When R.E.M. announced their breakup earlier today (September 21), it signalled the end of one of the most celebrated bands in music history. After forming in the early 1980s, they became the cutting edge of cool, defining underground indie rock before going on to conquer the mainstream in the '90s.
And even if their recent work isn't quite as beloved as their early highlights, there's no denying that R.E.M. continued to win fans and make headlines, even after three decades and 15 albums.
In honour of this legacy, we look back on the 10 moments that defined R.E.M.'s career, making them one of the most enduring band's of their generation. These notable moments are listed by importance, emphasizing those that kept us listening all the way to the end.
10 Moments That Defined R.E.M.'s Career:
10. Accelerate
After 2004's maligned Around the Sun, it appeared that R.E.M. had hit a creative and commercial slump. Then, after a four-year break (the longest the band ever took between albums), they came back with this gritty rock juggernaut. With loud distortion and unfussy production, this 2008 album was rightly perceived as a return to form, proving that the band could still sound fresh and exciting a full 25 years after their debut LP (1983's Murmur).
9. Departure of Bill Berry
R.E.M. formed as a four-piece, with singer Michael Stipe, drummer Bill Berry, guitarist Peter Buck and bassist Mike Mills. Berry left in 1997, citing the need for a change in his life. Rather than replace the timekeeper, however, the band opted to go ahead as a three-piece and use session musicians instead of finding a new member. Berry returned occasionally for several low-key reunions, reminding us that, even in retirement, R.E.M. was all about solidarity.
8. The many faces of Michael Stipe
Frontman Michael Stipe was easily the band's best-known member, not only for his vocals and lyrics, but because of his charisma and distinctive appearance. In some ways, his many looks mirrored the band's evolution over the years. In early band pictures, he looked downcast and mysterious, hiding behind his curly locks; he became more clean-cut during the band's mainstream explosion; he went bald and daubed himself in gaudy makeup as the band continued to stay youthful in middle age; and finally allowed a rugged beard to grow in the group's final chapter (let's not forget that hirsute dick pic).
7. "The One I Love"
R.E.M. were already cult stars by the time this 1987 single hit the charts. It was the success of this song, however, that made the group's leap to the mainstream inevitable. With its crunchy guitar licks and Michael Stipe's instantly memorable vocal hooks, the song was a significant departure from the cryptic mumbling that defined the band's early work. Another successful single, "It's the End of the World as We Know It (and I Feel Fine)," followed soon after, and guaranteed that R.E.M. would remain a pop culture fixture.
6. Political activism
They wrote outstanding pop rock songs, but R.E.M. were also a band with a conscience. Like so many rockers of their day (we're looking at you, U2), they were unafraid to delve into political issues. They spoke out on topics like animal rights, voter apathy, gun control, human rights issues in Burma, and sexuality. These political convictions meant that their influence extended beyond music alone. Their views inspired tracks like "Exhuming McCarthy" (about U.S. political oppression), "Orange Crush" (about the Vietnam War) and "Until the Day Is Done" (about war and the economy).
5. Kurt Cobain's fandom
The grunge legend frequently made no secret of his love for R.E.M., and this influence was especially obvious on Nirvana's 1993 MTV Unplugged session. Michael Stipe was reportedly in talks with Cobain to do a collaborative project, and the two became friends. Cobain reportedly listened to R.E.M.'s 1992 album Automatic for the People just before taking his life in 1994. Thanks to Kurt, R.E.M. will always be inextricably linked with the legacy of grunge.
4. "Radio Free Europe"
The single that started it all. Released in 1981 through Hib-Tone, the song was an underground hit and earned the band critical acclaim well outside of their home in Athens, GA. This got the band signed to I.R.S. Records, and they re-recorded the song for the 1983 debut Murmur. This new version was R.E.M.'s first charting single, reaching No. 78 on the Billboard Hot 100. It's still one of their best-ever songs.
3. Automatic for the People
Out of Time from 1991 was a No. 1 smash hit with some unforgettable tracks, but let's be honest: it's by no means the band's most consistent or artistically adventurous album. But the very next year, at the pinnacle of their fame, R.E.M. followed it up with this sublime masterpiece. Elegant and sombre, its superbly wrought production and gorgeously poignant songwriting proved that mainstream success hadn't hindered their artistic vision. "Everybody Hurts" is the record's hit, but tracks like "Nightswimming," "Find the River' and "Try Not to Breath" are the true gems here.
2. "Losing My Religion"
Tune into pretty much any rock or adult contemporary radio station and there's a good chance that you will hear this career-defining mega-smash. It's unquestionably the band's signature tune, and the religiously themed video remains one of the most recognizable clips of all time (especially thanks to Michael Stipe's nifty dancing). The best part of it is that there's still no song that sounds quite like it; lead by Peter Buck's mandolin, the mid-tempo rocker doesn't have an obvious chorus, and it's unclear exactly what the hell the lyrics are about.
1. Signing to Warner Bros.
R.E.M.'s most enduring legacy is their ability to balance underground cool with commercial success. When they left I.R.S. Records and signed with Warner Bros. in 1988, it meant the end of their phase as America's premier college rock band, and the beginning of a new, even more influential stage in their career. They had already made their mark on the music world without compromising their integrity, and by signing with a major label, they embraced the mainstream without being corrupted by it. For many ambitious indie bands, this is still the blueprint to follow when it comes to pursuing commercial success.
And even if their recent work isn't quite as beloved as their early highlights, there's no denying that R.E.M. continued to win fans and make headlines, even after three decades and 15 albums.
In honour of this legacy, we look back on the 10 moments that defined R.E.M.'s career, making them one of the most enduring band's of their generation. These notable moments are listed by importance, emphasizing those that kept us listening all the way to the end.
10 Moments That Defined R.E.M.'s Career:
10. Accelerate
After 2004's maligned Around the Sun, it appeared that R.E.M. had hit a creative and commercial slump. Then, after a four-year break (the longest the band ever took between albums), they came back with this gritty rock juggernaut. With loud distortion and unfussy production, this 2008 album was rightly perceived as a return to form, proving that the band could still sound fresh and exciting a full 25 years after their debut LP (1983's Murmur).
9. Departure of Bill Berry
R.E.M. formed as a four-piece, with singer Michael Stipe, drummer Bill Berry, guitarist Peter Buck and bassist Mike Mills. Berry left in 1997, citing the need for a change in his life. Rather than replace the timekeeper, however, the band opted to go ahead as a three-piece and use session musicians instead of finding a new member. Berry returned occasionally for several low-key reunions, reminding us that, even in retirement, R.E.M. was all about solidarity.
8. The many faces of Michael Stipe
Frontman Michael Stipe was easily the band's best-known member, not only for his vocals and lyrics, but because of his charisma and distinctive appearance. In some ways, his many looks mirrored the band's evolution over the years. In early band pictures, he looked downcast and mysterious, hiding behind his curly locks; he became more clean-cut during the band's mainstream explosion; he went bald and daubed himself in gaudy makeup as the band continued to stay youthful in middle age; and finally allowed a rugged beard to grow in the group's final chapter (let's not forget that hirsute dick pic).
7. "The One I Love"
R.E.M. were already cult stars by the time this 1987 single hit the charts. It was the success of this song, however, that made the group's leap to the mainstream inevitable. With its crunchy guitar licks and Michael Stipe's instantly memorable vocal hooks, the song was a significant departure from the cryptic mumbling that defined the band's early work. Another successful single, "It's the End of the World as We Know It (and I Feel Fine)," followed soon after, and guaranteed that R.E.M. would remain a pop culture fixture.
6. Political activism
They wrote outstanding pop rock songs, but R.E.M. were also a band with a conscience. Like so many rockers of their day (we're looking at you, U2), they were unafraid to delve into political issues. They spoke out on topics like animal rights, voter apathy, gun control, human rights issues in Burma, and sexuality. These political convictions meant that their influence extended beyond music alone. Their views inspired tracks like "Exhuming McCarthy" (about U.S. political oppression), "Orange Crush" (about the Vietnam War) and "Until the Day Is Done" (about war and the economy).
5. Kurt Cobain's fandom
The grunge legend frequently made no secret of his love for R.E.M., and this influence was especially obvious on Nirvana's 1993 MTV Unplugged session. Michael Stipe was reportedly in talks with Cobain to do a collaborative project, and the two became friends. Cobain reportedly listened to R.E.M.'s 1992 album Automatic for the People just before taking his life in 1994. Thanks to Kurt, R.E.M. will always be inextricably linked with the legacy of grunge.
4. "Radio Free Europe"
The single that started it all. Released in 1981 through Hib-Tone, the song was an underground hit and earned the band critical acclaim well outside of their home in Athens, GA. This got the band signed to I.R.S. Records, and they re-recorded the song for the 1983 debut Murmur. This new version was R.E.M.'s first charting single, reaching No. 78 on the Billboard Hot 100. It's still one of their best-ever songs.
3. Automatic for the People
Out of Time from 1991 was a No. 1 smash hit with some unforgettable tracks, but let's be honest: it's by no means the band's most consistent or artistically adventurous album. But the very next year, at the pinnacle of their fame, R.E.M. followed it up with this sublime masterpiece. Elegant and sombre, its superbly wrought production and gorgeously poignant songwriting proved that mainstream success hadn't hindered their artistic vision. "Everybody Hurts" is the record's hit, but tracks like "Nightswimming," "Find the River' and "Try Not to Breath" are the true gems here.
2. "Losing My Religion"
Tune into pretty much any rock or adult contemporary radio station and there's a good chance that you will hear this career-defining mega-smash. It's unquestionably the band's signature tune, and the religiously themed video remains one of the most recognizable clips of all time (especially thanks to Michael Stipe's nifty dancing). The best part of it is that there's still no song that sounds quite like it; lead by Peter Buck's mandolin, the mid-tempo rocker doesn't have an obvious chorus, and it's unclear exactly what the hell the lyrics are about.
1. Signing to Warner Bros.
R.E.M.'s most enduring legacy is their ability to balance underground cool with commercial success. When they left I.R.S. Records and signed with Warner Bros. in 1988, it meant the end of their phase as America's premier college rock band, and the beginning of a new, even more influential stage in their career. They had already made their mark on the music world without compromising their integrity, and by signing with a major label, they embraced the mainstream without being corrupted by it. For many ambitious indie bands, this is still the blueprint to follow when it comes to pursuing commercial success.
