‘Ful Stop’ has good phasing arpeggios, which are really satisfying,” he said. “Also, talking of PTA, I like the version of ‘Present Tense’ he filmed with me and Thom, performing in his back garden. That’s a nice guitar line, how it supports the song and dances around.”
Elsewhere, Greenwood was asked if he still likes to strip things back during rehearsals, to which he responded: “Of course. Nothing’s more exciting than playing an electric guitar in a small room with a good drummer.”
He added: “And sometimes it’s worth recording what you play, and sharing that with other people – just not always.”
There’s a good chance that Greenwood’s pick was connected to one of their latest releases because he believes that the band’s evolution is always the most important piece of the puzzle. After all, this is a group that almost completely refuses to play their biggest hit in ‘Creep’. But, listening back to the track, there is a delicacy within the song that seems to perfectly capture the spirit of Greenwood’s playing, so perhaps he has thought about a bit himself after all.
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