Origin: Athens, Georgia, USA
Years active: 1980 — present
Members:Michael Stipe, Peter Buck, Mike Mills
Former members: Bill Berry

R.E.M. is an American rock band formed in Athens, Georgia, in 1980 by Michael Stipe (lead vocals),
Peter Buck (guitar), Mike Mills (bass guitar), and Bill Berry (drums and percussion).
R.E.M. was one of the first popular alternative rock bands, and gained early attention due to Buck's
"jangly" guitar style and Stipe's cryptic 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 band's first release on I.R.S. Records.
In 1983, the band released its critically-acclaimed debut album Murmur, and built its reputation
over the next few years through subsequent critically-acclaimed releases, constant touring,
and the support of college radio. Following years of underground success, R.E.M. entered the
mainstream in 1987 with the hit song "The One I Love." The group signed to Warner Bros.
Records in 1988, and began to adopt broad political and environmental concerns while playing
large arenas worldwide.

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