BEST BANDS/ARTISTS OF THE EIGHTIES! REM - (Dont Go Back To) Rockville R.E.M. was an American rock band from Athens, Georgia, formed in 1980 by singer Michael Stipe, guitarist Peter Buck, bassist Mike Mills, and drummer Bill Berry. One of the first popular alternative rock bands, R.E.M. gained early attention because of Bucks ringing, arpeggiated guitar style and Stipes unclear vocals. R.E.M. released its first single, Radio Free Europe, in 1981 on the independent record label Hib-Tone. The single was followed by the Chronic Town EP in 1982, the bands first release on I.R.S. Records. In 1983, the group released its critically acclaimed debut album, Murmur, and built its reputation over the next few years through subsequent releases, constant touring, and the support of college radio. Following years of underground success, R.E.M. achieved a mainstream hit in 1987 with the single The One I Love. The group signed to Warner Bros. Records in 1988, and began to espouse political and environmental concerns while playing large arenas worldwide. By the early 1990s, when alternative rock began to experience broad mainstream success, R.E.M. was viewed by such as Nirvana and Pavement as a pioneer of the genre. In 1996, R.E.M. re-signed with Warner Bros. for a reported $80 million US, at the time the most expensive recording contract in history. The following year, Bill Berry left the band, while Buck, Mills, and Stipe continued the group as a trio. The band sold more than 85 million records worldwide and becoming one of the worlds best-selling bands of all time. In 2007, the band was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. R.E.M. disbanded amicably in September 2011, announcing the split on its website.
Posted on: Sun, 26 Oct 2014 20:11:54 +0000
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