R.E.M.

R.E.M. were an American rock band from Athens, Georgia, formed in 1980 by vocalist Michael Stipe, guitarist Peter Buck, bassist Mike Mills and drummer Bill Berry. Pioneers of what became known as college rock and jangle pop, they built their early sound around Buck's chiming, Byrds-influenced guitar arpeggios, Stipe's often oblique, mumbled lyrics, and tight melodic interplay, helping lay the groundwork for American alternative rock in the 1980s.

Albums like Murmur (1983) and Reckoning (1984) established their reputation on college radio, while Document (1987) brought them mainstream success with «The One I Love». Their commercial and critical peak came with Out of Time (1991) and Automatic for the People (1992), featuring some of their best-known songs, including «Losing My Religion», «Shiny Happy People», «Man on the Moon» and «Everybody Hurts», which showcased a more introspective, orchestral side of the band.

Bill Berry left the band in 1997 following a health scare, after which R.E.M. continued as a trio, using various session drummers, through albums like Up and Around the Sun. The band announced their split in 2011, leaving behind a catalog widely regarded as foundational to alternative rock, and Stipe, Buck and Mills are frequently cited as major influences on generations of guitar-based indie and alternative bands.