R.E.M. Try to Remember ‘Nightswimming’
On the 'Automatic for the People' highlight, Michael Stipe employs the only known way to time travel: memories.
R.E.M.
R.E.M. Wrestles With Writer's Block on 'Man on the Moon'
The song was ready — it just didn’t have a title, or lyrics, or vocals.
How Meg Ryan, Miami and 10cc Impacted R.E.M.‘s 'Star Me Kitten’
Actress Meg Ryan convinced band to alter title of lusty 'Automatic for the People' ballad, and it became an in-joke.
R.E.M.'s Michael Stipe Vents His Spleen on 'Ignoreland'
It was the most biting and specific political critique of band's then-12-year career.
'Monty Got a Raw Deal' Takes R.E.M. Down and Out in Beverly Hills
Mysterious track was inspired by the tragic life of film star Montgomery Clift and Greek instrument the bouzouki.
R.E.M. Find a Hollow Center in 'Sweetness Follows'
A meditation on loss, the quiet, pulsing track may be the centerpiece of 'Automatic for the People.'
R.E.M. Gets Kind of Blue on 'New Orleans Instrumental No. 1'
Lone instrumental track on 'Automatic for the People' conjures a late-night atmosphere.
Michael Stipe Goes 'Out There' for R.E.M.'s ‘The Sidewinder...'
With a title nodding to a doo-wop classic, this bouncy track brought some levity to the moody 'Automatic for the People.'
How R.E.M. Explored Life's End With ‘Try Not to Breathe’
The second track from 'Automatic for the People' is the album's first one about death. But the song's title originated with a much more innocuous statement.
How 'Drive' Set the Tone for R.E.M.'s Stark Opus
Originally thought of as a B-side, the brooding song became the first track and lead single off 'Automatic for the People.'