How R.E.M. Changed Music

If you can afford it, please consider donating to me on Patreon: / thebeatgoeson
A brief documentary about R.E.M. Produced and written by Matt Beat. Check out @remhq 's music: / r.e.m. - topic
Sources/further reading and watching:
David Buckley (2002). R.E.M.: Fiction: An Alternative Biography.
Purchase here: amzn.to/3onSHHG
www.allmusic.com/artist/rem-m...
pitchfork.com/thepitch/early-...
remhq.com/history/
• The Story of...R.E.M. ...
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/R.E.M.
www.salon.com/2018/04/28/rem-...
exclaim.ca/music/article/rem-...
www.chicagotribune.com/news/c...
chartmasters.org/r-e-m-albums...
An annotated script of this video:
docs.google.com/document/d/1N...
0:00 Formation
3:39 The College Radio Darlings Era
11:58 The Mainstream Era
23:59 The Post-Bill-Berry Era
30:41 Legacy
R.E.M. remains one of the most influential and successful bands of all time. Before they were in the mainstream, they influenced the mainstream. When they finally entered the mainstream, they permanently changed it. R.E.M. is also one of the few bands to be both critically acclaimed yet extremely popular. And when I say “critically acclaimed,” I mean they are undeniably one of the most critically acclaimed bands of all time. I know, I know, critics are overrated, right? Well, they also have sold more than 90 million records worldwide. R.E.M. was a HUGE reason why “college rock” and “alternative rock” even exist in the first place. Look, when a band literally CREATES new genres of music, they’re kind of a big freaking deal.
So what’s your favorite R.E.M. song and album? My favorite song by them is “Shiny Happy People,” but any time I sing karaoke my first go-to pick is often “It’s the End of the World as We Know It.” My favorite album? That’s a tough one, but yeah I’ll probably go with Automatic for the People to avoid scrutiny down there. Anyway, let me know yours below. Thanks for watching!
#rem #musicdocumentary #behindthemusic

[@mattbeatgoeson]

What's your favorite R.E.M. album?

[@StyxTBuferd]

Murmur, their first album! Unbelievably beautiful album with such a unique and mysterious mood to it. The music fits the cover perfectly!

[@mattbeatgoeson]

@@StyxTBuferd It holds up so freaking well. It's honestly a close second for me right behind Automatic for the People.

[@Jackfargo91]

Either Document or Green. Or Out of time. Or Automatic for the people..... Ehhhh you get the drift lol

[@TUNA338]

I don’t want to seem demanding but I love if you do a video on stone temple pilots. It’s gonna be My dads birthday in the summer and my dad loves stone temple pilots, so it would be nice and cool for a video on stone temple pilots.

[@konameme]

lifes rich pageant. i know im right

[@rbraxley]

I was in Athens from 79-84 and saw them countless times in clubs, festivals, and then in auditoriums. I saw their 3rd public performance, and they were already a solid unit (and just kept getting better). There were so many great bands in Athens during that period. Seeing R.E.M. at Tyrones (many times) was my Beatles at the Cavern moment. One of the great bands in the history of rock-n-roll.

[@christophercox9150]

It must have around 1998 I asked my mum to buy me an REM album for my birthday. I was mildly disappointed when she bought me UP. I guess it was new and on the shelves so i can't blame her too much. Still, I listened to it relentlessly whilst playing video games and, despite it's poor reception, the album grew and grew on me. Songs like Sad Professor, Walk Unafraid and Daysleeper remain among my favourites to this day, and I own their entire catalogue. I really do love R.E.M.

[@RobertNugent]

Walk Unafraid is a really great song.

[@user-mk7if8uu8v]

Being a huge R.E.M. fan muself I almost gave up trying to find people who think the same. Thanks for not only remembering the band but also making this video. Love them, love you

[@familydogg1234]

Let's not forget Kate Pierson sings on " Shiney Happy People" and John Paul Jones arranged strings on " Automatic For the People". There are quite a few VARIOUS ARTISTS compilations with a New Song unavailable elsewhere. And a hidden track on " Green" cd

[@christophercox9150]

I think she sang on 'Me in honey' from the same album. that's a cracking song

[@brandonayong5823]

This channel is like that one friend that lives away from your group of friends and that you only see so rarely but every time he's in town you cherish every minute you have with him 😂

[@mattbeatgoeson]

lol this is an amazing comment

[@brandonayong5823]

@@mattbeatgoeson I really wanted a good analogy 😂

[@topfacemod]

As an indie scene guy born and bred in NC, REM is as influential on our scene now as they were at their peak.

[@josephhertzberg2734]

How old are you

[@gregsuarez1309]

The fact that people slept on post-Berry R.E.M. is ridiculous. Up -> Reveal -> Around the Sun is one of the most effective run of albums, especially late career albums, of any band I've ever heard. The music is introspective, experimental, and simply beautiful. Reveal is an absolute gem of positivity, and "Aftermath" from Around the Sun stands out as one of the band's warmest, most emotionally enveloping song in its catalog. Limiting one's snobbish preferences to only their early work is robbing a person of some amazing songs, if you're willing to embrace change.

[@kimrthr]

Tienes razón, simplemente no se por que algunos desacreditan tanto a sus álbumes Reveal y Around the sun, ambos son increíbles y solo por ser distintos a los anteriores no deberían por que ser desmeritados

[@gregsuarez1309]

​@@kimrthrThe IRS and early Warner Bros albums definitely had a more natural sound, while Up started the band on a more experimental track, using synths and light electronica. They are different sounds, but there is a natural evolution. I think all of their albums are distinct, which is a very hard thing to do for a band that lasted 30 years. The only really bad album in their catalog to me is Accelerate. The album sounded aimless and one-note.

[@JoshuaLoewen0923]

Once you know Automatic For the People is almost entirely about death, it’s hard not to be blown away by it’s depth and beauty. That being said, Life’s Rich Pageant crushes every time. ❤

[@dice1296]

also OOT is about love and monster about sex (as stated by mr. stipe)

[@dinosaurcola]

I will forever admire R.E.M. for how amazingly they handled their fame and how they did what they wanted to do until the end

[@songstofuckto]

I’ve always seen REM as The Smiths for the American south. Same dark topics covered. Similar guitar sound and rhythm section that is solid as a rock. Singers are now icons. My two favourite bands of my teens.

[@mattbeatgoeson]

Without R.E.M., there is no The Smiths

[@songstofuckto]

@@mattbeatgoeson hot take there dude. I’d suggest that each was as important as the other for their own cultural references and impact upon a generation ready to hear music other than bloated dinosaur bands which held the market in both England and the USA in the early 80s. I’d also suggest that to say that without REM there would be not be The Smiths is a very American centric statement being that they kicked off about the same time. Perhaps there would be no Smiths popularity in the USA if REM hadn’t opened up some avenues to college radio however England was doing just fine for alternative music well before it came to the fore in the USA. Perhaps you’ve heard of Joy Division as an example. Don’t get me wrong, I loved REM (but confess to losing interest in them as their music became more mainstream and their albums lacklustre at best) the Smiths had the fortune to leave on a high note at least. That being said.. Morrissey has proven himself to be a douche in recent years which I can’t say for Stipe. Anyways, that just one mans opinion.

[@tonybates7870]

@@mattbeatgoeson With all due respect, bullshit.

[@willdeamer7176]

@@mattbeatgoesoncan’t say I agree with that take man

[@RayFromLUCKYSHADOW]

​@@songstofucktoyeah, definitely don't agree that without REM there's no Smiths. That was a wildly hot take. But I also was disappointed that, as the Smiths were so important to you, you had to jump on the "bash current day Morrissey" train. There's enough non-fans coming at the man, he doesn't need it from the people who've been touched by his music. Even if you don't always agree with him. Morrissey has ALWAYS been outspoken. I don't live in the UK, but apparently a LOT of people have concerns about the level of immigration and the violence it's brought. (The title track of his lost album Bonfire Of Teenagers details some of that violence brilliantly.) Morrissey hasn't changed. He was always the most English of pop stars. If you think the 25yo Morrissey would have witnessed some of the things that have happened over there in recent years and let it pass without comment, well, I don't want to insult a fellow Smiths fan, but let's just say we have very different opinions of who he was, I'm sorry. He wasn't saying certain things in '87 because there wasn't a need to then. Anyway, I don't want to fight. But if you haven't heard "Bonfire of Teenagers," I highly recommend searching it. There's live versions on here. I was lucky enough to see him perform it in Vegas last year. It's such a beautiful, angry, sad song, and Capitol Records basically buried the album. They own it and won't release it.

[@Redmenace96]

Grew up with Murmur, Reckoning. Attended a concert for Reckoning, blew me away. Thought that Document was the pinnacle. Grew up, started work, couldn't hang out in record stores anymore. After the years go by, Automatic and Monster hit me as new, fresh and fantastic.(Thank you Peter Buck) Never say, "sell out". They kept growing as artists, and each work was honest, if not successful. Video has little commentary but it is obvious that Mike Stipe is a douche. Berry, Mills, and Buck are equal genius without the celebrity drama. Radio Free Europe belongs in the Library of Congress collection, and thank you for that trivia bit. Made me smile.

[@void0094]

Murmur almost has a magical feel about it. It feels like it came out of nowhere, there was nothing like it before and after the album came out

[@mattbeatgoeson]

It really was groundbreaking

[@jamesrobert4106]

The early albums were exceptional.

[@greensombrero3641]

brilliant album all around - great comment

[@adamweston4152]

A flash of intense lighting in a drab world, murmur and reckoning are the best albums for me.

[@adamweston4152]

@@jamesrobert4106 I totally agree with you.

[@michaelratcliff8634]

REM's first 5 records are pure gold. The next 5 are exceptionally good. It's fun to listen to their catalog back-to-back. You can hear them grow. It's amazing.

[@matchavez8530]

Yeah actually most good bands are like that. Especially if they start young. You hear them grow as musicians but you also hear how they learn each other and how to elevate one another's playing. Pearl Jam is another good example.

[@tonybates7870]

My fave is Life's Rich Pageant, but pretty much everything they did up to and including New Adventures was fantastic. Pageant's one-two-three-four opening of Begin The Begin, These Days, Fall On Me and Cuyahoga is stunning.

[@dice1296]

also amazing that they sold more albums in the US with each release until 'out of time', then less with each release until they called it quits. their last 3 have sold less than murmur. i should note, however, that murmur did eventually sell more than reckoning and fables, ruining the bell curve

[@fullario]

One of the reasons I love REM is that you can also hear them age. I've been a fan for 20 years and am now 38, and Up -> Reveal -> Around the Sun makes a hell of a lot more sense to me now that I'm approaching middle age. To me REM diving into slower and quieter sounds, while critics and record sales didn't take to it, was a more natural move than the "old guys trying to rock hard" you see with many aging bands.

[@markresendes9626]

I would add AFTP is not only their best album, but it is in the conversation for the greatest album ever. That was their 8th album.

[@void0094]

My most favorite band for many reasons. They were great musicians who handled their success incredibly well

[@mattbeatgoeson]

Yep. Stayed humble 'til the end.

[@avolite719]

Guess you forgot the times Pete went off on club employees from time to time and even took a shit on a meal cart while flying on a commercial airline. It's all there on Google if you care to check it out.

[@void0094]

@@avolite719 yeah whatever The Replacements did plenty of shit and they were a great band still

[@mst3ktemple421]

My favorite album is Murmur. In spring 1983 I was a senior at the University of Michigan and there was a record store I hung out at that would always have events to play new releases, including entire new albums. It was near the end of that school year and I remember hearing this with the gang and everyone loved it. We had listened to Chronic Town about six months earlier so we were familiar with REM a little. I liked most of their albums, but this was always my favorite.

[@DonaldTurner]

yes, totally agree. I was in the navy in 83, recalled seeing something in rolling stone or something and there was murmur at the navy exchange. bought it, wore that 1st cassette out in my walkman. lol. so ground breaking for me.

[@ihavetowait90daystochangem67]

It’s so funny that “Losing My Religion” is the band’s most popular song even though the Band started in a church

[@mattbeatgoeson]

lol mos def. By the way, I think that song is overrated.

[@ihavetowait90daystochangem67]

@@mattbeatgoesonyeah i prefer So Central Rain/Pretty Persuasion

[@majicdude88]

I mean, well...they did Lose their religion lol

[@michaelwilson2340]

​@@ihavetowait90daystochangem67 I go for Driver 8 and Wolves, Lower myself.

[@torgejh9189]

​@@mattbeatgoesonAgreed. It's not a bad song, it's just an ok song that got absolutely overplayed into the ground.

[@stevemoody13]

At My Most Beautiful is probably my favorite song of theirs and Monster is likely my favorite album, though you might get seven different answers each day of the week. One of the greatest bands ever and these days about the most under-appreciated ever. Thanks for shining a little light their way. These kids today don't know about rock music. I tell ya, back in my day we knew what was good!

[@TwoCoffinsForSleep]

Got to sneak into the Georgia Theatre and watch REM perform for the Flagpole’s 15 year (I think) anniversary. Athens was such a great place to be back then…🖤

[@mickcollins1921]

Bittersweet me is my favorite, hands down. The punchy distortion chords going into the chorus and the line ‘I’d sooner chew my leg off than get trapped in this.’ Really spoke to me. To this day I mutter that line to myself under my breath as a reminder that I should avoid some unhealthy drama.

[@mattbeatgoeson]

I remember rockin' out to that one quite a bit in high school.

[@dice1296]

terrific album, establishing an every other album "return to form" that would continue until the end

[@lennybruce6476]

The greatest band. Pioneers. Deserve far more credit then they get.

[@scifiwriter98]

Talk About the Passion is my favorite song, followed by Disturbance At the Heron House and Shiny Happy People. Out of Time is my favorite REM album.

[@fuzzytalz]

My favorite R.E.M. album, without hesitation, is “Automatic For The People.” It’s just the right collection of songs and sounds for anything! My favorite R.E.M. song has to be “Find The River!” But that’s only until I hear “Nightswimming,” at which time I’ll tell you that’s my favorite. How can one choose???

[@dice1296]

several years back i heard 'nightswimming' for the first time in ages on the radio at dusk. blown away. when that oboe comes in at the end!

[@toddb5760]

Great video, thanks. I bought Fables of the Reconstruction when it first came out while I was in law school and bought all of their albums thereafter through Monster when released. I guess I did not ever research charts/sales figures to realize just how popular Out of Time, Automatic for the People and Monster were. To me R.E.M. was always just my own quirky little moderately successful favorite band. Thanks for setting me straight! Love this video.

[@tonybates7870]

They deserve every penny, don't you think? Especially when you consider some of the utter dullards that have made a fortune out of music.

[@Kylefassbinderful]

I loved Accelerate a lot. It was very energetic and I often blasted it in my car on the way to/from work at Starbucks, the place where I bought the album. I think bands like them had a hard time with sales because we were within the first decade of internet music and the controversy that followed. The music industry as a whole had a hard time dealing with it especially artists from the 20th century.

[@earphermes5538]

During the Monster tour they played in Cologne, Germany, Open air and free of charge, in the middle of the City, right on the steps of the Cologne Cathedral. When they start 'Losing my religion' it was the goosebumps moment i will cherish till i die.

[@chamberlainquench2484]

Some of the first music I was ever introduced to as a kid was R.E.M. since my dad was and still is a big fan of their work. So the band has a special place in heart as a result. Nice video!

[@TheRealTomWendel]

“Life’s Rich Pageant” gave me quite a feeling- especially “Begin the Begin” and “Cuyahoga”.

[@ericdeforest3811]

Wow, right with you on that...

[@ericdeforest3811]

Plus, "What if we give it away"

[@laladoopsy]

Since they split, hardly anyone talks about them. Shame as they were very consistantly an amazing singles band and while they stopped making great albums they still had great songs.

[@dixirose111]

Stipe announced he was gay! Why he wants people to focus on that instead of the music, we’ll never know…

[@tharveytucker1]

@@dixirose111the fuck? He came out bc he was being honest about who he was. And that was in the early 90’s. Are you trying to say that him coming out was a downfall?

[@gx1tar1er]

They haven't translated to Gen Z culture & so irrelevant among my generation. What a shame though since they're one who gave birth to US alternative rock which alt Gen Z likes.

[@gx1tar1er]

The Smiths, The Cure are very popular with Gen Z but even they're into Pixies, Sonic Youth more then R.E.M too.

[@MedalionDS9]

They broke up because hardly anyone talked about them. Their style of music was no longer in.

[@CoolDoggo16]

THANK YOU THIS IS MY FAVOURITE BAND

[@mattbeatgoeson]

YAS

[@j.r.a.f.t.m.]

That 10 album is the greatest run ever (Murmur to New Adventures) all amazing. Even Up and Reveal are underrated imo.

[@jirky015]

It's an incredible run of albums but The Beatles and Led Zeppelin had the greatest run of albums ever.

[@Kylefassbinderful]

Automatic For The People is still my favorite album from start to finnish from the 90s. It's a true masterpiece with ups and downs but mainly downs. I still remember when I bought it at Warehouse in the early 90s at the South Shore mall in Alameda, Calif.

[@EvellenAims]

U2 can be another cool band you can look at in the future. R.E.M's one of my favorites too, so glad you finally did them.

[@emoryh8602]

Literally just now getting into them and Beat randomly drops a whole doc 😂 looking forward to watching it!

[@isabellecolonia4261]

Finally a rem video, they are my favorite band!! I can’t possibly chose just one favorite song but New Adventures in Hi-Fi is my favorite album!!!

[@mattbeatgoeson]

It's a highly underrated album!

[@isabellecolonia4261]

@@mattbeatgoeson it really is

[@dice1296]

you have excellent taste

[@silencekit]

Hey Mr. Beat, thanks for doing this. You've done bios of many of my favorite bands, but this one hits home. I saw REM some 15 times, including a legendary St. Paul show in '99. Love this band.

[@mattbeatgoeson]

Woahness! 15 times? That is amazing. When was the first time?

[@silencekit]

@@mattbeatgoeson My friends and I used to follow the band throughout the midwest seeing several shows in a row. The first show was in college in '89 in Ames, IA. Great show!

[@emmrld2783]

Even when they're in the Rock n Roll hall of fame, I feel like they're still underrated especially their early stuff.

[@WeatherWeasel66]

How can you say "Even when they're in the rock and roll hall of fame you will still feel they're underrated" ? what ? because they didn't make the Super duper hall of fame ???

[@emmrld2783]

@@WeatherWeasel66 it just feels like R.E.M. doesn't get enough credit for what they deserve for being pioneers of alternative rock.

[@rino09876]

Up is a direly underrated album.

[@christophercox9150]

I love Sad Professor. Something about the intimacy of his voice in the quiet bits, and the crashing guitars into the chorus

[@curly_wyn]

I love Why Not Smile!!

[@paullewis69]

Life’s Rich Pageant is my favorite; discovered it in the late, late 90s & it’s great from beginning to end. I’m always late to the party. 😊

[@soundofhistory_]

We're gonna talk about REM in the next episode of our podcast. Which means it'll be a video on our channel eventually. Super interesting band

[@robharrison8139]

Thank you for this video. I love REM, they're a top 3 artist for me. For so many years whenever they released a new album, I'd run to the CD store that day it was released to get it, and they never let me down with bad music. I love all their work, even the maligned ones like Up and Around the Sun. Thanks Michael, Peter, Mike, and Bill for all the wonderful music.

[@klmullins65]

REM used to play in Knoxville in clubs around the University of Tennessee before they they released Murmur, ai I thought they were a local band! A friend of mine insisted on playing Murmur for me, and I was reluctant listen because I was too musically naive at the time, and thought I wasnt supposed to like bands and music that had certain LABELS placed on them...I'd heard Radio Free Europe before, but when I heard songs like Pilgrimage and Talk About the Passion, I was transfixed. I was especially impressed with the amount of acoustic guitar playing on the album, because very few acts were using acoustic instruments at the time (1983), except for John Cougar Mellencamp, who was also just hitting his stride at the time. My friends couldn't believe that I could be so into REM, and I'd try to tell them them that there was something extraordinary about this band...some of them came around eventually. I'd say my favorite overall is "Fables of the Reconstruction", followed by "Automaric For the People", and "Out of Time". Oddly enough, as much as I love REM, I've still never heard any of their albums past "Adventures in Hifi"!

[@AlexArrowsmith]

Favorite album: Automatic For the People Favorite song: Nightswimming But I love everything from Chronic Town to Collapse Into Now!!

[@dinnerputter8757]

R.E.M. Captures the warmth of small town America. Makes me feel nostalgic. Great video!

[@notsoaveragejoe7275]

You should totally do a video on The Jam and The Zombies and The Kinks. That would be awesome, great video

[@kafkastiles]

R.E.M's 'Green' tour, which spanned most of 1989, was certainly NOT the first time the band started playing stadiums. I saw them three years earlier (November, 1986) at the New Haven Colosseum for their 'Pageantry' tour, and yes the Colosseum was a big-ass stadium until it was eventually torn down in 2007.

[@stratinolampino]

fun fact: REM stands for Really Engaged Monkeys.

[@mattbeatgoeson]

I KNEW IT

[@Redmenace96]

The strange and garbled lyrics were a feature, not a bug. I love music that draws you in through curiosity. It sounded like nothing else.

[@ericferguson1302]

Yes, they were at their best when you could barely understand half of what Stipe was singing. When he started enuciating his lyrics more clearly the music lost something for me.

[@Redmenace96]

@@ericferguson1302 Well, it did work. Their WB records went through the roof and I did enjoy that, too. REM just shifted. My favorite song is, "Gardening at Night" and I don't know wtf it is about 😂 It just has an emotion contained in it. Compare that to, "Night Swimming", later. NS is objectively a better recording, and a more clear emotional message.

[@davidtardio9804]

Great choice. Really enjoying this "Brief History" series.

[@mattbeatgoeson]

Thank you!

[@AnonymousCaveman]

I obviously love all their popular stuff but imitation of life is probably my favourite. Remember listening to it in 3rd year in a university lecture (about 3 months before the pandemic) and listened to it throughout with my very small bubble of friends (COVID 19 and all that) through that stressful time.

[@mattbeatgoeson]

Thanks for sharing this. :)

[@sethlastname6595]

I would die for a brief history of Dead Kennedys vid!!

[@JodyWelter]

Great tribute documenting their discography and public consumption. Well done.

[@laurachristianson1688]

The best time of my life was working at a record store in the early eighties……this was why I learned about REM early on. Still have my original copy of murmur and most of their output hence.

[@JH_75]

R.E.M. is a band for which I fall short of superlatives. This is one of your best, Beat.

[@mattbeatgoeson]

Thank you and yeah I was quite excited to make this one. :)

[@tonybates7870]

I bloody love REM. Up until they went in to a bit of a decline in the late 90s, they pretty much didn't put a foot wrong. We're talking 10 or 11 albums here. Great, great band.

[@millsromane7494]

Thanks Mr. Beat, I’ve been waiting for this one!

[@semipenguin]

I got to see them in concert on the Document Tour when I was 17. That was a great show. Too bad they won’t be touring at least one more time. I’d love to see them again.

[@RemnantCult]

I enjoy the format of these videos. These make for great introductions to popular bands that some may have yet to explore fully yet. There's knowing a band by their most popular works, then there's knowing them by their entire discography and outside work and these videos helps introduce that possibility to a potential new fan. Thanks Mr. Beat (If you don't mind calling you that here).

[@Jackfargo91]

I mostly like hard rock bands like ACDC Guns n roses and Stone temple pilots but damn i love REM just as much. Thanks for the video

[@mattbeatgoeson]

Thanks Jack. I can't wait to make videos about those bands, too.

[@Jackfargo91]

@@mattbeatgoeson can't wait to watch them, subscribed for sure

[@peterkremer925]

Pretty brilliant wrap up of the history of an unforgettable band. Thanks!

[@ericdeforest3811]

Great Rockumentary covering their full creative span of albums from the early days through their final album... with some good perspective on their successes. Thanks and well done. It's very difficult to pick favorites from the guys, as I am a fan of all of thier music, but ultimately, much of the IRS early years are truly my favorite. Just a few of my favorite tracks> Gardening at Night, Boxcar, Radio Free Europe, Perfect Circle, South Central Rain, Can't Get There from Here, Driver8, Begin the Begin, What if We Give It Away, Fall on Me, Crazy, Firnest Worksong, The One I Love, Near Wild Heaven, Texarkana, Bang/Blame, Until the Day is Done, & Supernatural Superserious among so many other great R.E.M. songs...

[@mcdrunkis]

Because of my age, I listened to these guys the most during the 90s era. Like I had heard their songs before that, but I was a little kid when Document came out. Their 90s albums you mentioned (Out of Time, Automatic for the People, Monster, New Adventures) were part of the sound track to my high school years. I loved these guys so much it was insane. A lot of fans dropped off after New Adventures, but Reveal was also a really great album if you ask me.

[@prismaze]

my FAVORITE band ❤

[@seanfraser9162]

Seriously well done man. Nice work

[@jane.1603]

Hello :) I just wanted to thank you for these great documentaries i really enjoy watching them, through them i actually discovered new artists i learned to enjoy, Its really great that this content is available for free

[@rikkousa]

I love Perfect Circle. Maybe not the most important song they ever wrote , but uniquely rem

[@DennisChary]

Their absolutely best song-thank you!

[@nicholasvermeulen779]

Thank you for another amazing video ❤

[@danielalopez6656]

The first time I heard REM I was 14 years old, it was the 90's, I can't describe what I felt. It was Out of Time, and I loved it from start to finish. I lived in a small town in Mexico and it was not easy to get their CDs. Every day I turned on MTV hoping to see one of their videos. Sadly I never got to see them live and I regret it so much. There is always a REM song in my head for every moment of my life.

[@K.I.R.B.]

Been watching your videos for over three years now and have to say you never disappoint at all, really happy to see you still making great content! P.S. have you thought about doing a brief history on lil peep? I think his style matches a lot of the energy rock artists had at that time and would really show the appreciation of music people have! ❤️

[@mumblescares193]

Can't pick just 1 favourite so I'll have to say "Find the River" and "The Great Beyond" are tied . But man oh man, do they have A LOT of great, moving, beautiful songs.

[@cranklabexplosion-labcentr8245]

Never thought I’d see a throughly rehearsed discussion about rapid eye movement on this channel but I am now intrigued

[@stevecowder4774]

I got into REM back in ‘87 through the release of “ Document, “ clearly one of their finest. But ultimately it was the preceding album, “ Life’s Rich Pageant “ and that magical debut “ Murmur “ that converted me into an avid fan. There were plenty of innovative bands to come out of the 80s but these guys truly possessed the most unique and distinguished style, thus leading to their overwhelming success. And not an easy task considering the enormous competition from that decade. Oh and as far as my favorite song, gotta go with “ Pretty Persuasion. “ Love the way that one carries itself. Excellent review !

[@mattbeatgoeson]

Great analysis and thanks for the kind words.

[@mmiller303]

You described your journey almost as if it mirrors my own! I was a metal head as a kid but started college in the south in '87 and discovered REM via Document, backed into Pageant and Fables as a result, but it was Murmur that solidified them as a life altering musical discovery for me. Pretty Persuasion, as is most of Reckoning, one of my faves too, but Begin the Begin drives a hard bargain for me. 5 damn near masterpiece records in as many years is unheard of.

[@stevecowder4774]

@mmiller303 From one REM fan to another, thanks for your reply. Even though they're not around anymore, it does seem harder to find fans who can still appreciate what they've done.

[@ChefClary60]

Just found this channel. Another gem hidden on KZbin. Great job!

[@bifff8433]

Favorite Album for me ... Reckoning. It introduced me to the band when it was released and changed what I listened to going forward.

[@philbraithwaite1316]

Saw them live in 84 in the UK. I thought at the time that they’d go far, they did! The IRS years were the best.

[@LowgaenSchmidt]

These are all so good. I hope you do a video like this on Def Leppard at some point. A band that's gone through a lot of wild things like their drummer losing his arm in a car accident and reteaching himself how to play.

[@Digidanny]

Know all of the albums, great great and even greater. Especially the early rocksongs. But my favorite would be a few from Collapse, namely Uberlin and Mine smells like honey. Mine... has such a feelgood uptempo vibe as so many other memorable ones going way back, and Uberlin sounds like a perfect goodbye. I think Uberlin is my choise for best ever REM song.

[@tylerhackner9731]

My dad loves this band! Happy Father’s Day btw

[@mattbeatgoeson]

haha I just Tweeted something similar to this without seeing this comment

[@tylerhackner9731]

@@mattbeatgoesonI saw haha

[@WillyPDX94]

My favorite band is The Minus Five. Fronted by Portland music legend, Scott McCaughy, and featuring Peter Buck on guitar. I've seen Buck play with the band in local bars and tiny venues many times. Just recently I saw a double bill of The Minus Five and their latest band, The No Ones, also featuring Buck and McCaughey, at Mississippi Studios here in Portland. It is an incredible gift to have such incredible songwriters as McCaughey and Buck playing around town.

[@LL-bl8hd]

They had such an interesting career arc. Some artists come out of the gate with a big hit. REM had a series of singles that got bigger and bigger over more than a decade until they finally reached superstar status. From "Radio Free Europe" to "Fall On Me" to "The One I Love" to "It's the End of the World" to "Stand" to "Losing My Religion" to "Everybody Hurts." They just kept getting more and more popular from the early 80s to the mid 90s.

[@russellsullivan7366]

This was cool. Thanks for the info 🙏💙

[@thelorax9622]

Thanks Mr Beat - I've been an REM fan since the 1990's and missing their only tour to Australia will haunt me until I die. Fave album - probably New Adventures in HiFi. Fave song - probably Crush with Eyeliner or Orange Crush - yes, there's a theme there but I just like them a lot. I would also recommend the DVD concert film Road Movie.

[@fransenmusic]

Whoa. Just finding this channel . Love it Mr Beat!

[@mattbeatgoeson]

Thanks for watching over here!

[@spoon4055]

I would love if you could do a history on Electric Light Orchestra, I just love them especially Jeff Lynne and how they were the Idle Race to the Move and than ELO and then ELO Part 2 and then Jeff Lynne's ELO

[@alexandramarshall5673]

r.e.m is my fave band

[@LongLiveMetal-pw3fz]

Your videos are so entertaining plus I learn so much. Please do more videos on Heavy Metal bands. 🤘

[@paloozi0499]

Berry’s eyebrows 😭

[@Werdna27]

I always said that "Country Feedback is their greatest moment, and then my friend told me that Michael Stipe had said the same thing in interview

[@PeerwasNOPE]

Would be interesting for you to cover the replacements and hüsker dü since those two bands like R.E.M paved the way for college rock and alternative rock in the 80’s. They also released consistent albums every year.

[@mattbeatgoeson]

I love both those bands. I also would love to cover Pavement.

[@PeerwasNOPE]

@@mattbeatgoeson that would be great too

[@johnchedsey1306]

I also would love to see episodes on both of those bands. Husker Du is a longtime favorite of mine and I recently got to see Greg Norton's new band Ultrabomb live. That was special.

[@PeerwasNOPE]

@@johnchedsey1306 yea bro. R.I.P to Grant Hart tho. Great songwriter taken too soon. Glad that Bob Mould is still around as well.

[@johnchedsey1306]

@@PeerwasNOPE at the Ultrabomb show, they played "Don't Want to Know If You Are Lonely" with Greg singing and I damn near lost it. So good.

[@dakshshaan6469]

Plz do "The doors", I beg you

[@mattbeatgoeson]

Heck yeah

[@brayanjavier2452]

Can you do the strokes next? love your videos!

[@thatcanadianman3529]

I have a suggestion could you do cheap trick? I love them and I have been binging all of your brief history videos, I love them

[@marvelmite1]

Greatest band of all time. Great video. Watched a few times now and have read through a lot of comments and always feel good seeing so many others gushing over a band that seems so forgotten by many. Favorite song is king of birds though nightswimming is a close second. Album, document. Though I honestly also love monster, around the sun, and accelerate, even though they've all caught flack over the years. No bad albums here. Any chance of seeing vids on bright eyes or cursive from just a bit north here in Nebraska?

[@mattbeatgoeson]

Well I used to live in Omaha so I am keen to cover Saddle Creek Records for a video. Stay tuned for that. Thanks for the great comment!

[@tmatuga]

my fave song is driver 8. my one and only time seeing them in concert was for the monster tour and it was an incredible time.

[@realgamerguyvlog32]

Great video, Matt. I wonder if anyone would do a video on Bob Seger as he is one of my favorite musicians, truth be told I love too many bands lol. Maybe if I feel confident enough I'll do a history video on Bob Seger regardless of how many views I would get

[@LauPulstar]

my favorite album is automatic for the people, a masterpiece that is perfection. my favorite song is difficult to choose, i love walk unafraid, bittersweet me and the one i love

[@dacanadiandrummer326]

Could you do a video about the history of the smashing pumpkins? I don't know if like them but it would be amazing to see a video about them. Also love the channel so informative and fun to watch. I find myself rewatching your videos a lot.

[@Richard-wp6ep]

I heard radio free Europe on Kroq, it blew me away ran out and bought lifes rich pageant, I was 25 and for the next 10 yrs they were my favorite band.

[@MT-kx2uc]

This was brilliant ❤

[@drbaker3845]

They were soo great live particularly 85-89. Buck was ferocious, spinning while playing, just great style, and Stipe taking the occasional line behind a speaker and just ripping! Pulling out the bullhorn...Hands up flying during superman possibly my favorite.