R.E.M.

R.E.M. is an American rock band formed in Athens, Georgia, in early 1980 by drummer Bill Berry, guitarist Peter Buck, bassist Mike Mills, and vocalist

R.E.M. is an American rock band formed in Athens, Georgia, in early 1980 by drummer Bill Berry, guitarist Peter Buck, bassist Mike Mills, and vocalist Michael Stipe.

Throughout the 1980s, following the release of their debut EP Chronic Town in 1982, the band issued six albums in as many years, from Murmur in 1983 through 1988's Green. They also toured constantly, playing a variety of venues, from theaters to backwoods dives. The band became admired for its independent ethic and slow, steady rise to stardom. Along the way, the R.E.M. sound and Stipe's cryptic lyrics influenced many bands, from jangle pop groups of the mid-'80s to alternative rock bands of the '90s. Upon attaining major-label success at dawn of the '90s, the band was able to put forth broader political and environmental concerns while playing large arenas worldwide, as multiplatinum hit records such as Out of Time and Automatic for the People coexisted with continued acclaim from fans and critics.