"The National Anthem" is a song by the English rock band Radiohead, released on their fourth album, Kid A (2000).

[3] In late 1997, Radiohead recorded drums and bass for the song, intending to develop it as a B-side for their third album, OK Computer (1997).

In his review of Kid A for the New Yorker, the novelist Nick Hornby described "The National Anthem" as "an unpleasant free-jazz workout, with a discordant horn section squalling over a studiedly crude bass line".

[17] Rob Sheffield of Rolling Stone said the horn section "was a cornier-than-usual art-rock cliché, trying way too hard for a way-too-obvious gimmick".

[11] Adam Downer of Sputnikmusic said that "by the end of the song, you're in awe of such a jam session" and named it a "recommended track".

[19] Siobhan Kane of The Irish Times wrote that it "distills Radiohead's worldview, with those guitars and Yorke's evocative voice, all intelligence and deep emotion".

[13] Reviewing the demo released on OKNOTOK 1997 2017, Record Collector wrote that the song "could very easily have resembled the sort of latterday U2 track chosen to soundtrack Goal of the Month reels ... That Radiohead had the self-awareness to sit on it rather than go for the drive-time jugular says so much about their intuitive good taste, and the prolonged success it would bring them.