like a detuned radio" refers to distracting, metaphorical background noise that Yorke calls "fridge buzz", one of the themes of OK Computer. "Karma Police" also shares themes of insanity and dissatisfaction with capitalism. Release "Karma Police" was released as the second single from OK Computer on 25 August 1997. In the UK, it was released on two CD singles and a 12-inch vinyl single, and reached number eight on the UK Singles Chart. In March 2010, almost 13 years later, "Karma Police" reached number 15 on the Danish Singles Chart. Early versions of "Karma Police" were released on the 2019 compilation MiniDiscs [Hacked]. Critical reception Steve Huey from AllMusic described "Karma Police" as "haunting, mystifying, and exquisite", labelling it "one of the cornerstones of one of the greatest albums of the '90s". The Daily Record declared it a "superb song". A reviewer from Music Week rated it four out of five, picking it as one of the "standout tracks" from OK Computer. In 2021, Rolling Stone placed "Karma Police" at position 279 on its ranking of the 500 greatest songs of all time. Music video The "Karma Police" music video was directed by Jonathan Glazer, who had directed the video for Radiohead's 1996 single "Street Spirit (Fade Out)". The video is shot from the perspective of the driver of a car pursuing a man along a dark road, with Yorke in the back seat. The man falls to his knees and the car reverses, revealing that it is leaking fuel. The man produces matches from his pocket and ignites the trail of fuel. Yorke vanishes and the car is engulfed in flames. Glazer initially pitched the video concept to the American musician Marilyn Manson for his 1997 single "Long Hard Road Out of Hell"; Manson wanted a video similar to David Lynch's 1997 film Lost Highway, which opens with a shot of a road rushing beneath the camera. After Manson rejected the concept, the video commissioner Dilly Gent recommended it to Radiohead for "Karma Police". According to Manson's collaborator Randy Sosin, after Manson saw the "Karma Police" video, "Manson was like, 'Fuck that.' But, you know, a good idea is a good idea." Glazer said he wanted to "shoot something very simple ... Where the whole narrative could be contained within a single sentence." The running man was played by Hungarian actor Lajos Kovács. Kovács developed cramp during the running