Uploaded August 2026 | Updated September 2026, 2 weeks ago

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Moving into a second decade is hard for any band. Normally all the youthful energy that made them exciting in the first place has disappeared. They can continue doing what they were doing, usually with diminishing returns. Or they can break up like the Beatles did. But the key is to try something new, to evolve, to grow up. And so, entering the 90s, R.E.M. were all about change. Bored of being just kings of College Radio they set their sights further afield. No more loud electric guitars, no more mumbling, now creating songs about love and nostalgia and shiny happiness. And there was a whole lot more mandolin. The formerly cryptic Michael Stipe was now baring his soul; maybe he said too much, maybe he didn’t say enough. This is the story of R.E.M. breaking the mainstream and reshaping the 90s in their own image.

#90salternative #alternativerock #musicdocumentary

00:00 Introduction
00:54 Green: The Healing Balm
07:54 Out Of Time: Love Songs Stipe-Style
15:25 Losing My Religion
22:27 Automatic For The People: Jaded Unhappy People
33:15 How R.E.M. Made The 90s Theirs

Soundtrack
Luar - Citrine (soundcloud.com/luarbeats)
Luar - Anchor (soundcloud.com/luarbeats)

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Sources
R.E.M. inside out : the stories behind every song by Craig Rosen, 1997, Thunder’s Mouth Press
In Time: The Best of R.E.M. 1988-2003 Liner Notes by Peter Buck, 2003, Warner Bros Records
Part Lies Part Heart Part Truth Part Garbage 1982 - 2011 Liner Notes by REM, 2011, Warner Bros Records
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“The story of the anti-war commentary disguised as a four-minute pop song that set R.E.M. on the path to global success and stardom” Rob Hughes, Louder, Feb 2026