Automatic For The People

I unashamedly love this album. A lot of folks point to Document as R.E.M.'s best album but I would argue that it was simply the album that brought them into the mainstream spotlight. THIS is the best R.E.M. album. The songwriting, production, and performances are all on point. Sharp, emotional, layered and complex, it's just a damn good album from every angle. Even on the slow jams, there's an ENERGY that pulses behind the music that is just compelling. Back when I was doing critical listening as part of my degree, this was one of our reference albums—basically, an album that was SO well recorded and mixed that you could listen to it on super high-end audiophile equipment and pick it apart to understand what was going on.

"Find The River" is a song I want to be played at my funeral. And that's probably because "Try Not To Breathe" would be considered in bad taste by some (they'd be wrong, by the way). Although my close friends would understand and appreciate if I requested "The Sidewinder Sleeps Tonight" instead. For my money, "Find The River" is the definitive album closer. Especially for THIS album, with themes like mortality, suicide, aging, and Andy Kaufman. This is one of those albums that shaped me and got me through a few turbulent moments. I know every song like I do scenes from a favorite movie I've seen multiple times. It's Stipe, Berry, Buck and Mills at the peak of their powers. "Drive" is something of a response to the David Essex classic "Rock On" with incredible string arrangements by Led Zeppelin's John Paul Jones of all people. "Sidewinder" is a similar riff on "The Lion Sleeps Tonight. One of the most known songs," Everybody Hurts" is REM's "Bridge Over Troubled Water" and destined to be covered endlessly for generations to come. Stipe's moments of clarity and levity flow together seamlessly. The Mike Mills backup vocals standout even more than usual here, again underlying REM's secret weapon. This is one of those Desert Island albums. It's timeless. But it can still take me back to the Fall of 1992, the spring of 1998, or most of 2017. And it's far and away my favorite album of the 117 I've listened to so far on this list.

more like automatic five the people

One of the best albums, all-time. And best closing 3 songs ever. Sweetness Follows is underrated.

Not my cup of tea completely but happy to drink it anyway

Drive is such a great track on this record. The strings add a lot to the feel of melancholy and sadness. One of my favorite REM albums.

R.E.M.'s best, imho, and a formative album for me. My father had it and I hadn't listened to them before. Going thru his collection, I pulled it out while looking for something else (probably Pink Floyd or Van Halen or Depeche Mode (which, boy, that was a weird group for a conservative cop to listen to or Roger Water's solo stuff, you get the idea) and he told me I could have it. It was this album and, oddly enough, Chris Isaak's Heart Shaped World. I asked my dad why he didn't want it and he said it was "faggoty shit". Now, at this point, I was young and still only vaguely aware that my orientation might be different than my peers. Well I took it, only vaguely guessing as to what Faggoty Shit could refer to when he never made the same gestures at Elton John (who my mother loved). What I think he meant by that was 'sensitive'. Automatic For The People is a remarkably empathetic, deeply personal feeling album that doesn't get buried in itself and instead decides to thread those personal anxieties, loves and thoughts through a warm and lived in sonic space. Nostalgia, politics, mortality, romance and sexuality all mesh together in a sweet sort of late summer dusk-to-autumn cycle of Queer Americana. As time would go one, I'd deeply appreciate how much I see myself in this record. The popculture-to-political focus of Man on the Moon. The intimacy, excitement and rush of Night Swimming. The strokes to find yourself in bigger pictures with haunted melancholic undertones of Find The River and Sweetness Follows. The interpersonal spaces of impossible to ignore politics by the way of Ignoreland. It's a chronicle. It's tragic and beautiful. But sonically it's tight. A refinement of ideas explored in early R.E.M. records and represents a culmination of their sound before they'd experiment further. This is their best album. But that's what I love about R.E.M., their best is still equally good as other albums which could call their best (Document, Murmur, Reackoning, Monster, Hi-Fi, you could make a case for any of these).

Boring!

I was already a giant R.E.M. fan when this came out... and this is clearly one of their best. A spectacular album.

quality + nostalgia = 5 stars

Wow, did not expect this but this is a masterpiece.

The sound of my youth. Almost perfect album.

Best album by one of the all time best bands.

Classic roots rock. It sounds big, it really takes up space. And Michael Stipe has such an iconic voice. “I’m not scared, I’m out of here” is a great closing line for an album that spanned so far

I already know it, I already loved it. This was part of the soundtrack of my early 20s, that weird hectic messy growing-pains time where I was newly graduated from college and heady with possibility - and giddy with relief that the Cold War had ended and I was NOT going to blow up at any moment without warning; but that just paved the way for finally looking at all the OTHER ills of the world and wanting to do something about them. Of course I was doing so under the shadow of a whole horde of media looking at us and wondering "goodness what is Generation X going to do and what are they all about," and meanwhile the Boomers were hanging on to their own jobs and positions of power and not letting us actually do anything to explore what we COULD do or find what we WERE all about. But a lot of us tried where we could in small ways. Oh, and "Ignoreland" is still my favorite condemnation of the Reagan/Bush years. "TV tells a million lies, the paper's terrified to report anything that isn't handed on a presidential spoon, I'm just profoundly frustrated by all this, so fuck you, man...."

One of my favorite albums of all time. I somehow love it more each time I listen to it. Maybe not the most representative of R.E.M. as a whole, but goddamn, what a gorgeous emotional piece of work.

This album sounds huge. The strings and acoustic guitars are lush and warm, the electric guitars scream, the drums pop like they're in a cave and everything else (keys, organ/synths, horns) is produced incredibly. Coupled with the vocals, this album is a soundtrack to a revelation

Forgot how amazing this was. Certified BANGER.

in my top 20 of all time

A work of genius and after 30 years I still listen to it regularly. My favourite track has changed several times over the years. Starting with Nightswimming, then moving on to Everybody Hurts (once described by Peter Buck as an example of Michael Stipe "polishing a turd") but lately it's been the amazing and still prescient Ignoreland. And John Paul Jones arranged the strings. This is up there with Graceland and Led Zep II (of what we've heard so far) with a serious claim to be in the top 10 of best albums ever recorded.

For an embarrassingly long time, I thought I didn't like R.E.M. because Losing My Religion sucks. I was right about that song, but I've seen the error of my ways when it comes to the band. This album was a huge part of that. There's something to like about nearly every track. It's just a bunch of thoughtful, well executed jams. Best track: Man on the Moon

Love this album!

Hi: Drive, Monty Got A Raw Deal, Ignoreland, Star Me Kitten Lo: NONE Thanks for eating my review, generator! Anyways, this is an important album, one of the best from '92 (a year that birthed ton of excellent music) and almost 30 years later still holds up. If you don't love this album, you're an idiot.

The album that saw REM confirm their place as global megastars. An album packed full of melancholy and beauty.

This is my favorite REM album. The lyrics, the acoustics, and Stipes' voice just speaks directly to my soul. It has a very special place in my heart.

Awesome

Why no 6 star option. Clearly one of the all time greatest albums.

Classic!

Love this album ❤️

Loved it, best album we've listened to

One of the best of all time. Mix of styles, pacing, and just all round greatness.

Pretty much exactly what I expected, which isn't a bad thing.

Just perfect in almost every way.

Incredible- correlation between the America we are living in currently, my dad loves this band and I think I finally do too

So good, the highs are extremely high, and the lows are fairly high too, to be honest.

Being the first R.E.M album Ive listened to, seems like a high mark to me. Everyone hurts and Man on the moon! Being their eighth album im not entirely sure where that lands in their discography but it was a great standalone album.

That’s me in the corner, thats’s me in the spot-light…trying to figure out why I love one era of REM, but loathe another.

Boring

Incredicle

The closing 1-2-3 of Man on the Moon, Nightswimming and Find the River are unmatched

REM sells out and we all benefit.

One of my favorite albums of all-time. I bought this album on tape (a yellow transparent tape) and absolutely wore it out. There's nothing that I dislike about this album, even the instrumental. The first four songs and last three songs are classics and help make this album as great at it is. I was one of the people who was waiting for the REM rock album, but through this life-changing album I got the REM I really needed. The ruminations on loss, death, Dr. Suess (haha) and one angry screed about politics that has many of my favorite lines in it. What I love most about this album is the ruminations on death & loss are not trite and even the fast songs are tinged with a sense of longing and the feel of aging. I don't like dreary albums as a whole, but this album is an exception. It should drag, but it doesn't. I thought I would feel as exhausted as Stipe sounds on "Sweetness Follows," but I feel energized by each song (even Star Me Kitten). I saw on Wikipedia there is criticism from the band and the public regarding some of the recording and vocals, but for me the lack of perfection only serves to reinforce why I like it.

Takes me back to playing roller coaster tycoon

What a great album! Up until now, I have only really listened to R.E.M when it appears in a party playlist. I think it's a much better listening experience in album form, i.e. not such a mood killer. This album is going on the replay list. 5/5

Great songs

Everybody Hurts

I’d never describe myself as an R.E.M fan but this album is undeniable. Classic track after classic track, I don’t really see how anyone could give this less than 5

Probably REM's best album (and that's saying a lot, given the "competition"). Made even better through John Paul Jones' arrangements on some of the songs, which renders them pure magic.

Probably the pinnacle of their production. R.E.M. don't get better than this record, for me.

awesome love it

Seminal album for me.

Love this album! Poignant lyrics, endearing ennui, wistful storytelling.

Nightswimming, The River, Man On The Moon, EVERYBODY HURTS. What a list of tracks! R.E.M is just one of those artists that can get you feeling every type of emotion throughout their music, and it's a beautiful thing because so. Incredible vocals of the 80s/ 90s.

Doesn't get much better than that!

Clásico.

Easy 5. Even the non singles are ace. Monty got a raw deal...

Loved it, played it multiple tomes

R.E.M. is an incredible band and this might be my favorite album of theirs. I'm usually quite reluctant to apply labels like "favorite" or "best," or to rank an artist's or group's output, so I use "favorite" here in lower-case letters or parenthetically, mostly to indicate how I gravitate towards it. I don't want to diminish my affection for their other work. All that being said, there's a depth and texture to this album that makes it stand out for me in R.E.M.'s impressive catalog. It's odd to say this, but I actually believe this band is underrated, as are the four individual members as musicians and songwriters. I am particularly fond of Peter Buck (my view: because he didn't rip massive solos, even though he was more than capable of it, he is not talked about as much as other rock/pop/alt guitarists, but he's fantastic) and Mike Mills (quiet and cerebral, so not a limelight guy, he's an amazing bassist, pianist, singer, and writer). What I learned from the Wiki entry that's linked to this album is the John Paul Jones (yes, as in Led Zeppelin's JPJ) contributed string arrangements to four tracks on this album. That is super-cool (JPJ is another way, way underrated musician).

Phenomenal.

The second repeat! Much more welcome than Kate Bush. Going from R.E.M.'s debut to their 8th album is a huge jump. The band is more confident, more powerul, and more in the groove. This album has a bunch of hits on it, and the non-hit tracks still slap. Very, very enjoyable. Hung out for a while listening to live cuts and demos. I'm not sure if this deserves a straight 5, but it's miles ahead of Murmer, which I gave a 4.

Fourth R.E.M. album that's come up on this thing, which seems like too many. Regardless, this was good, a lot less rocking and more of a crawling deliberate record with some great standout songs.

I hated out of time and put off listening to REM for a long time after that. Shiny Happy People being possibly the worst song ever written. This album is a different beast entirely.

Michael Stipe has an iconic voice. I really like it, though sometimes I find he becomes a bit of an American Morrissey, just warbling and rambling out of time on certain tracks. 'Ignoreland' and 'The Sidewinder Sleeps Tonite' is where it's most prominent, though both tracks are among the best on the album. 'Everybody Hurts' is still amazing. A bittersweet sound which is prominent on most of the album but nowhere moreso than on this track. I like the more happy sounding songs too, a fun jangly pop sound. I enjoyed this a lot, but there was something missing. Just that extra piece of the puzzle that would have made it incredible, but I'm not sure what that is.

this is probably the album that convinced christina to go to school in athens. thanks REM!

OK, but needs a bit more jingle and a lot more jangle.

Automatic for the people was actually a really solid album. The songs here definitely left quite the impression on me especially the last few songs which could be legitimate tearjerkers at times. The sound of this album isn't really anything too special, different or unique but for what it does sound like, it manages to sound pretty good. The songs here were a bit similar sounding to each other but i didn't find that a huge issue since the style was all still good. This album is one that doesn't break new grounds but still manages to be a solid listen. Best Song: The Sidewinder Sleeps Tonite Worst Song: Sweetness Follows

As with Garbage, I realised that actually I know this album quite well, even though I probably wouldn’t have known it. I just can’t get past Stipe’s voice. I hate it. It’s like broken glass. It’s just grindy and annoying and urgh. I suspect the songs might be ok - but I just can’t get past the vocal.

Man, I am NOT an R.E.M. fan, so I'll get through this one, I guess... My old roommate's dad was in a bunch of Savannah bands back in the 70's and 80's, and he used to tell us that his band played in Athens one time, and they had to open for some shitty house band named REM. I guess they aren't so shitty, because they've sold a ton of albums. Good for them. Maybe Jeff's dad was just jealous. It just isn't for me. I'm actually upset, because now the Spotify algorithm will try and infuse this into my recommendations... There is a nostalgia to some of these tunes. I watched MTV a lot back when this came out, so I was inundated with the "hits." If I had to pick, I like the album before this one, and I like Orange Crush off of their 88 album Green. Favorite song on here, Man on the Moon.

This one starts off a little slow and stays that way for really the whole album. It's not bad, just not what I would expect I guess. I also think it sounds a little thin, guitars in particular, but I feel like thin sounding guitars are kind of an R.E.M. signature. That's one of the problems I've always had with R.E.M. - I always feel like they need to fill out the sound spectrum a little. I felt myself kind of drifting out of attention throughout this whole record. Does that make it background music? I hate to use the word 'boring' but it kind of was. I was excited when this record came up for the day but left a little disappointed. There are certainly songs I like on this record, Everyboy Hurts, Drive, Monty Got A Raw Deal, Man On The Moon. But I wouldn't play this whole album again. 2.5 stars

Overall, a fairly boring album. Nothing about the song composition anywhere in this album is notable. The saving grace for this album (and band) is Michael Stipe's voice which is unique and memorable. I had heard "Everybody Hurts" and "Man on the Moon" before. None of the songs were notable. "Ignoreland" is a predictable, dull, angsty uninformed rant against Republicans, which is just so classically predictable for musicians and out of touch celebrities. This album isn't difficult to listen to necessarily. It's not Queen Latifah levels of bad. It's just dull and predictable.

Fine music, but I don't really vibe with it. I think it's a little too mellowed out, and flat. It doesn't really do it for me.

I hate REM

I truly dislike everything about REM. Couldn’t finish.

Love this one.

I have a sweet spot for that one for 2 main reasons : I love the 90s REM, so fresh, catchy and uplifting. This album was played a lot at home when I was young. This music is forever etched in my mind.

I think this was my favorite R.E.M. album

Classic. A nice reminder.

It's a masterpiece. Emotionally beautiful. I can't think of any flaws. Everybody Hurts is always poignant and will forever carry importance to me. Nightswimming also haunts me for reasons I don't even know why. I think that shows the magic of this record. Try Not To Breathe and Sweetness Follows are two great deep cuts too. I recommend this wholeheartedly.

A true blockbuster we have here. One of the best bands over the past 40 years at a real prime Goldilocks point in their career delivering a most immaculate set of songs that are in turn barnstorming, anthemic, magisterial, soul-stirring, moody and cinematic. All in all a deeply boppy, powerful and life-affirming combo. Man On The Moon and Nightswimming are two incredible iconic hits packed near the end but elegiac closer Find The River is such a blissful, heavenly and moving send-off that just sneaks it as my favourite track with the richly tender and beautiful Sweetness Follows up there as well. A very easy and very automatic 5 stars.

My favorite REM album.

Incredible album with so many gorgeous songs. Will always favor the first three REM albums because of when and how I first heard them, but Automatic for the People is a perfect record from beginning to end.

Best album ever

This is 1 of the albums that I am most personally connected to. Was already a R.E.M. fan when it came out. It came out at a time in my life where it was just so relevant and supportive and I pretty much lived and listened consistently for 8 to 10 months. Have loved it ever since and always revisit often. It’s just as vital today when put I put it on and ended listening to continuously all day. 5 star, love the music, the songs, the sound, 1 of my all time favourite records.

Classic

The softer songs are this band's strong suit, and this album has a lot of them. R.E.M. is always good but I think there's enough memorable songs here to make this one great

“Everybody Hurts” Took me right back to my middle school angst. Forgot how good this album is.

I was surprised by how political, and in a very contemporarily appropriate way, some of these songs were. I was already familiar with the radio singles and expected to give this record 3 or 4 stars. Hearing it in its entirety was a pleasant surprise- it was all better than I expected.

As a fan of their original albums, this work showcases how talented and mature they have become as artists. From casually jangly to incredibly intense introspective lyrics, you take a ride on this collection of songs.

After hearing R.E.M.'s sonic and lyrical evolution from Document to Green, and skipping over Out of Time, we reached what can be considered the proverbial top of the band's catalog. Originally intended to be an album full of fast hard rockers, the band instead wrote and recorded a collection of mostly acoustic-driven ballads save for a few rockers. This intimate sound is further amplified by more orchestral compositions such as the use of string arrangements from Led Zeppelin's bassist John Paul Jones on songs like the opener "Drive" and "Everybody Hurts", and the cello from Knox Chandler on "Sweetness Follows" and "Monty Got a Raw Deal". The result is some of the most organically pleasant songs I've heard from this band thus far. That's not to say I didn't enjoy the regular rock tracks "The Sidewinder Sleeps Tonite", "Ignoreland" and certainly "Man on the Moon", but the ballads elevated this album and made it stand out compared to their prior work. Aiding with the serene nature of Automatic for the People are Michael Stipe's lyrics, which have greatly improved to take on darker and more brooding themes. Whether it's the musings on death for "Find the River", "Try Not to Breathe" and "Sweetness Follows", the yearning desire to maintain positivity on "Everybody Hurts", the difficulty in looking forward as the past still haunts on "Monty Got a Raw Deal", Michael showcased a more earnest pursuit for reflection and emotional connections. There are a few songs that break up the wallow with some needed levity such as the political rant towards the Reagan and Bush administrations on "Ignoreland", the tribute to late-night entertainer Andy Kaufman on "Man on the Moon", and the cartoonish payphone scenario in "The Sidewinder Sleeps Tonite". For as much as Michael's lyrics get cryptic, there was a lot of evocative imagery and contemplation utilized effectively here. Overall, I was genuinely pleased with Automatic for the People. I'm glad I witnessed how R.E.M. evolved as a group to achieve such a resonant work.

A cult band grows up and makes a mature album that is a masterpiece of human emotion and sophisticated folk pop.

Great!

<3

Somewhat melancholy, but many great songs on this album.

Automatic For The People by R.E.M. is a timeless classic that showcases the band's unique ability to blend evocative lyricism with poignant melodies. The album's lyrical content is raw and straightforward, often delving into themes of loss, mortality, and introspection with an honesty that resonates deeply. Tracks like "Everybody Hurts" and "Nightswimming" exemplify this directness, offering listeners a haunting yet beautiful reflection on life's complexities. R.E.M.'s artistry in this album not only solidifies its status as a quintessential work of the '90s but also cements its relevance across generations, making it a must-listen for anyone seeking profound musical experiences.

Absolute banger right here. Had me screaming EVERYBODY HURTS SOMETIMES!!

Very emotional rock. Hits right in the feels

This is a piece of art and is the definition of a classic album. I don’t listen to it often but when I do I’m never disappointed

It is a general consensus among music critics that "Automatic for the People" is one of REM's best albums.

Right back to college fun

Im super happy that we got another REM album. When we listened to Murmur, it was a little revelation for me. I knew REM was great, but I had never scratched beneath the surface Automatic For The People was also fantastic. This album has depth, hits, instrumental and an ideal length (which is not a joke to me 🤣) My personal take: some of the songs felt a little too Gordon Lightfoot like to me - Sweetness Follows and Try Not To Breathe. Projecting a little, but this album was roughly a decade after Murmur and it sounds like the band’s direction went into some serious places. Drive, Sidewinder, Everybody Hurts, New Orleans, Ignoreland, Man On The Moon were great tracks. All in all, its hard not to give this a 5. Its very much a 4.25 for me and notably less listenable than Murmur