Thom Yorke, frontman for Radiohead and, recently, Atoms for Peace, is incredibly sincere in that he does what he wants regardless of any criticism he might receive. In recent years, he has turned down meeting requests from Kanye West and Miley Cyrus, danced in a way that can only be described as “Thom Yorkeish” and put out an album, “In Rainbows,” through Radiohead’s website with a pay-what-you-wish system.

Yorke is willing to do and create anything, as long as he firmly believes in it. When he and Radiohead finished their six-album contract with record label EMI, they realized that the music business was a decaying system with waning appreciation for artists. Instead, they decided to record and produce their own album. Ever since Radiohead exploded onto the music scene with their first and most enduring hit, “Creep,” Yorke has remained an indie artist, eschewing any sort of mainstream recognition offered to him despite being a multiple Grammy Award-winning musician.

Yet his independence is entirely genuine — rather than going through a record label, he achieved a direct connection with his fans by giving them his material for free. Instead of collaborating with Kanye or Miley for their fame, he works with musicians like Flea because of their compatibility.

Yorke’s genuine spirit and attitude keep indie music alive, especially in an era that has turned the hipster lifestyle into a brand. He keeps it real where it counts, so we won’t judge him for dancing the way he does.

— Patrick Jaojoco