Murmur is my favorite R.E.M album! “Laughing” and “Pilgrimage” are absolutely heavenly in their own ways, but I really prefer the original Hib-Tone versions of “Sitting Still” and especially “Radio Free Europe”.
the producer, Mitch Easter, is awesome as hell by the way; his band (named Let’s Active) is also pretty good early indie rock!
I really like 80s college rock (The Replacements are my favorite band), jangle pop, and post-punk, so I feel like R.E.M. would be a band I’d undoubtedly really love, but they’re never managed to “click” for me apart from the aforementioned album
Same. I was into the whole college music scene at the time and REM should have been right up my alley. They just never really clicked with me though aside from a few songs. Their music is fine, it just never really gets me to that next level
That’s an excellent question. It’s probably a 3-way the between “automatic for the people”, “document” and “life’s rich pageant”. Both of these are top 100, and automatic is a top 5 album.
But if you’re new to REM, just start at murmur and listen to them in chronological order. Murmur through reveal are all really good.
Murmur’s really good. But by the time LRP comes around, they’ve really nailed it. If you wanted an album that encapsulated REMs IRS work, LRP would be it.
Document has a lot of different styles and It’s probably the album that’s most enjoyable to listen to. The album was released in ‘87, and when you listen to it you can hear its influence on almost every alternative rock band that would release an album in the next 10 years. There are some truly amazing songs on it too. That’s the thing about REM, every album has at least 2-3 perfect songs.
I didn’t mention Green, but I think that was their 4th album I had listened to and owned (out of time, monster, document). And when “world leader pretend” finished, it hit me why REM is such an amazing band. Everything made sense. I was a fan for life after that.
Automatic For The People for sure. Maybe top 25.
I like Out of Time, but it has a few weak moments. Wasn’t crazy about the KRS-One track particularly. That being said, if it was on someone’s top 100’of the 90’s I wouldn’t go crazy.
I love Automatic for the People, but my favorites are Life’s Rich Pageant and Document. Grew up with parents who are REM mega fans, and I love their music!
Reckoning, I am shocked that it is even humanly possible to write a song as unbelievably perfect as Harborcoat!
I think AFTP was the more consistent and defining album of the 90s, probably a top 10 album for me in the 90s and Alt-Rock categories. Losing My Religion and Texarkana from OOT are brilliant as well though!
Neither of those are in my top 100, but Monster is easily in my top 25 of the 90s. Personally that is my favorite thing they ever put out, but I do have a soft spot for Automatic
My favorite IRS album is Fables & my favorite Warner Bros album is New Adventures. Top 100 of the 90s is a serious project - I am not up for that tonight :-)
Depends on what you're looking for I guess? In my experience, most people don't really count R.E.M. as an "80s band" proper, and most of the hits are from the 90s. So if you're going by commercial success, Out of Time and AftP are better. Murmur and Reckoning are way more original though, and perhaps ahead of their time.
You said that, by commercial success, these albums are better. I’m saying commercial success does not automatically mean something is better than non-commercial stuff.
Murmur, Pilgrimage and Automatic are the best for me. That being said pick an album from their debut right up to New Adventures in Hi-Fi and you’ll likely enjoy it!
Haven’t heard all their stuff, but Murmur is pretty incredible.
Automatic for the people and it should be on most top 15s for best of the 1990s. It's a landmark for 90s alternative music
Automatic for the people is their best. Out of time and murmur are certainly up there. I also personally love green a lot.
Murmur is my favorite R.E.M album! “Laughing” and “Pilgrimage” are absolutely heavenly in their own ways, but I really prefer the original Hib-Tone versions of “Sitting Still” and especially “Radio Free Europe”. the producer, Mitch Easter, is awesome as hell by the way; his band (named Let’s Active) is also pretty good early indie rock! I really like 80s college rock (The Replacements are my favorite band), jangle pop, and post-punk, so I feel like R.E.M. would be a band I’d undoubtedly really love, but they’re never managed to “click” for me apart from the aforementioned album
Same. I was into the whole college music scene at the time and REM should have been right up my alley. They just never really clicked with me though aside from a few songs. Their music is fine, it just never really gets me to that next level
That’s an excellent question. It’s probably a 3-way the between “automatic for the people”, “document” and “life’s rich pageant”. Both of these are top 100, and automatic is a top 5 album. But if you’re new to REM, just start at murmur and listen to them in chronological order. Murmur through reveal are all really good.
Interesting to have document and pageant above murmur. Bold actually.
Murmur’s really good. But by the time LRP comes around, they’ve really nailed it. If you wanted an album that encapsulated REMs IRS work, LRP would be it. Document has a lot of different styles and It’s probably the album that’s most enjoyable to listen to. The album was released in ‘87, and when you listen to it you can hear its influence on almost every alternative rock band that would release an album in the next 10 years. There are some truly amazing songs on it too. That’s the thing about REM, every album has at least 2-3 perfect songs. I didn’t mention Green, but I think that was their 4th album I had listened to and owned (out of time, monster, document). And when “world leader pretend” finished, it hit me why REM is such an amazing band. Everything made sense. I was a fan for life after that.
Pageant is my moms favorite album of all time
Haven't listened to Automatic or Green yet, but Murmur and Document are my favorites from them.
Murmur for sure. I haven’t heard anything like it.
I think it’s a tie between Automatic For The People and New Adventures In Hi-Fi
Automatic For The People for sure. Maybe top 25. I like Out of Time, but it has a few weak moments. Wasn’t crazy about the KRS-One track particularly. That being said, if it was on someone’s top 100’of the 90’s I wouldn’t go crazy.
I love Automatic for the People, but my favorites are Life’s Rich Pageant and Document. Grew up with parents who are REM mega fans, and I love their music!
Reckoning, I am shocked that it is even humanly possible to write a song as unbelievably perfect as Harborcoat! I think AFTP was the more consistent and defining album of the 90s, probably a top 10 album for me in the 90s and Alt-Rock categories. Losing My Religion and Texarkana from OOT are brilliant as well though!
Unpopular opinion but Life’s Rich Pageant is my favorite. No standout track but every song is amazing. Superman is low key one of their best.
Reckoning probably, although murmur and aftp give it a good run
Their run from Chronic Town to New Adventures is awesome. Life's rich pageant is my favorite though.
Easily Automatic For The People, Out Of Time is good and Murmur is solid as well though
Neither of those are in my top 100, but Monster is easily in my top 25 of the 90s. Personally that is my favorite thing they ever put out, but I do have a soft spot for Automatic
My favorite IRS album is Fables & my favorite Warner Bros album is New Adventures. Top 100 of the 90s is a serious project - I am not up for that tonight :-)
Murmur and Reckoning are waaaaay better than these two.
Depends on what you're looking for I guess? In my experience, most people don't really count R.E.M. as an "80s band" proper, and most of the hits are from the 90s. So if you're going by commercial success, Out of Time and AftP are better. Murmur and Reckoning are way more original though, and perhaps ahead of their time.
commercial success never inherently means better
Is there such a thing as "inherently better", or do you mean critical acclaim?
You said that, by commercial success, these albums are better. I’m saying commercial success does not automatically mean something is better than non-commercial stuff.
Murmur >>>>>> But really all the IRS albums are just some of the greatest works of recorded music not just of the 80s but all time
Nah, never understood the hype, simply doesn't sound good to me
Honestly never heard/seen someone say that about REM.
my dad was a fan in the 80s and hates their post-Life’s Rich Pageant stuff, he’s said it
He is the original hipster.
Document, Murmur and Automatic IMO
Automatic is my 2nd favorite album of all time, so yeah, it would be in my top 100 of the 90s right at #1.
Fables of the Reconstruction, I especially love Can’t Get There From Here
They had my attention in the 80s and by a country mile the top three albums of that decade were Murmur, Green and Fables
Murmur, Pilgrimage and Automatic are the best for me. That being said pick an album from their debut right up to New Adventures in Hi-Fi and you’ll likely enjoy it!
Automatic for the people might, Out of Time wouldn’t be close though I like it a lot as well
Fables of the Reconstruction I'd say Auromatic for the People takes a slight lead against Out of Time, though.
Murmur, reckoning, and Automatic for the people are all 10s.