R.E.M.: A Retrospective (1980-2011)

R.E.M. A Retrospective: 1980-2011

Overview: Rock group formed in Athens, GA. Active: 1980-2011. Developed huge following with college audiences in the early 1980s as one of the first “alternative rock” groups. R.E.M. is the abbreviation for Rapid Eye Movement, sleep’s dream stage. Buck, Mills, and Berry worked with Warren Zevon on the one-time collaboration Hindu Love Gods in 1990. Their song “Losing My Religion” is featured in the DMDB book The Top 100 Songs of the Rock Era, 1954-1999. Their album Automatic for the People (1992) is featured in the DMDB book The Top 100 Albums of All Time. The Players: Michael Stipe (vocals: 1980-2011) Peter Buck (guitar: 1980-2011) Mike Mills (bass: 1980-2011) Bill Berry (drums: 1980-1998) Links: DMDB encyclopedia entry for R.E.M. Top 100 Songs REMhq.com (official site) Facebook Wikipedia

Awards:

Top 100 Songs These are the top songs by R.E.M. as ranked by the DMDB. Songs which hit #1 on various charts are noted. (Click for codes to charts.) Spotify Podcast: Check out the Dave’s Music Database podcast “The Best of R.E.M., 1981-1987” based on this list. DMDB Top 1%: 1. Losing My Religion (1991) #1 AR,MR 2. Everybody Hurts (1992) 3. It’s the End of the World As We Know It (And I Feel Fine) (1987) 4. The One I Love (1987) 5. Radio Free Europe (1981) DMDB Top 5%: 6. Man on the Moon (1992) 7. What’s the Frequency, Kenneth? (1994) #1 MR 8. Fall on Me (1986) 9. Shiny Happy People (1991) 10. Drive (1992) #1 MR 11. Orange Crush (1988) #1 AR,MR 12. Imitation of Life (2001) #1 AA 13. Stand (1988) #1 MR 14. So. Central Rain (I’m Sorry) (1984) 15. The Great Beyond (1999) #1 AA DMDB Top 10%: 16. Driver 8 (1985) 17. E-Bow the Letter (1996) 18. Bang and Blame (1994) #1 MR,CN 19. Strange Currencies (1994) 20. Nightswimming (1992) 21. Daysleeper (1998) #1 AA 22. Bittersweet Me (1996) #1 AA 23. Don’t Go Back to Rockville (1984) 24. Superman (1986) 25. Finest Worksong (1987) 26. The Sidewinder Sleeps Tonite (1992) 27. Can’t Get There from Here (1985) 28. Supernatural Superserious (2008) #1 AA 29. Pop Song 89 (1988) 30. Pretty Persuasion (1984) 31. Bad Day (2003) #1 AA 32. Crush with Eyeliner (1994) DMDB Top 20%: 33. Talk About the Passion (1983) 34. Leaving New York (2004) #1 AA 35. Gardening at Night (1982) 36. All I Have to Do Is Dream (1986) 37. Radio Song (w/ KRS-1, 1991) 38. Star 69 (1994) 39. Electrolite (1996) 40. Perfect Circle (1983) 41. All the Way to Reno (You’re Gonna Be a Star) (2001) 42. Moon River (1984) 43. Find the River (1992) 44. Ages of You (1985) 45. Maps and Legends (1985) 46. Begin the Begin (1986) 47. Lotus (1998) 48. At My Most Beautiful (1998) 49. Ignoreland (1992) 50. Texarkana (1991) 51. Near Wild Heaven (1991) Beyond the DMDB Top 20%: 52. Turn You Inside Out (1988) 53. Catapult (1983) 54. Swan Swan H (1986) 55. King of the Road (1984) 56. Hollow Man (2008) 57. Wendell Gee (1985) 58. Low (1991) 59. Get Up (1988) 60. These Days (1986) 61. First We Take Manhattan (1991) 62. Cuyahoga (1986) 63. The Lion Sleeps Tonight (1992) 64. King of Birds (1987) 65. World Leader Pretend (1988) 66. Country Feedback (1991) 67. I’ll Take the Rain (2001) 68. Pilgrimage (1983) 69. Überlin (2011) 70. Animal (2003) 71. 7 Chinese Bros. (1985) 72. I Believe (1986) 73. Tom’s Diner (live, 1991) 74. There She Goes Again (1983) 75. Aftermath (2004) 76. We All Go Back to Where We Belong (2011) 77. The Wake-Up Bomb (1996) 78. Tongue (1994) 79. Sitting Still (1981) 80. We Walk (1983) 81. Carnival of Sorts (Box Cars) 1982) 82. Welcome to the Occupation (1987) 83. Disturbance at the Heron House (1987) 84. #9 Dream (2007) 85. Try Not to Breathe (1992) 86. Femme Fatale (1986) 87. Electron Blue (2004) 88. You Are the Everything (1988) 89. Toys in the Attic (1986) 90. Pale Blue Eyes (1984) 91. Exhuming McCarthy (1987) 92. Crazy (1985) 93. Laughing (1983) 94. Hyena (1986) 95. Time After Time (Annelise) (1984) 96. Half a World Away (1991) 97. Discover (2011) 98. Mine Smell Like Honey (2011) 99. Photograph (w/ Natalie Merchant, 1993) 100. Love Is All Around (1991)

Studio Albums:

Compilations/Archives: DL Dead Letter Office (covers 1981-86, released 1987) EP Eponymous (covers 1981-87, released 1988) BO Best of (covers 1981-87, released 1991) SC Singles Collected (covers 1981-87, released 1994) FF And I Feel Fine…The Best of the I.R.S. Years (covers 1982-87, released 2006) IT In Time: The Best of (covers 1988-2003, released 2003) PL Part Lies, Part Heart, Part Truth, Part Garbage (covers 1982-2011, released 2011) Under each album snapshot, songs featured on the anthologies are noted. If the song charted, the date of the song’s release or first chart appearance and its chart peaks are noted in parentheses. Click for codes to charts.

Chronic Town (EP) R.E.M.

Released: August 24, 1982 Peak: -- Sales (in millions): -- Genre: college rock Rating: 3.788 out of 5.00 (average of 15 ratings)

Tracks: Wolves, Lower Gardening at Night (18 CO, 12 DF) EP, FF, PL Carnival of Sorts (Boxcars) BO 1,000,000 FF Stumble Total Running Time: 20:26 About the Album: In 1981, R.E.M. released their first single, “Radio Free Europe,” through the indie label Hib-Tone. The next year they were ready for a longer release, but not quite a full album so they released this EP. They planned to release it through an independent record label named Dasht Hopes but the demo caught the attention of I.R.S. Records, who signed them to a record deal.

Murmur R.E.M.

Released: April 11, 1983 Peak: 36 US, 100 UK, -- CN, -- AU, 9 DF Sales (in millions): 0.5 US, 0.1 UK, 2.0 world (includes US and UK) Genre: college rock Rating: 4.566 out of 5.00 (average of 40 ratings)

Awards: Go to the DMDB page to see this album’s awards.

Tracks: Song Title (date of single release, chart peaks) Click for codes to charts. Radio Free Europe [4:06] (7/8/81, 78 US, 25 AR, 1 CO, 1 DF) EP, BO, SC, FF, PL Pilgrimage [4:30] (21 CO) FF Laughing [3:57] Talk about the Passion [3:23] (11/83, 36 CO, 9 DF) EP, BO, FF, PL Moral Kiosk [3:31] Perfect Circle [3:29] (11/86, B-side of “Superman,” 7 DF) BO, FF Catapult [3:55] (10/16/84: B-side of “Don’t Go Back to Rockville,” 10 CO, 32 DF) Sitting Still [3:17] FF, PL 9-9 [3:03] Shaking Through [4:30] We Walk [3:02] (32 DF) FF West of the Fields (Berry, Buck, Mills, Stipe, and Neil Bogan) [3:17] (35 DF) Songs written by Bill Berry, Peter Buck, Mike Mills, and Michael Stipe unless noted otherwise. Total Running Time: 44:11 Other Tracks from That Era: There She Goes Again (B-side of “Radio Free Europe,” released 7/8/83, 24 DF) DL, SC All the Right Friends (demo recorded during Murmur sessions in 1983, later released on the Vanilla Sky soundtrack in 2001) FF, IT About the Album: R.E.M.’s debut album has come to be viewed as a monumental album that combined the jangly pop of the Byrds and Big Star with the indie spirit of the Velvet Underground to set a whole new direction for college rock. Go to the DMDB page for more about this album.

Reckoning R.E.M.

Released: April 9, 1984 Peak: 27 US, 91 UK, -- CN, -- AU Sales (in millions): 0.5 US, -- UK, 2.0 world (includes US + UK) Genre: college rock Rating: 4.192 out of 5.00 (average of 25 ratings)

Awards: (Click on award to learn more).

Tracks: Harborcoat 7 Chinese Brothers FF So. Central Rain (I’m Sorry) (3/84, 85 BB, 43 AR, 3 CO, 5 DF) EP, BO, SC, FF, PL Pretty Persuasion (9/8/84, 44 AR, 32 CO, 16 DF) BO, FF Time after Time (Annelise) (31 DF) FF Second Guessing Letter Never Sent Camera Don’t Go Back to Rockville (6/84, 27 CO, 9 DF) EP, BO, SC, FF, PL Little America Total Running Time: 37:57 Other Tracks from That Era: Voice of Harold (B-side of “So. Central Rain,” released 5/15/84) DL Pale Blue Eyes (B-side of “So. Central Rain,” released 5/15/84, 24 DF) DL Walter’s Theme (B-side of “So. Central Rain,” released 5/15/84) DL King of the Road (B-side of “So. Central Rain,” released 5/15/84, 15 DF) DL, SC Catapult (live) (B-side of “Don’t Go Back to Rockville”, released 10/16/84) SC Windout (from Bachelor Party soundtrack, released 1984) DL AllMusic.com review by Stephen Thomas Erlewine: “R.E.M. abandoned the enigmatic post-punk experiments of Murmur for their second album, Reckoning, returning to their garage pop origins instead. Opening with the ringing Harborcoat, Reckoning runs through a set of ten jangle pop songs that are different not only in sound but in style from the debut. Where Murmur was enigmatic in its sound, Reckoning is clear, which doesn’t necessarily mean that the songs themselves are straightforward. Michael Stipe continues to sing powerful melodies without enunciating, but the band has a propulsive kick that makes the music vital and alive. And, if anything, the songwriting is more direct and memorable than before – the interweaving melodies of Pretty Persuasion and the country rocker Don’t Go Back to Rockville are as affecting as the melancholic dirges of Camera and Time After Time, while the ringing minor-key arpeggios of So. Central Rain, the pulsating riffs of 7 Chinese Bros., and the hard-rocking rhythms of Little America make the songs into classics. On the surface, Reckoning may not be as distinctive as Murmur, but the record’s influence on underground American rock in the ‘80s was just as strong.”

Fables of the Reconstruction R.E.M.

Released: June 10, 1985 Peak: 28 US, 35 UK, 40 CN, -- AU Sales (in millions): 0.5 US, -- UK, 2.5 world (includes US + UK) Genre: college rock Rating: 3.872 out of 5.00 (average of 25 ratings)

Tracks: Feeling Gravity’s Pull FF Maps and Legends (8/87, B-side of “The One I Love,” 12 DF) Driver 8 (9/7/85, 22 AR, 16 CO, 8 DF) EP, BO, FF, PL Life and How to Live It FF, PL Old Man Kensey Can’t Get There from Here (7/6/85, 14 AR, 20 CO, 91 CN, 12 DF) EP, BO, SC, FF Green Grow the Rushes BO Kokoutek Auctioneer (Another Engine) Good Advices Wendell Gee (10/85, 38 CO, 91 UK) SC Total Running Time: 39:46 Other Tracks from That Era: Bandwagon (B-side of “Can’t Get There from Here,” released 6/85) DL, SC Burning Hell (B-side of “Can’t Get There from Here,” released 6/85) DL Crazy (B-side of “Driver 8,” released 9/85) DL, SC Ages of You (B-side of “Wendell Gee,” released 9/85, 39 AR, 31 CO, 13 DF) DL, FF Burning Down (B-side of “Wendell Gee,” released 9/85) DL AllMusic.com review by Stephen Thomas Erlewine: “For their third album, R.E.M. made a conscious effort to break from the traditions Murmur and Reckoning established, electing to record in England with legendary folk-rock producer Joe Boyd. For a variety of reasons, the sessions were difficult, and that tension is apparent throughout Fables of the Reconstruction. A dark, moody rumination on American folk – not only the music, but its myths – Fables is creepy, rustic psychedelic folk, filled with eerie sonic textures.” “Some light breaks through occasionally, such as the ridiculous collegiate blue-eyed soul of Can’t Get There From Here, but the group’s trademark ringing guitars and cryptic lyrics have grown sinister, giving even sing-alongs like Driver 8 an ominous edge.” “Fables is more inconsistent than its two predecessors, but the group does demonstrate considerable musical growth, particularly in how perfectly it evokes the strange rural legends of the South. And many of the songs on the record – including Feeling Gravitys Pull, Maps and Legends, Green Grow the Rushes, Auctioneer (Another Engine), and the previously mentioned pair – rank among the group's best.”

Life’s Rich Pageant R.E.M.

Released: July 28, 1986 Peak: 21 US, 43 UK, 39 CN, -- AU Sales (in millions): 0.5 US, -- UK, 3.0 world (includes US + UK) Genre: college rock Rating: 4.212 out of 5.00 (average of 27 ratings)

Awards: Go to the DMDB page to see this album’s awards.

Tracks: Begin the Begin (16 CO, 31 DF) FF, PL These Days (24 DF) FF Fall on Me (8/9/86, 94 BB, 5 AR, 7 CO, 2 DF) EP, BO, SC, FF, PL Cuyahoga (32 DF) BO, FF Hyena (32 DF) FF Underneath the Bunker Flowers of Guatemala I Believe (31 DF) BO, FF What if We Give It Away? (32 DF) Just a Touch FF Swan Swan H (24 DF) FF Superman (11/1/86, 17 AR, 19 CO, 3 DF) SC, FF Total Running Time: 37:24 Other Tracks from That Era: Rotary Ten (B-side of “Fall on Me,” released 8/86) DL, SC Toys in the Attic (B-side of “Fall on Me,” released 8/86, 28 DF) DL White Tornado (B-side of “Superman”, recorded 1981, released 11/86) DL, SC Femme Fatale (B-side of “Superman,” released 11/86, 24 DF) DL Theme from Two Steps Onward (demo from Life’s Rich Pageant sessions, 1986) FF Mystery to Me (demo from Life’s Rich Pageant sessions, 1986) FF Bad Day (first recorded as “PSA” as an outtake from Life’s Rich Pageant in 1986, rerecorded and released 9/27/03, 1 AA, 8 UK, 17 CN, 22 AU, 22 DF) FF,IT,PL About the Album: This was arguably the end of R.E.M.’s college rock era. Their first four albums consistently went gold and reached the top 40 on the Billboard album chart. After this, they soared to new heights with top-ten, multi-platinum outings. Go to the DMDB page for more about this album.

Dead Letter Office (archives) R.E.M.

Recorded: 1981 to 1986 Released: April 27, 1987 Peak: 52 US, 60 UK, 59 CN, -- AU Sales (in millions): -- Genre: college rock Rating: 3.558 out of 5.00 (average of 21 ratings)

Tracks: (1) Crazy (2) There She Goes Again (3) Burning Down (4) Voice of Harold (5) Burning Hell (6) White Tornado (7) Toys in the Attic (8) Windout (9) Ages of You (10) Pale Blue Eyes (11) Rotary Ten (12) Bandwagon (13) Femme Fatale (14) Walter’s Theme (15) King of the Road Total Running Time: 43:22 About the Album: This collection is a welcome addition to the R.E.M. catalog for completist fans by gathering up all the B-sides from R.E.M.’s singles from 1981 to 1986. The CD release also included the 1982 EP Chronic Town.

Document R.E.M.

Released: September 8, 1987 Peak: 10 US, 28 UK, 13 CN, 9 AU, 4 DF Sales (in millions): 1.0 US, -- UK, 4.0 world (includes US + UK) Genre: college rock Rating: 4.293 out of 5.00 (average of 24 ratings)

Awards: Go to the DMDB page to see this album’s awards.

Tracks: Finest Worksong (2/6/88, 28 AR, 11 CO, 50 UK, 20 DF) EP, BO, SC, FF, PL Welcome to the Occupation (39 DF) FF Exhuming McCarthy (32 DF) Disturbance at the Heron House (39 DF) FF Strange (32 DF) It’s the End of the World As We Know It (And I Feel Fine) (8/87, 69 BB, 16 AR, 1 CO, 39 UK, 1 DF) EP, BO, SC, FF, PL The One I Love (9/5/87, 9 BB, 10 CB, 14 GR, 13 RR, 2 AR, 1 CO, 16 UK, 11 CN, 84 AU, 3 DF) EP, BO, SC, FF, PL Fireplace (38 DF) Lightnin’ Hopkins (39 DF) King of Birds (7 DF) FF Oddfellow’s Local 151 (38 DF) Total Running Time: 39:51 Other Tracks from That Era: Maps and Legends (live) (B-side of “The One I Love,” released 8/24/87) SC Last Date (B-side of “It’s the End of the World As We Know It (And I Feel Fine),” released 11/16/87) SC Time After Time Etc. (B-side of “Finest Worksong,” live from 9/14/87, includes parts of “So. Central Rain (I’m Sorry)” and Peter Gabriel’s “Red Rain,” released 3/88) SC Romance (from the 1987 film Made in Heaven, earliest version recorded in 1983, 38 DF) EP About the Album: Go to the DMDB page for more about this album.

Eponymous (compilation) R.E.M.

Recorded: 1981 to 1987 Released: October 17, 1988 Peak: 44 US, 69 UK, -- CN, 29 AU Sales (in millions): -- Genre: college rock Rating: 4.359 out of 5.00 (average of 20 ratings)

Tracks: (1) Radio Free Europe (2) Gardening at Night (3) Talk About the Passion (4) So. Central Rain (I’m Sorry) (5) Don’t Go Back to Rockville (6) Can’t Get There from Here (7) Driver 8 (8) Romance (9) Fall on Me (10) The One I Love (11) Finest Worksong (12) It’s the End of the World As We Know It (And I Feel Fine) Total Running Time: 43:06 About the Album: The first compilation from R.E.M. signaled the end of their time with I.R.S. Records from 1981 to 1987. They gained a loyal college-rock audience throughout the ‘80s, culminating with the top-ten success of “The One I Love” in 1987 which aided them in getting their first top-ten, platinum album.

The Best of (compilation) R.E.M.

Recorded: 1981 to 1987 Released: September 30, 1991 Peak: -- US, 7 UK, -- CN, 20 AU Sales (in millions): -- US, 0.1 UK Genre: college rock Rating: 3.831 out of 5.00 (average of 6 ratings)

Tracks: (1) Carnival of Sorts (Box Cars) (2) Radio Free Europe (3) Perfect Circle (4) Talk About the Passion (5) So. Centray Rain (I’m Sorry) (6) Don’t Go Back to Rockville (7) Pretty Persuasion (8) Green Grow the Rushes (9) Can’t Get There from Here (10) Driver 8 (11) Fall on Me (12) I Believe (13) Cuyahoga (14) The One I Love (15) Finest Worksong (16) It’s the End of the World As We Know It (And I Feel Fine) Total Running Time: 59:17 About the Album: This is essentially an expansion of the 1987 Eponymous collection, although this set omits “Gardening at Night” (which should be here) and “Romance” (an unnecessary throwaway cut). While this compilation does include the classic songs “Perfect Circle” and “Pretty Persuasion” the rest of the set is rounded out by decent album cuts, but not necessarily ones that the casual fan needs. Unfortunately, this collection does not remedy the biggest omission from Eponymous – R.E.M.’s cover of “Superman” from Life’s Rich Pageant.

Singles Collected (compilation) R.E.M.

Recorded: 1981 to 1987 Released: October 14, 1994 Peak: -- Sales (in millions): -- US, 0.06 UK Genre: college rock Rating: 4.350 out of 5.00 (average of 11 ratings)

Tracks: (1) Radio Free Europe (2) There She Goes Again (3) So. Central Rain (I’m Sorry) (4) King of the Road (5) Don’t Go Back to Rockville (6) Catapult (live) (7) Can’t Get There from Here (8) Bandwagon (9) Wendell Gee (10) Crazy (11) Fall on Me (12) Rotary Ten (13) Superman (14) White Tornado (15) The One I Love (16) Maps and Legends (17) It’s the End of the World As We Know It (And I Feel Fine) (18) Last Date (19) Finest Worksong (20) Time After Time Etc. (live 9/14/1987) Total Running Time: 67:23 About the Album: While this is a nice collection of R.E.M.’s singles and B-sides during their IRS years, it only includes one B-side from each single, leaving out a wide swath of interesting non-album material. One is better off with the Dead Letter Office collection from 1987 which gathered up 15 B-sides from this era.

And I Feel Fine…The Best of the I.R.S. Years (compilation) R.E.M.

Recorded: 1981 to 1987 Released: September 12, 2006 Peak: 116 US, 70 UK, -- CN, -- AU Sales (in millions): -- Genre: college rock Rating: 3.585 out of 5.00 (average of 8 ratings)

Tracks, Disc 1: (1) Begin the Begin (2) Radio Free Europe (3) Pretty Persuasion (4) Talk About the Passion (5) Don’t Go Back to Rockville (6) Sitting Still (7) Gardening at Night (8) 7 Chinese Bros. (9) So. Central Rain (I’m Sorry) (10) Driver 8 (11) Can’t Get There from Here (12) Finest Worksong (13) Feeling Gravity’s Pull (14) I Believe (15) Life and How to Live It (16) Cuyahoga (17) The One I Love (18) Welcome to the Occupation (19) Fall on Me (20) Perfect Circle (21) It’s the End of the World As We Know It (And I Feel Fine)) Tracks, Disc 2: (1) Pilgrimage (2) These Days (3) Gardening at Night (4) Radio Free Europe (5) Sitting Still (6) Life and How to Live It (live) (7) Ages of You (live) (8) We Walk (live) (9) 1,000,000 (live) (10) Finest Worksong (11) Hyena (demo) (12) Theme from Two Steps Onward (13) Superman (14) All the Right Friends (15) Mystery to Me (demo) (16) Just a Touch (live) (17) Bad Day (outtake) (18) King of Birds (19) Swan Swan H (live) (20) Disturbance at the Heron House (21) Time After Time (Annelise) Total Running Time: 154:33 About the Album: At this point, R.E.M. had three single-disc compilations covering their IRS years from 1981 to 1987. While a double-disc retrospective wasn’t a bad idea, the execution of this could have been better. The first disc covers most of the essential songs along with some album cuts while the second disc delves into some alternative versions of songs and previously unreleased material. A more welcome package would have been a straight chronological approach covering the singles, B-sides, and select album cuts that supplanted the previous three collections covering these same years.

Green R.E.M.

Released: November 8, 1988 Peak: 12 US, 27 UK, 14 CN, 16 AU Sales (in millions): 2.0 US, 0.3 UK, 4.5 world (includes US + UK) Genre: alternative rock Rating: 3.819 out of 5.00 (average of 27 ratings)

Awards: Go to the DMDB page to see this album’s awards.

Tracks: Pop Song 89 (12/3/88, 86 BB, 14 AR, 16 MR, 94 CN, 94 AU, 24 DF) PL Get Up (9/89, 31 DF) PL You Are the Everything (32 DF) Stand (12/3/88, 6 BB, 6 CB, 5 GR, 6 RR, 1 AR, 1 MR, 48 UK, 8 CN, 56 AU, 10 DF) IT, PL World Leader Pretend (32 DF) The Wrong Child Orange Crush (11/12/88, 1 AR, 1 MR, 28 UK, 15 AU, 9 DF) IT, PL Turn You Inside-Out (3/18/89, 10 MR, 37 DF) Hairshirt (40 DF) I Remember California This World Is Big [unlisted track] Total Running Time: 40:43 About the Album: Go to the DMDB page for more about this album.

Out of Time R.E.M.

Released: March 12, 1991 Peak: 12 US, 11 UK, 19 CN, 4 AU, 13 DF Sales (in millions): 4.0 US, 1.79 UK, 18.0 world (includes US + UK) Genre: alternative rock Rating: 4.081 out of 5.00 (average of 28 ratings)

Awards: Go to the DMDB page to see this album’s awards.

Tracks: Radio Song (with KRS-One) (10/12/91, 43 AR, 28 UK, 18 DF) Losing My Religion (3/9/91, 4 BB, 6 CB, 3 GR, 4 RR, 28 AC, 1 AR, 1 MR, 19 UK, 6 CN, 11 AU, 2 DF, sales: 0.5 million) IT, PL Low (8 DF) Near Wild Heaven (8/17/91, 27 UK, 65 AU, 32 DF) Endgame (instrumental) (34 DF) Shiny Happy People (with Kate Pierson) (5/18/91, 10 BB, 8 CB, 4 GR, 10 RR, 48 AC, 8 AR, 3 MR, 6 UK, 5 CN, 19 AU, 10 DF) PL Belong (32 DF) Half a World Away (38 DF) Texarkana (5/18/91, 7 AR, 4 MR, 38 DF) Country Feedback PL Me in Honey Total Running Time: 44:08 About the Album: In 1987, R.E.M. had the first top-ten, platinum album with Document. A year later, Green sold two million copies in the U.S. 1991’s Out of Time was the band’s biggest success yet, reaching #1 and achieving 18 million in sales worldwide. Go to the DMDB page for more about this album.

Automatic for the People R.E.M.

Released: October 6, 1992 Peak: 2 US, 14 UK, 4 CN, 2 AU, 12 DF Sales (in millions): 4.0 US, 2.27 UK, 18.0 world (includes US + UK) Genre: alternative rock Rating: 4.535 out of 5.00 (average of 31 ratings)

Awards: Go to the DMDB page to see this album’s awards.

Tracks: Drive [4:30] (10/3/92, 28 US, 23 CB, 11 RR, 2 AR, 1 MR, 11 UK, 7 CN, 34 AU, 1 DF) Try Not to Breathe [3:49] (32 DF) The Sidewinder Sleeps Tonite [4:06] (2/20/93, 28 AR, 24 MR, 17 UK, 60 CN, 99 AU, 20 DF) IT, PL Everybody Hurts [5:17] (4/17/93, 29 US, 18 CB, 9 RR, 21 MR, 7 UK, 8 CN, 6 AU, 6 DF) IT, PL New Orleans Instrumental No. 1 [2:12] Sweetness Follows [4:19] Monty Got a Raw Deal [3:16] (38 DF) Ignoreland [4:24] (11/21/92, 4 AR, 5 MR, 43 CN, 38 DF) Star Me Kitten [3:15] Man on the Moon [5:12] (11/28/92, 30 US, 17 CB, 10 RR, 46 AC, 4 AR, 2 MR, 18 UK, 3 CN, 39 AU, 7 DF) IT, PL Nightswimming [4:16] (7/24/93, 27 UK, 71 AU, 32 DF) IT, PL Find the River [3:49] (12/11/93, 54 UK, 25 DF) Total Running Time: 48:52 About the Album: R.E.M. followed up their best-selling, #1 album Out of Time with the most acclaimed album of their career. Automatic for the People also matched its predecessor with 18 million in worldwide sales. Go to the DMDB page for more about this album.

Monster R.E.M.

Released: September 27, 1994 Peak: 12 US, 12 UK, 11 CN, 2 AU, 12 DF Sales (in millions): 4.0 US, 0.9 UK, 11.7 world (includes US + UK) Genre: alternative rock Rating: 3.587 out of 5.00 (average of 28 ratings)

Awards: (Click on award to learn more).

Tracks: What’s the Frequency, Kenneth? (9/17/94, 14a BB, 16 CB, 12 GR, 10 RR, 2 AR, 1 MR, 9 UK, 2 CN, 24 AU, 11 DF) IT, PL Crush with Eyeliner (2/4/95, 20 AR, 33 MR, 23 UK, 28 CN, 55 AU, 32 DF) King of Comedy (37 DF) I Don’t Sleep, I Dream Star 69 (2/18/95, 74a BB, 15 AR, 8 MR, 73 CN 28 DF) Strange Currencies (4/15/95, 47 BB, 49 CB, 17 GR, 18 RR, 8 AR, 14 MR, 9 UK, 13 CN, 100 AU, 31 DF) Tongue (7/29/95, 13 UK, 38 DF) Bang and Blame (11/12/94, 19 BB, 14 CB, 5 GR, 8 RR, 3 AR, 1 MR, 15 UK, 1 CN, 29 AU, 12 DF) I Took Your Name Let Me In Circus Envy You Total Running Time: 49:15 AllMusic.com review by Stephen Thomas Erlewine: “Monster is indeed R.E.M.’s long-promised ‘rock’ album; it just doesn’t rock in the way one might expect. Instead of R.E.M.’s trademark anthemic bashers, Monster offers a set of murky sludge, powered by the heavily distorted and delayed guitar of Peter Buck. Michael Stipe’s vocals have been pushed to the back of the mix, along with Bill Berry’s drums, which accentuates the muscular pulse of Buck’s chords. From the androgynous sleaze of Crush with Eyeliner to the subtle, Eastern-tinged menace of You, most of the album sounds dense, dirty, and grimy, which makes the punchy guitars of What’s the Frequency, Kenneth? and the warped soul of Tongue all the more distinctive.” “Monster doesn’t have the conceptual unity or consistently brilliant songwriting of Automatic for the People, but it does offer a wide range of sonic textures that have never been heard on an R.E.M. album before.”

New Adventures in Hi-Fi R.E.M.

Released: September 10, 1996 Peak: 2 US, 11 UK, 13 CN, 1 AU, 12 DF Sales (in millions): 1.0 US, 0.3 UK, 4.5 world (includes US + UK) Genre: alternative rock Rating: 3.803 out of 5.00 (average of 27 ratings)

Awards: (Click on award to learn more).

Tracks: How the West Was Won and Where It Got Us (4/97, 38 DF) The Wake-Up Bomb (1/25/97, 30 AR, 51 CN, 38 DF) New Test Leper PL Undertow E-Bow the Letter (8/27/96, 45a BB, 7 AA, 15 AR, 2 MR, 4 UK, 6 CN, 23 AU, 12 DF) IT Leave Departure Bittersweet Me (10/12/96, 36a BB, 70 CB, 21 GR, 25 RR, 1 AA, 7 AR, 6 MR, 19 UK, 6 CN, 90 AU, 12 DF) Be Mine Binky the Doormat Zither So Fast, So Dumb Low Desert Electrolite (12/14/96, 96 BB, 5 AA, 29 UK, 24 CN, 39 DF) IT, PL Total Running Time: 65:33 AllMusic.com review by Stephen Thomas Erlewine: “Recorded during and immediately following R.E.M.’s disaster-prone Monster tour, New Adventures in Hi-Fi feels like it was recorded on the road. Not only are all of Michael Stipe’s lyrics on the album about moving or travel, the sound is ragged and varied, pieced together from tapes recorded at shows, soundtracks, and studios, giving it a loose, careening charm.” “New Adventures has the same spirit of much of R.E.M.’s IRS records, but don’t take the title of New Adventures in Hi-Fi lightly – R.E.M. tries different textures and new studio tricks. How the West Was Won and Where It Got Us opens the album with a rolling, vaguely hip-hop drum beat and slowly adds on jazzily dissonant piano. E-Bow the Letter starts out as an updated version of ‘Country Feedback,’ then it turns in on itself with layers of moaning guitar effects and Patti Smith's haunting backing vocals. Clocking in at seven minutes, Leave is the longest track R.E.M. has yet recorded and it’s one of their strangest and best – an affecting minor-key dirge with a howling, siren-like feedback loop that runs throughout the entire song.” “Elsewhere, R.E.M. tread standard territory: Electrolite is a lovely piano-based ballad, Departure rocks like a Document outtake, the chiming opening riff of Bittersweet Me sounds like it was written in 1985, New Test Leper is gently winding folk-rock, and The Wake-Up Bomb and Undertow rock like the Monster outtakes they are.” “New Adventures in Hi-Fi may run a little too long – it clocks in at 62 minutes, by far the longest album R.E.M. has ever released – yet in its multifaceted sprawl, they wound up with one of their best records of the ‘90s.”

Up R.E.M.

Released: October 27, 1998 Peak: 3 US, 2 UK, 2 CN, 5 AU Sales (in millions): 0.9 US, 0.3 UK, 3.0 world (includes US + UK) Genre: alternative rock Rating: 3.375 out of 5.00 (average of 25 ratings)

Tracks: Airportman Lotus (12/7/98, 4 AA, 31 AR, 31 MR, 26 UK, 32 CN, 32 DF) Suspicion (6/28/99, --) Hope At My Most Beautiful (3/8/99, 10 UK) PL The Apologist Sad Professor You’re in the Air Walk Unafraid Why Not Smile Daysleeper (10/12/98, 57 BB, 33 A40, 1 AA, 30 AR, 18 MR, 6 UK, 5 CN, 57 AU, 27 DF) IT Diminished/I’m Not Over You (hidden track) Parakeet Falls to Climb Total Running Time: 64:31 About the Album: This was R.E.M.’s first album without founding member and drummer Bill Berry, who retired in 1997. The band used session drummers and drum machines to replace him. This was the band’s first album since Life’s Rich Pageant not produced by Scott Litt. The album showed much more use of electronic influence with keyboards and drum programming.

Reveal R.E.M.

Released: May 15, 2001 Peak: 6 US, 12 UK, 4 CN, 5 AU Sales (in millions): 0.5 US, 0.3 UK, 4.0 world (includes US + UK) Genre: alternative rock Rating: 3.509 out of 5.00 (average of 26 ratings)

Tracks: The Lifting I’ve Been High All the Way to Reno (You’re Gonna Be a Star) (7/23/01, 8 AA, 24 UK, 26 DF) IT She Just Wants to Be Disappear Saturn Return Beat a Drum Imitation of Life (4/16/01, 83 BB, 15 A40, 1 AA, 22 MR, 6 UK, 5 Cn, 32 AU, 26 DF) IT, PL Summer Turns to High Chorus and the Ring I’ll Take the Rain (11/19/01, 44 UK, 28 DF) Beachball Total Running Time: 53:43 About the Album: This is R.E.M.’s twelfth studio album and second without founding member Bill Berry. They continued to experiment with electronic music as they had with the previous album.

In Time: The Best of (compilation) R.E.M.

Recorded: 1988 to 2003 Released: October 28, 2003 Peak: 8 US, 11 UK, 4 CN, 5 AU, 11 DF Sales (in millions): 1.2 US, 1.5 UK, 10.0 world (includes US and UK) Genre: alternative rock Rating: 4.200 out of 5.00 (average of 25 ratings)

Awards: (Click on award to learn more).

Tracks: (1) Man on the Moon (2) The Great Beyond (3) Bad Day (4) What’s the Frequency, Kenneth? (5) All the Way to Reno (You’re Gonna Be a Star) (6) Losing My Religion (7) E-Bow the Letter (8) Orange Crush (9) Imitation of Life (10) Daysleeper (11) Animal (12) The Sidewinder Sleeps Tonite (13) Stand (14) Electrolite (15) All the Right Friends (16) Everybody Hurts (17) At My Most Beautiful (18) Nightswimming Total Running Time: 76:15 Tracks Not on Previously Noted Albums: The Great Beyond (from the Man on the Moon soundtrack, 11/20/99, 57 BB, 37 GR, 38 RR, 13 A40, 1 AA, 33 AR, 11 MR, 3 UK, 16 CN, 25 AU, 19 DF) IT, PL Animal (1/31/04, 33 UK, 93 AU, 40 DF) IT About the Album: This was a retrospective of R.E.M.’s years with Warner Brothers, covering seven albums released from 1988 to 2001. It also includes “The Great Beyond” from the 1999 movie Man on the Moon and two new cuts, although “Bad Day” was first recorded in 1986. The song “All the Right Friends” was also recorded much earlier – in 1983 – but released on the Vanilla Sky soundtrack in 2001.

Around the Sun R.E.M.

Released: October 5, 2004 Peak: 13 US, 11 UK, 7 CN, 6 AU Sales (in millions): 0.23 US, 0.1 UK, 2.0 world (includes US + UK) Genre: alternative rock rock Rating: 2.969 out of 5.00 (average of 28 ratings)

Tracks: Leaving New York (8/29/04, 1 AA, 5 UK, 57 AU, 31 DF) PL Electron Blue (2/28/05, 26 UK) The Outsiders (with Q-Tip) Make It All Okay Final Straw I Wanted to Be Wrong Wanderlust (7/11/05, 27 UK) Boy in the Well Aftermath (11/29/04, 15 AA, 41 UK) High Speed Train The Worst Joke Ever The Ascent of Man Around the Sun Total Running Time: 55:16 About the Album: After Bill Berry left in 1997, R.E.M. soldiered on with session drummers and drum machines. This time, they brought in Bill Rieflin as the drummer. Although he was never made an official band member, he would sit in the drummer’s chair until the band hung it up in 2011.

Accelerate R.E.M.

Released: March 31, 2008 Peak: 2 US, 11 UK, 11 CN, 13 AU Sales (in millions): 0.35 US, 0.1 UK, 1.36 world (includes US + UK) Genre: alternative rock Rating: 3.762 out of 5.00 (average of 22 ratings)

Tracks: Living Well Is the Best Revenge PL Man-Sized Wreath (8/11/08, --) Supernatural Superserious (2/25/08, 85 BB, 1 AA, 36 AR, 21 MR, 54 UK, 50 CN, 26 DF) PL Hollow Man (6/2/08, 7 AA, 1 DF) Houston Accelerate Until the Day Is Done (11/14/08, --) Mr. Richards Sing for the Submarine Horse to Water I’m Gonna DJ Total Running Time: 34:39 About the Album: Wikipedia says this “was heralded as a return to form for the band.” Q magazine’s Keith Cameron said, “Accelerate is the sound of a band having enjoyed a good word with themselves – and us.” It was the last album that was accompanied by a tour.

Collapse Into Now R.E.M.

Released: March 7, 2011 Peak: 5 US, 5 UK, 6 CN, 15 AU Sales (in millions): 0.06 US, 0.06 UK Genre: alternative rock Rating: 3.451 out of 5.00 (average of 15 ratings)

Tracks: Discover (1/22/11, 28 AA) All the Best Überlin (1/25/11, 26 AA) PL Oh My Heart (2/1/11, --) PL It Happened Today (12/20/10, --) Every Day Is Yours to Win Mine Smell Like Honey (1/18/11, 8 AA) Walk It Back Alligator_Aviator_Autopilot_Antimatter PL That Someone Is You Me, Marlon Brandon, Marlon Brando and I Blue Total Running Time: 41:05 About the Album: This was it. The end. The last R.E.M. album.

Part Lies, Part Heart, Part Truth, Part Garbage (compilation) R.E.M.

Recorded: 1981 to 2011 Released: November 11, 2011 Peak: 55 US, 19 UK, 79 CN, 71 AU Sales (in millions): -- US, 0.1 UK Genre: alternative rock Rating: 4.473 out of 5.00 (average of 8 ratings)

Tracks, Disc 1: (1) Gardening at Night (2) Radio Free Europe (3) Talk About the Passion (4) Sitting Still (5) So. Central Rain (I’m Sorry) (6) Don’t Go Back to Rockville (7) Driver 8 (8) Life and How to Live It (9) Begin the Begin (10) Fall on Me (11) Finest Worksong (12) It’s the End of the World As We Know It (And I Feel Fine) (13) The One I Love (14) Stand (15) Pop Song 89 (16) Get Up (17) Orange Crush (18) Losing My Religion (19) Country Feedback (20) Shiny Happy People (21) The Sidewinder Sleeps Tonite Tracks, Disc 2: (1) Everybody Hurts (2) Man on the Moon (3) Nightswimming (4) What’s the Frequency, Kenneth? (5) New Test Leper (6) Electrolite (7) At My Most Beautiful (8) The Great Beyond (9) Imitation of Life (10) Bad Day (11) Leaving New York (12) Living Well Is the Best Revenge (13) Supernatural Superserious (14) Überlin (15) Oh My Heart (16) Alligator_Aviator_Autopilot_Antimatter (17) A Month of Saturdays (18) We All Go Back to Where We Belong (19) Hallelujah Total Running Time: 1:51:24 Tracks Not on Previously Noted Albums: We All Go Back to Where We Belong (10/18/11, 13 AA) PL A Month of Saturdays PL Hallelujah PL About the Album: This two-disc, career-spanning retrospective largely succeeds, although one could quibble with the omission of singles such as “Can’t Get There from Here,” “Superman,” “Drive,” “Bang and Blame,” “E-Bow the Letter,” “Bittersweet Me,” “Daysleeper,” and “Supernatural Superserious,” especially in light of some of the lesser-known album cuts that populate this set.

Resources and Related Links: DMDB encyclopedia entry for R.E.M. Dave’s Music Database: Acts’ Profile Pages and Best-of Lists First posted 6/16/2024; last updated 6/18/2024.