Cyber Incident Victim: Radiohead
Date:
Jan 1995
Location:
United Kingdom
Summary
A cyberattack targeted unreleased music sessions from an alternative rock band's archived mini discs, with hackers demanding a ransom to prevent public release. The group refused payment and instead independently published the stolen 18 hours of material under the title MINIDISCS [HACKED], making it available for purchase with all proceeds directed to an environmental activism organization. The compromised content consisted of recordings not originally intended for public distribution. By proactively releasing the material, the band neutralized the attackers' leverage while converting the incident into a charitable initiative supporting ecological causes.
| CIA Posture | Motives | Tactics, Techniques & Procedures |
|---|---|---|
| Available to members | 1 motive | 2 techniques |
| Threat Actors | Type | Location |
|---|---|---|
| 0 actors | Available to members | Available to members |
Description
In June 2019, hackers infiltrated archived mini discs containing unreleased session recordings from Radiohead's 1997 album *OK Computer*, which were in the personal possession of lead singer Thom Yorke. The stolen material spanned approximately 18 hours of audio from 1995–1998, including demos, alternate takes, and unused tracks never intended for public release. Attackers contacted the band with a ransom demand of $150,000, threatening to leak the archive if unpaid. Radiohead members, including guitarist Jonny Greenwood, publicly disclosed the theft via social media posts on Twitter and Facebook, confirming the compromise of Yorke’s archives and the extortion attempt. The hackers characterized the material as sensitive, leveraging its exclusivity to pressure the band into payment.
Radiohead refused to negotiate with the attackers and instead preemptively released the entire 18-hour collection on Bandcamp under the title *MINIDISCS [HACKED]*. The band priced the compilation at £18—symbolically matching the number of discs—and directed all proceeds to the environmental group Extinction Rebellion, describing it as an "international movement using non-violent civil disobedience to avert ecological collapse." In a statement on the Bandcamp page, Radiohead acknowledged the hack’s occurrence, downplayed the artistic significance of the leaked content, and framed the release as a pragmatic response to the material’s inevitable circulation. The action neutralized the attackers’ leverage, generated charitable funds, and allowed the band to retain control over the narrative. No technical details regarding the intrusion method, data exfiltration vectors, or subsequent security improvements were disclosed publicly.