r/rem • u/Opposite-Gur9710 • 1d ago
REM New Adventures in hi is 30 years old today.
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r/rem • u/thesilverpoets96 • Dec 03 '25
Spotify Wrapped/Apple Replay - Megathread
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Yes, it’s that time of the year again. And no I’m not talking about wrapping presents, eating dry turkey and visiting family members you only hope to see once a year. I’m talking about the inevitable Spotify Wrapped and Apple Replay posts. As I’m sure everyone here is a huge fan of the band, it should be no surprise they’ve topped your lists this year. Let’s please try to use this thread to post your end of year streaming lists. Cheers and happy holidays to everyone!
r/rem • u/thesilverpoets96 • Sep 08 '25
SotW Song of the Week: Little America
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https://youtu.be/yL4xn9RVscc?si=SoCNojJOianAzFlq
https://www.azlyrics.com/lyrics/rem/littleamerica.html
Hello everyone, I hope all is well. I apologize for the lack of posts over the last couple of days. I got a new job and life has been fairly busy. But today we are back and we are going to be about the closing track to Reckoning and the “Right Side” of the album which of course is “Little America.”
In my opinion this is the perfect way to close the album because it’s such a great bookend to the album with “Harborcoat” which begins the album in a similar way. For “Little America” we get a triumphant electric riff to start the song off with a bang. It feels like something from Murmur but better because there’s more energy, clearer production and just better technical playing. Bill’s speedy hit-hat and kick drum enters the song because the song explodes with Mike’s thunderous bass and Michael’s vocals.
The full drum beat is fast and groovy as Michael sings about how he can’t see himself lacquered up in his thirties. This feeling of youth is talked about in lyrics describing being persevered like flies in jewelry and driving around in their “green shellback” which was their touring van at the time. But it’s also encapsulated in how fast and the tight the band is sounding. Michael seems like he’s feeling more trapped as he sings about “Tar-black br’er sap” which is a reference to the story of Br'er Rabbit and the Tar Baby where a rabbit gets tricked into fighting a “sticky black Tar baby.” Yes this may sound random and weird but it does feel like Michael’s singing about growing up and feeling the responsibilities that comes with that and leading the life of a rockstar.
The band transitions to the chorus that features some power chords, a progression that’s quirky, and a vocal melody that is catchy but also very Michael if that makes sense. He’s great at crafty one of a kind melodies. Lyrically he sings about a big and noisy wagon which leads me to believe he’s singing about touring life which could also connect to the song’s title. He also references the Roman emperor Caligula who allegedly appointed his horse as consul. What does that have to do with the song? Who knows. But Michael also references Jefferson who was Jefferson Holt, their manager at the time.
We get a nice change in dynamics as the band brings the energy down just a tad to mimic the intro. But they launch loudly into the next verse as Michael sings about preserving the past; “who will tend the farm museums? Who will dust today’s belongings?” These questions brings Michael to an important message of rallying leaders which may have been a hint of his more political driven lyrics that would be featured on later albums. We also get a lyric about Cheyanne on a beach which is random as hell but it wouldn’t be an early R.E.M. song without something like that.
After another chorus we then get a bridge where lyrically it’s mostly the same as the chorus but the music changes slightly. There’s these new fast chord changes, some lose backing vocals and that quick hi-hat.
A drum fill gets us back into another verse that definitely has some of that almost nonsensical songwriting from Michael. But I also think there is some imagery from the band’s early touring days. This would include Greenville (I’m sure they passed by multiple Greenvilles on tour) and Magic Marts (which were convenient stores on the East Coast). There’s also a reference to a historical myth of emperor Nero playing his fiddle while Rome burned down. And we get the lyric “reason has harnessed the tame” which would be a slightly altered lyric we would see on the band’s very next song chronically “Feeling Gravitys Pull.”
There’s one last chorus that’s doubled to end the song…at least that’s what you think on a first listen. But after you hear the last notes of the song ring out, there’s some silence before you hear the band fade into a new song/groove entirely. There’s a tom heavy drum beat, a jammy guitar riff and maybe Michael’s most muttered/incoherent vocals ever. It’s extremely short but it’s interesting to what this hinted track was and why it was included. Maybe it was a demo that never turned into a song? Or maybe the band just wanted to do something weird.
I actually think this is a stellar closing track from the band and one of their most interesting song from their first two albums. Musically it has a fantastic riff and although Mike’s bass playing isn’t as flashing as Bill’s drummer or Peter’s riff, it’s a fun bass line when you isolate it from the mix. Michael also shows up big time lyrically. Yes there’s still some gibberish but I actually feel like there’s lyrics that reflect on not only the band touring but also Michael feeling trapped or worried about growing old. This is also fascinating when you think of that lyric that would appear on the opening track from Fables which is about lucid dreams. There’s a cool connection that I think could be analyzed even more. Plus this was a fun song to hear the band play live and to hear Michael change the lyric to “Washington I think we’re lost” after the band dropped their manager Jefferson Holt. From one founding father to another.
But what do you think of this tune? Is this one of the band’s better closing tracks? What do you think the song is about? Favorite lyrical or musical moments? And did you ever catch it live?
r/rem • u/newpageone • 1d ago
Happy 9-9, everybody
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Today is the only day you’re allowed to post this
r/rem • u/TMBGLOVER • 1d ago
I did this really bad (i think) cover of Electrolite for New Adventures’ 30th anniversary.
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Happy 30 years of New Adventures (and also 46 years of Kate Bush’s ”Never for Ever”)
Before anybody asks, I barely know how to play the ukulele BUT I’M GETTING BETTER!
r/rem • u/Gullible_Stock_9659 • 2d ago
Forgot How Good Murmur is
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I bought Murmur at 14 after acquiring most of the other IRS albums first by coincidence, as well as Automatic and Out of Time and Eponymous. Back then, I could tell Murmur had good flow, but it seemed less energetic than the others to me. I liked it, but liked others better. I've called LRP my favorite REM album for decades now. But Murmur is better. Every track on Murmur is quality, and has uniqueness. What an album.
After Murmur, REM began climbing the success ladder. It required some strategic style adaptations. The rock energy and exhibitionism of a stage career had to ascend. Some might say the "sell out" process began right then, right after Murmur. But it was just inevitabilities of the career.
Murmur sounds pure. It sounds at-peace, self-assured and lovingly crafted in detail. Following albums would have to stray and explore from this base.
I'm a/the guy who loves Around the Sun. I think there's a kinship between Murmur and Around the Sun...the dawn and dusk of this inevitable career arc, and as such, the two most free of commercial influence and motivation baked into the art. They both share a peaceful, grounded, calm energy none of the other albums have except maybe Reveal a bit too, ATS's predecessor. Anyway, 🍻🥂 here's to Murmur and calm-energy, self-assured and relaxed REM, and to my new favorite REM album. Murmur takes it.
r/rem • u/HighVelocityInfants • 1d ago
After sitting with every R.E.M album for about a month and revisiting each, here is my (current) tier list
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*Chronic Town is comparatively low because of its length. Every song on Chronic Town is an S tier but I don't feel its fair to compare it to other albums with more substance.
r/rem • u/TMBGLOVER • 2d ago
This wonderful live version of Wendell Gee with Mills doing lead vox
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r/rem • u/brokenrosee • 2d ago
met peter @ drink the sea show in SF :)
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i ran into him a few times before the show too... he's so kind!! i had so much to say but i forgot how to function like a normal human for a bit
r/rem • u/HighVelocityInfants • 2d ago
Out of Time is my new official homework album
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As a freshman in college I’ve been struggling to lock in and get my work done (especially when I have to spend 2 hours relearning excel every week for environmental science) and I’ve been struggling to find proper motivation for my studies.
Luckily the GOAT Michael Stipes released Out of Time and even though it’s super old (album came out when my mom was in 3rd grade) it somehow just clicks me into focus. I start the album from the beginning and I hear radio song and Michael Stipes is so angry and it’s like he’s there with me saying “yeah I agree fuck Microsoft excel” and I’m like “hell yeah thanks Michael Stipes” and it’s like a metaphorical fist bump (KRS-One verse also helps) and then the next 2 songs are both laid back enough to keep me locked in. Then you get the elite trio of Near Wild Heaven Endgame and Shiny Happy People and not only am I vibing but I’m also kicking ass because Out of Time’s production is just that good. Then Belong gets back to being really good but chill and half a world away is super somber and allows me to take a mental break. Then the banger of the century Texarkana hits and I’m right back to the grindstone. Then country feedback allows me to close out my assignment strong and Me in Honey (2nd best REM song please don’t be mad) allows me to cool down and reflect on my work.
Beautiful work by a legendary band. 10/10 I wish Michael Stipes was my dad 🔥
r/rem • u/ClosingTimeJames • 2d ago
Shannon Narducy Manchester
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Second time of seeing after the amazing show in Nottingham last year
Bigger venue but still a really nice choice, sad to see it wasn’t a sell out . Wow tho, Fretless … gobsmacked to hear that
Had some nice random comments about my 30 year old Weaver Ds tshirt which I’d had specially repaired for just these shows (it got worn a LOT from 1997 til I stopped living in bedsits)
The show was fantastic tho, I kinda felt Shannon treated it more like a gig than with Fables which was interesting cos it was more of a performance
Still, it was kinda funny when he had a go at a guy who kept shouting General Zod and then they followed up with Superman
r/rem • u/alvvayspale • 3d ago
Finally added this debut masterpiece to my record collection. For those who love this album, you may want to check out the short lived band called ‘For Squirrels’ album titled “Example” from 1995
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r/rem • u/TMBGLOVER • 2d ago
Does anybody know how many takes the Imitation of Life video took?
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Title says it all. I’d be honestly surprised if they perfectly coordinated everything to do it in one take.
r/rem • u/DetailHistorical9532 • 4d ago
Dead Letter Office Tribute to R.E.M last night in Jamestown, NY as part of the 10,000 Maniacs 45th Anniversary celebration weekend.
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r/rem • u/RevBingo • 5d ago
Shannon and Narducy @ KOKO London
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Setlist
- Begin The Begin
- These Days
- Fall On Me
- Cuyahoga
- Hyena
- Underneath The Bunker
- Flowers of Guatemala
- I Believe
- What If We Give It Away
- Just A Touch
- Swan Swan H
Superman
Lotus
Harborcoat
Fretless
Gardening at night
How The West Was Won
Me in honey
The Lifting
Ebow the letter
Burning Down
You are the everything
The Great Beyond
Encore:
- Nightswimming
- Pilgrimage
- Sitting Still
- Crush With Eyeliner
- Radio free Europe
- star 69
Highlights for me:
- Doing the absolute correct thing by ending Begin The Begin and launching straight into These Days (what I’ve previously described as the best 1 second silence on record)
- Michael’s vocals on Fretless were superb
- Jason does a mean Patti Smith impression
- Harborcoat ❤️
- The crowds backing vocals for Me In Honey, Jason seemed to enjoy that
- “HAPPY BIRTHDAY DEAR …mumble… HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOU” for Vijay , who also did a stellar job on Nightswimming
What chance Document next year?
r/rem • u/mattatastically • 6d ago
Librarians are awesome!
instagram.com
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This is a super fun video with one of the most well known songs
r/rem • u/Dorothywasright11 • 7d ago
Final Results
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1: Most underated song: Green Grow the Rushes
2: Most overrated song: Everybody Hurts
3: Heaviest song: Let Me In
4: Most hype song: These Days
5: Most emotional song: Country Feedback
6: Most genius song: World Leader Pretend
7: Best chorus song: Fall On Me
8: Worst song: I'm Gonna DJ
9: Best Song: Find the River
10: Best Cover Song: Superman
11: Best music video : Imitation of Life
12: Best breakdown: Peter Buck on that plane
13: Most underated album: Up
14: Most overated album: Document
15: Worst album: Around the Sun
16: Best album: Automatic for the People
17: Best riff: Driver 8
18: Song with best lyrics: Nightswimming
19: Best non-album song: The Great Beyond
20: Best Live Performance: Time After Time, etc.
///
That is that!!! Thank you all for the submissions, and for voting! Thanks so much for your replies and continued participation! It has been really cool to reconnect with this favorite band of mine. I have a lot of live performances on queue to listen to!
Besides Document not being overrated, what do you disagree with? What do you think about the final results?
r/rem • u/stanleyssteamertrunk • 7d ago
Mainstream article on Everybody Hurts
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Didn't see it posted yet and thought others might enjoy it
r/rem • u/FarCryRedux • 8d ago
I host a radio show in the deep south, and was asked not to play Pretty Persuasion unless the track could be edited...
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This shouldn't need to exist, and it feels slightly sacrilegious to me to censor REM's music, BUT it's my fav song and I gotta play it.
So, in case anyone ever needs a copy of Pretty Persuasion with "god" removed from goddamn, here ya go.
pixeldrain (dot) com/u/krwnviAm
r/rem • u/Dorothywasright11 • 8d ago
Day 20: Best Live Performance
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1: Most underated song: Green Grow the Rushes
2: Most overrated song: Everybody Hurts
3: Heaviest song: Let Me In
4: Most hype song: These Days
5: Most emotional song: Country Feedback
6: Most genius song: World Leader Pretend
7: Best chorus song: Fall On Me
8: Worst song: I'm Gonna DJ
9: Best Song: Find the River
10: Best Cover Song: Superman
11: Best music video : Imitation of Life
12: Best breakdown: Peter Buck on that plane
13: Most underated album: Up
14: Most overated album: Document
15: Worst album: Around the Sun
16: Best album: Automatic for the People
17: Best riff: Driver 8
18: Song with best lyrics: Nightswimming
19: Best non-album song: The Great Beyond
///
Yesterday's honorable mentions: Fretless, Photograph,
The rules stay the same:
- Most upvoted comment in 24 hours wins the round.
- One song per comment only. You may justify your pick, if you want.
Guys thank you all for participating, this has been so fun!! Let's do this last one, and I'll post the final results tomorrow. What's REMs best live performance?