Automatic For The People

Great album, has several of R.E.M.s big hits.

ya lo escuché hace poquísimo, me gusta r.e.m.

Nothing particularly offensive or groundbreaking. If you've heard one you've heard them all.

Mukavaa, chilliä musaa. Ei mitään elämää suurempaa.

Big meh.

Glad this came up today. Haven’t listened to this in ages. After Out of Time it seemed subdued and a bit of a letdown. I got into REM when Document was released and this was the first release after Document which did not get better than the previous release. Re-evaluating it all these years later it’s one of the classic run of REM albums that started with Document and ended with this one.

i can listen to this but i'd never listen to it because of wanting to listen to it. i like the songs that I already knew the rest is well it's there.

I'm not depressed enough to enjoy this right now but I have been in the past and perhaps one day I will be again...

Without everybody hurts and man on the moon, this is 5 stars. With them, it’s 3. I hate those songs that much. Drive is one of the best album openers and nightswimming is goosebumps every time.

Huge album. Weirdly I am more emotionally attached to the lesser rated 'monster' but this has massive singles and a flowing tone and mood, more so than any other REM album. It's a pretty big departure for the band in sound but it's a massive success.

Better than I remember. Still don't know why some people made this album their life.

This would go really hard at the cottage I really liked this one!! There were some pretty catchy songs and some even had strings in the background. I’m really excited to listen to this again but more closely since I was listening to it while doing work. I think the rating I’m going to give is based on how much I will like it when I listen again so it’s getting a 4.65/5 assuming I know myself.

May be my fav album by R.E.M. fav track: “Try not to breathe”. Not a big fan of the more folky ones tho

Loved it

I am between a 4 and a 5, but had to go with a 5. This is a fantastic album from R.E.M that combines the best of REM with a nice pop twist so that it has that mass appeal while not loosing its essence.

3.67

I have to admit this is a really good album. But I rarely feel like listening to it for some reason?

I'm trying to think if I like any album more than I like this one. I cannot. All I want to do now is listen to this over and over in a dark room under a warm blanket and remember what it was like to be young in the 90s.

One of the best albums of the 90’s and of all time there’s a raw Beauty to this album I can’t describe in a way that does it justice.

Drive 4 Try Not to Breathe 3.4 The Sidewinder Sleeps Tonite 3.6 Everybody Hurts 4 New Orleans Instrumental No. 1 3.2 Sweetness Follows 3.4 Monty Got a Raw Deal 3.6 Ignoreland 3.5 Star Me Kitten 3.2 Man on the Moon 4.3 Nightswimming 3.5 Find the River 3.4 Score: 3.591666667

Nekako mi je malo pretuzan album, u smislu da ako sam dobrog raspoloženja baš mi se i nece slusat, a ako ga poslusam malo ce bacit u depru. Ima nekoliko dobrih stvari, ali moram ipak stavit zlatnu sredinu.

REM - Automatic for the People (1992) A classic. I’m a lifelong fan and knew this was getting the full 5. And this , contrary to popular opinion, isn’t even their best ( that would Green of course). Still sounds really good. Much missed. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Nunca hubiera imaginado que estaría tan chido este disco. Muy grata sorpresa :D

Probably their best album. REM never really been my favourite over the year, but this stands up. 4

This is one of the albums that was always playing on car rides with my dad. This was also one of the albums where I would put headphones in when it would come on. I just don't find anything particularly interesting about it, and I find it to be very lame at points. I find that the lead's voice is sometimes very pitchy, and I just don't enjoy it very much. I think this is where my taste and my dad's taste really starts to differ. There's certainly an overlap with a lot of different albums. This is not one of them, though. Fav Track: Everybody Hurts

This is an album where there isn't much fall off between singles and non-singles. Also, clearly doesn't sound like anything else from this era.

Okay. off the rip, the first song is kind of whatever. not really a fan of the singer's voice, or the weird echo lol. i'd rate the song like a 2.5/5? the lyrics are also kind of Whatever to me. hmm. second song. yeah i'm just not a fan of the singer's voice!!!!!!!!!!!!! idk what it is about it but geez! is R.E.M. a christian rock band? LOL. yeah this is christian rock for sure. i will google this when i'm done listening. ok i'm done this album was lowk ass 2/5

para nada le tenia fe, pero me gustó

Don't like it much. For being a rock band, no real bangars. Definitely wouldn't go back to listen again.

better than others of theirs. fave was nightswimming

Album : 19/1089 songs known going in : 3/12 Favourite song : The sidewinder sleeps tonight cover art : really cool I love a weird shape rating 4/5 Notes: Some really really good tracks but some blend into the background a bit for me

Classic, I remember hearing Man on The Moon when it was released then getting a copy tape of this and Out Of Time for £1 .00 each at Wishaw market. It’s easy to forget that REM were amazeballz up until the late 90’a before they went a little boring 4.6

3.9/5.

My Dad played this album a lot in the car when I was a wee guy. I still really like it even though I'm not a big R.E.M fan. There are some really iconic tracks on here.

Liked this so very much. Potential for rating increase after further listens. I added “Drive” to my playlist.

Sad 90s alt-rock with good melodies and instrumentals

R.E.M. is definitely a comfort band for me. They’re one of those bands where I can put on almost any song and immediately start thinking about childhood, and Automatic for the People especially has that effect on me. This is definitely one of their more laid-back albums. There are more strings, some accordion, and a little more chamber pop mixed into that familiar R.E.M. sound. It gives the whole album this warm, reflective atmosphere that I really enjoy. And maybe it’s just nostalgia talking, but for some reason this album always makes me picture an autumn day in the ’90s. I have absolutely no explanation for that. It just does. Of course, the big songs are incredible. Man on the Moon and Everybody Hurts are both magnificent, and they’re the kind of songs that have become so iconic that it’s easy to forget just how good they actually are when you sit down and listen to them again. The deeper cuts were a little more hit-and-miss for me. There were definitely some tracks that didn’t stick with me nearly as much as the highlights, and that’s really the only thing keeping this from being a five-star album. Still, Automatic for the People is just a really comforting listen for me. It’s mellow, nostalgic, beautifully arranged, and packed with a few genuinely fantastic songs. I’m giving it a 4 out of 5.

Love this album. It is full of great songs and is REM at their best. Will repeat.

For long-time R.E.M. fans, this was probably a welcome move from the pop sounds of their previous album, Out of Time, back toward their traditional sound. Unfortunately for those fans, I could still understand Michael Stipe on this one—plus they were getting heavy MTV airplay. I think Automatic for the People may be R.E.M.'s best album. I purchased Out of Time because of Losing My Religion (and because it wasn't the mumbling, droning Green or Document that my suitemates tortured me with in my freshman year of college), but this one is better in its entirety. Everybody Hurts, Man on the Moon, Drive...I love the feel of this one.

A classic album. REM at the height of their powers.

Amazing album, I really like it I think it is the best album of R.E.M

Sad and weird is how I’d describe this, but in a positive way

Pop music for Generation X, which must be most people voting on thus list. Cant imagine why else it rates so well.

Just not warming up to R.E.M. My main problems are the weird nasal signing and the prodcution that seems to make a conscious effort to not stand out in any way. Everything sounds far away but compressed at the same time

It's pretty good but a bit slow and downbeat for my liking

I felt I ought to like this more than I did. I just found it a bit dull

The hits are good but the rest not so exciting. Was expecting a bit more excitement.

I enjoyed this more than I expected

One of my all time favourites!

Not bad

It’s ok

perfect 90s rock

Drive The Sidewinder Sleeps Tonite Everybody Hurts Man on the Moon Nightswimming Find the River

*Nightswimming and Man on the Moon are great songs. *I still think Out of Time is my favorite REM

Bons souvenirs

much poppier and polished than their debut, and they pull it off. i prefer the jangle of the debut though

I've been wanting to delve into R.E.M.'s music for a while now. Everything I've heard from them to this day has been great, and this album confirms it. There are a few songs here that I knew and already loved ("Everybody Hurts", "Man of the Moon"...) Beautiful voice, sorrowful music, stellar songwriting, what more do you need?

Took me back-driving to Slough with this cd in my car. Those were the days. Great album. Great tracks.

The shinny happy people move to somewhere darker. A wonderful album with REM at their masterful best.

Listening to this was like having a couple of pints of Landlord with an old friend and bringing back all those memories

A deserved landmark on the pop map that has an amazing intensity, largely created by Stype's enigmatic vocals. Beyond that headline though the melodies are beautiful, and the arrangements are just innovative enough to keep it interesting without being too demanding. Those ideas are properly developed on New Adventures which is a better album, weirdly overlooked by 1001. A strong 4*

Je zaujímavé, že vydaním tohto snáď najúspešnejšieho albumu ma prestali zaujímať. Dovtedy sa mi celkom páčili.

Yeah.....it's fine.

This album has a few absolute bangers. A really enjoyable listen. Everybody hurts!!!! 7/10

Eh

- 5 just for "Ignoreland" .... -

Still remember the first time I listened to this album the whole way through and just being blown way. Incredibly well produced, brilliantly arranged, touching themes of mortality and loss amongst others. Plenty of highlights here but Try Not To Breathe, Sweetness Follows and Find The River are standouts for me. Not one wasted second on this gorgeous album and well deserving of 5 stars

Excepcional. Un disco completamente redondo; sensibilidad sobre surcos.

R.E.M's masterpiece and an album dear to my heart, brings back great memories of the Autumn of 1992. Not a duffer on it and still stands up today. Brilliant.

This is one of the three great R.E.M. albums (the other two are, of course, “Document” and “Out of Time”) and the one I remember best. I don’t think there’s much point in going into detail here - partly because everyone knows “Automatic For The People,” and partly because I haven’t delved deeply enough into R.E.M.’s work to have anything meaningful to add. The latter is because R.E.M. were simply “everybody’s darling” in the early ’90s and didn’t seem particularly exciting to me at the time. But that doesn’t change the fact that they were, quite rightly, global stars back then and that “Automatic For The People” ranks among the top 10 albums of the ’90s.

Lowkey REM. So classics. Nightswimming, everybody hurts, man on the moon - way more singer songwriter than I expected.

The whole album is a coherent blend of catchy poppy songs. The strings give it that vibe that will please anybody from the nerdy guy in the back of class to the super popular girl. Also I sung on Everybody Hurts with the rock band of the school. Well I butchered it. Favorite songs: Drive ; The Sidewinder Sleeps Tonite ; Everybody Hurts ; Man on the Moon

Will need a second listen to truly appreciate it more. Just kinda came off as a drag at first listen.

Ignoreland was pretty rad and the rest of the album was fine

un buen pop

This album is a love letter to heartache, a melodic dance with despair. Every note echoes with a profound tenderness, like an old friend's embrace after a long day. The strings weep, the guitars roar, and Stipe's voice.. it's a haunted lullaby. It's R.E.M. at their most exposed. Spins: 3 Playlist Additions - Drive - The Sidewinder Sleeps Tonite - Everybody Hurts - Sweetness Follows - Man on the Moon - Nightswimming - Find the River

Enjoyed

Man on the moon

Alot of great hits and an album that feels like a warm blanket of nostalgia. Love Stipe's voice.

um

rem more like mid

It's funny that this album just has *that sound* of a great album. It's very mature sounding, with the lyrics being less poetic and more dealing head on with issues of loss and sadness. And yet, while I do think its a good album, I've never thought it was a masterpiece. But it is one of the better R.E.M. albums.

not my cup of tea

Phenomenal sounding record, with a wonderfully consistent tone and mood. I wasn’t familiar with any of the tracks besides Everybody Hurts. Very enjoyable listen, with some really cool writing and sonic moments. Maybe not quite a 5 for me personally, but very good. 4/5.

08/25 Pretty good. Didnt know R.E.M. made the song "Everybody Hurts"

They were definitely in their feels on this one. I'd only heard Everybody Hurts previously, and that one eventually grew on me. I'd imagine the same for the others, but for now, I'll leave it in purgatory.

This is a solid album start to finish. I enjoyed it more than I thought it would. Fun to go back to it. Adding to my 5 list so I remember to go back to it in the future.

4 all the way through, every song kinda sounds the same

One of those records that changes how you listen to music.

Gorgeous album. There are a couple fillers, but my god - Everybody Hurts is worth 5 stars on its own. I’d probably give it 4.5 stars if I could, but this is an amazing album that benefits from special audio, and has held up incredibly well.

classic, dads been telling to listen to this one for agessssss. second track is pure class

Easy 5 stars. Great album

2.5-3. Can see why people like this album but not my thing

Still so good! Made me cringe a little bit thinking about how many times I listened to it in middle and high school trying to stoke my emo embers, but I was a recovering Garth Brooks addict so shouldn’t have this one held against me at least.

Eh?

This is a great album - very underappreciated!

What other band had 10 such smart, strong, influential albums in a row like R.E.M. had from 1983-1996? The list begins with their debut LP Murmur and ends with New Adventures in Hi-Fi, their final album with all four founding members. Automatic for the People is the eighth, and considered by many their best. As for me: I subscribe to the view that there is no such thing as a greatest R.E.M. album, only personal favorites (often influenced by what year you came of age and/or first “met” the band). One of the great things about THIS album is how it defied expectations, following their hugely successful Out of Time (think “Losing My Religion”). When this album was released, Mike Mills said that it probably would not sell like their previous album (it did) but they still thought it was a good album. Peter Buck said that in retrospect, no other album in 1993 sounded like theirs…“and that’s a good thing.” The sound is spacious, reflective, somber, with edges of hope. So many songs address death and mortality that a rumor circulated that Michael Stipe was dying. As it turns out, he was grieving some big losses, but he is still with us to this day. The genius here, and the beauty, is that the band followed their own musical direction, created something authentic, and found themselves once again on the leading edge for all the right reasons. Not my favorite R.E.M. album, but in my Top 10 .... 5/5.

This album gets a lot of love from the fans, but despite its many high points, it has a few odd tracks to me. I don't mind the instrumental, but Star Me Kitten feels wrong, and I find Nightswimming oddly sentimental. Still, it has "Try Not to Breathe, Monty Got a Raw Deal, and Everybody Hurts which are exceptional. I still rate it a 5, but other REM 5s are way ahead of this one!

Me likey. Definitely one I have listened to before and will again.

apparently I am on a suicide watchlist now ? But i'ts good

It’s was ok I like man in the moon

Great R.E.M. album

Solid album. very slow paced and depressing topics. Not the biggest fan, none of the songs are anything I would need to come back to. Sounds good and can see why it has fans. REM isn’t a band I love hearing. Lots of songs start sounding the same

Kevin and Jamie: eh

And clearly there is still hope, because I actually got an album that I enjoyed. Out of the two R.E.M albums I’ve listened to so far, I can say I liked this one better. Going in having heard another R.E.M album before this and having heard two of the songs on this album, I did have a good feeling about it, and after listening to it, I feel that I was right in that assumption. Comparing this one to Document, this one has a darker tone than its predecessor, and I feel like that works in its favor. The lyrics and instrumentation reflect this, along with more melancholic lyrics. One instrumental aspect of this album that I enjoyed is more of a focus on acoustic songs and the inclusion of a string section, with arrangements by Led Zeppelin’s very own John Paul Jones, so you can pretty much guarantee that the string arrangements work really well and fit each song they’re in, such as the moody, yet uplifting Everybody Hurts, my first standout track. Michael Stipes’ vocals give a lot of the songs that signature R.E.M sound, and although his voice may be taken as whiny by some, I feel like they work really well, one of my favorite vocal moments being Find The River, my second standout track and the closer of the album. Another aspect of the album that I enjoy is Peter Buck’s guitar playing, especially on the ominous opener to the album, Drive, my third standout track, and a song with a very cool acoustic riff. However, this is not to discount Mike Mills and Bill Berry’s contributions, their bass and drum playing hold down the steady beat of the bouncy Man On The Moon, my final standout track. I feel like this album also has a very good flow to it, with its sides even having the titles of Drive Side and Ride Side, which feel like they split the album into the songs based on personal struggle on side one, and the songs about worldwide struggle(at least for the first four, Nightswimming and Find The River feel more personal) on side two. This gives the album a really cohesive feel, and makes the album work as a whole work. Overall, I feel like this is definitely a high point for R.E.M’s career, and I thoroughly enjoyed this album. Now, I’m gonna find the river to carry me to the next album.

Þessi var svakalega mikið spiluð án þess að ég kynni sérstaklega að meta hana. En nú er ég eldri, og eitthvað breyttur þar af leiðandi, og allt í einu er hún orðin tímalaus klassík. Ég er alveg til í þau skipti.

nightswimming is honestly. one of the most lovely songs of all time. it reminds me a bit of our first date actually <3

Pretty great.

Listened at home packing and with Luke in car

1. 4.5 2. 4.5 3. 4 4. 5 5. 3 6. 4 7. 3.5 8. 3.5 9. 3.5 10. 5 11. 5 12. 4

Outstanding album, full of hits. A masterpiece from R.E.M.

A great album. Not much more to say.

Already an album I have saved because I went through a performative era of saving albums to my library that I thought were cool, but I actually have never listened to this album all the way through, so I am excited to do that finally!

really good, relaxing

I loved it

the well-known songs were good, the rest didn’t do it for me; a tad too repetitive, a lot of it sounds the same.

lush, rhythmic, lyrical

good albulm

7.5/10

This one benefited from a close listen. Initially I thought it was kind of maudlin and corny, but then I decided to listen with headphones and be more focused, and it was better that way. Went from a 3 to a 4. I liked Drive, Sidewinder, and Monty. Probably content never to hear Everybody Hurts again, but that’s because it’s overplayed - no fault of the band. Definitely will return.

Several standout songs that truly captured the 90's.

The songs were not bad, just not my style of listening

Nice chill 90s vibe. not my fav ever but glad i've listened. I didn't love Drive as an opener (felt long) and kinda had to skip everybody hurts becasue it's crazy overplayed. i liked try not to breathe and man on the moon. Feel like i know nightswimming from something.. Jason Segel sings it in Shrinking

6 - AVERAGE

While it was not my favorite REM album upon release, I like their IRS records much better. It sounded really good after not hearing it straight through for many years. "Drive" is one of the best opening songs of any album. While Dolby Atmos is not my preferred method of listening, it often sounds artificial. I have to say that this mix, when I listen to it on Apple Music, is really good.

Cool stuff

Me pareció como una banda con estilo country tal vez, aronou capaz y es rock, había solo una canción que si reconocí, que era la de "Everybody hurts" no es algo que escucharía todo el tiempo pero no me disgusta, puedo disfrutarla si alguien más pone a la banda o se pone aleatoriamente en algun mix de YouTube músic jiji

I already knew several songs from this album, including “Drive,” “Everybody Hurts,” “Man on the Moon,” and “Nightswimming.” I especially enjoyed hearing “Drive” again since I don't hear it very often anymore. A few of the slower songs, particularly “Try Not to Breathe” and “Sweetness Follows,” reminded me of the '70s singer-songwriter sound of artists like Harry Chapin. I also appreciated how much the sound changed throughout the album. Even when a song wasn't really grabbing me, the album never felt repetitive. My favorite new discovery was “Ignoreland.” It picked up the pace and had more of the energetic R.E.M. sound I enjoy. “Star Me Kitten” was also interesting and different. Overall, this was a good album, but not one I feel the need to own.

Emblematic album. Contains the classics: "Everybody Hurts" and "Man On The Moon".

This is a very good album but I don't think its a classic. It may not even be the best album by the band. First half is strong however it gets a bit saggy in the middle before ending strong. Especially the last 2 tracks. 4 stars

5/5

Extra star for nostalgia

I enjoy R.E.M. and this was an easy enough listen, but I didn’t come away with much aside from the singles I already knew (Everybody Hurts & Man on the Moon).

I had expected to go on at length about how REM had lost their edge at this point. Then the first track came on which I hadn't heard for a long time drive and it means the veils because it was so well constructed. It was immediately clear that this album had fathered quite a lot of singles that I knew well and even the tracks that weren't singles were for the most part not filler. It doesn't have the edginess and djangle of the earlier albums but the maturity and the song writing and the instrumentation all combined to farm something that is greater than the sum of its parts

9/10 great album. knew of R.E.M. but only ever really heard losing my religion. Didn't know they an oscar wilde type frontman. album gets off to a slow start but once everybody hurts hits its just all amazing from there (try not to breathe is also a good cut so maybe its just really sidewinder and drive i dont love). ya awesome album tho great writing great music great vibes tho very melancholic

2 R.E.M. albums down and 2 more to go. This is my second R.E.M. album on the list so far, following Murmur. I just don’t know man. It’s an album I feel on a deep, emotional level. It’s one where I can tell they poured their hearts and souls into. It’s technically perfect, and one that I think I’d at least recommend everyone listen to. Truly, it’s something that belongs on 1089 albums you need to listen to before you die, and I think most people would agree. Every song is deep, most of them are dark, and across the board the album is astonishingly beautiful. Songs like “New Orleans Instrumental No. 1” serve as really solid intermissions between the other songs, and “Everybody Hurts” is an all time classic that I’m sure most people willingly participating in this project have already heard before. Overall, it’s a great album. There are moments where a jam almost breaks out and the album gets a little less depressing, but honestly, it’s just not my cup of tea. There are plenty of artists I’ll listen to if I want to feel sad who I click with a little more. R.E.M. is not one of those bands. I can still appreciate the hell out of this album for what it is, and I do, but I don’t really want to listen to it a lot before moving onto something maybe a bit more exciting and a lot less sad. Now, compared to Murmur, I’m actually astonished how different it is. I like it about the same, but you can really hear that whatever the band went through between 1983 and 1992 clearly changed them spectacularly. I reiterate, just because I don’t want to return to this album for a while, I still had an incredible time with it and I’m glad that I was able to finally experience this band I’d heard about in passing, but have never done a deep dive of personally. Picking a favorite song is also pretty tough, because it’s going to be one of the deep cuts. The ones most people love don’t really reach me the same way, and that’s ok, but the weird ones like “Ignoreland” and “Monty Got A Raw Deal” I thought were spectacular. I don’t really believe this band is going to grow on me with the 2 albums between Murmur and Automatic For The People, but I’m glad I at least got to experience this for the weekend. It was well worth it. I get the love for the band, even if it’s not my personal cup of tea, I still see just how damn good this album is. I’ll go ahead and give me favorite to “Ignoreland”. I thought that song did the most interesting things, and stood out more than the rest. 2 albums by R.E.M. left, and I’m interested to see if they just progressively get more depressing over time, or if this album was an exception. Time will tell. This one is around a 3.6 out of 5. Beautifully sad album.

Andy Pandy in a wrestling match

Growing up in the late 80s and early 90s R.E.M were everywhere. I had this album and I played it to death from the ages of about 12 to 15. I've not listened to it for years and to be frank, 30 years on I wonder what I saw in it. There's some ok tunes, but overall, this album is nothing more than alright. R.E.M had some good songs, but not really on this album. I'd much rather listen to Green or Monster than this.

Classic REM album, but was never a big fan.

Fuck yeah. That jangly American bullshit. Let’s fucking go. This album was incredibly urban, with some downright incredible songs, and some insane moments. “Drive” is a great opener, and songs like “The Sidewinder Sleeps Tonite” and “Everybody Hurts” help make the first leg of this album incredible. “New Orleans Instrumental” is a great palette cleanser into the much worse second leg (still of quality of course but the songs stick less and are less interesting). The last 3 songs are some of the best on the album, especially “Man On The Moon” and “Nightswimming.” It’s a well-rounded but not too long album, and I absolutely love it. 9.6/10 DOES IT BELONG ON THE LIST: YES REASON: Incredible musical quality and cultural impact

Far as I'm concerned, there is very little that hits like REM in their imperial phase. Every track in here is a thing of beauty. Surprised it was the first time I'd actually listened to this all the way through.

I bought this CD when it came out and was into it. I still love it but I have to reckon with the fact the fact I would probably rate this 2 or 3 stars if I hadn't already been a fan. Back in the day, you bought an album and listened to it no matter what, afterall you paid $20 for it! And albums in general benefit from repeated listens. Makes me wonder if any of the albums I've rated 2 or 3 are actually a 4 after repeated listens

Friday, 8 August, 2026 Great album. Legendary songs. “Man in the Moon”, “Noghtswimming.” Flow was great.

Album 280. Automatic For The People (https://open.spotify.com/album/0BiNb8HYR4JvuxUa31Z58Q?si=KKirUhjCQAS4lWVcExUZPQ) — R.E.M. (1992) Well, it's a good classic rock album. It's highly appreciated etc. But I was expecting more and it didn't match my expectations. Expectations are sad. 3/5 Liked: — Drive — Everybody hurts

Increíble, sólo conocía un tema de este álbum, no entiendo por qué no lo escuché entero. Le daría 4 porque bueno, siento que eso le daría, pero sé que cuando lo escuche más me voy a viciar, así que para no enojarme con mi yo del futuro, 5.

This is a nice album, might consider adding this to my collection.

One of my all time favourites. Songwriting, music, track orders. No missteps along the way

me gusto un album variado pero con su magia, guarde 3 canciones que mas me gustaron

Uhuhuhu en spændende en. Kender godt en sang eller to 1 og 2 Rigtig gode sange indtil videre især drive The sidewinder sleeps tonight - ikke lige så meget mig Everybody hurts - så god og rolig og smuk Den gemmer ikke hvad jeg siger men super gode sange og meget smukke. Måske er det en ingen skip. Ignorelamd er ikke lige så meget mig men den er fed🎸 tror den handler om noget politik og den vokser på mig Star me kitten - rolig og god. Kan godt lide at den lyder lidt dramatisk i baggrunden, lidt kirke agtigt måske? Mærkelig tekst til sidst Man on the moon- klassiker en af de første jeg hørte. Den er bare catchy Nightswimming - god Alle sange er bangers ingen skip på nær en. Sindssygt og skal høre igen 9,5/10

Never been a big R.E.M. fan, I feel a lot of their stuff all sounds the same. They have a few great songs for sure, but overall I think this album is just okay.

If I ever wanted to take seriously the idea of an objectively best album (I don't, of course, that's madness), then this would be it. Listening carefully and reflectively to Nightswimming and Find the River on a loop, spending time among all their textured, meditative glories, will make you a better person, I swear.

Is this R.E.M.'s best album? Got to be this or 'Green.' Either way, this is a varied and rewarding album that actually peaks at the end with the incomparable "Nightswimming." Top tracks: "Nightswimming," "Everybody Hurts," "Drive," "Man on the Moon," "Find the River"

--Drive...ominous. portent --Try Not to Breathe...mostly pleasant but nothing special --The Sidewinder Sleeps Tonite...Stipe's voice is the star here. not the greatest singer ever but his voice is "college radio" as far as I'm concerned --Everybody Hurts...today I learned this string arrangement was written by John Paul Jones. the song is simple but that's its strength --New Orleans Instrumental No. 1...cool instrumental --Sweetness Follows...enjoying the bowed upright bass. this is really satisfying --Monty Got a Raw Deal...a little bored by this one --Ignoreland...Peter Buck doing good work --Star Me Kitten...a sleepy lullaby thing --Man on the Moon...classic --Nightswimming...JPJ brings the lush again. great track --Find the River...this feels like a Greatest Hits medley of the preceding tracks. more of an observation than a complaint

Stop saying "Yeah, yeah, yeah." I hate REM so much that I've come up with a track list that I think you'll enjoy: 1. Cum 2. Try Not To Cum 3. The Sidewinder Cums Tonight 4. Everybody Squirts 5. New Orleans Instrumental No. Cum 6. Sweetness Cums 7. Monty Got A Raw Dick 8. Cumland 9. Star Me Cum 10. Cum On The Moon 11. Nightcumming 12. Find The Cum Fuck R.E.M.

not bad. His voice is the weakest part, but the overall vibe is fun

While this album is well produced and has some lovely instrumentals the lead singers voice is so annoying to me. This can never be more than average unfortunately despite my appeal to this genre. 5/10

I got back-to-back R.E.M. Albums! Nice!! To me, all REM is really good, in the 7/10-8.5/10 range. This fits the mold. Really damn solid stuff Best Song: Nightswimming Rating: 8.5/10 Stars: 4

This brought back the college memories

It's 3.5. Favs: Drive, Man on the Moon

Thus far, I have found it to be an enjoyable, yet mediocre, 90's yacht rock listen. Regardless, I thought it hilarious as I was listening to Man on The Moon and thought "this is nice, i should save it", and proceeded to see it be one of the most streamed on the album. Funny how the general public consensus with good music can work like that. I can't quite give it a 4, so it gets a 3, especially because this is one of those albums where I had high expectations when judging by the cover. It did disappoint slightly. JK, many people love this, and I've been using it as lean-back music, so perhaps I should re-visit. 4 for now.

A good album, a few really good songs, but why so many REM albums on the list? There’s so many that won’t make the 1001 I’m thinking

I used to think I really loved this album and now I realise I was more in love with the idea of the friend's big sister who kept playing it in her bedroom

I've listened to this one many times, many years ago, but still know all the lyrics. This time around a little more analytical, I loved it. The first track "Drive" a fantastic start, easing into it, and then just 3 tracks in, the energetic "The sidewinder sleeps tonights" really shifts the mood and lets the listner know what we're in for early on. I was almost cringing when "Everybody Hurts" started, given the monstrous airplay it received in the day, but the cringe quickly subdued. The rest of the album kept the strength of the first half, with such a spot on ending.

This album came out when I was in my teens and it was far too somber for my tastes. Listening to it today, some 34 years later, their somber tone makes more sense, although I still find a bit more plodding than I prefer. I rarely, if ever, feel the urge to spin this record. Faves: "Drive", "Everybody Hurts", "New Orleans instrumental No. 1", and "Man on the Moon"

It might just be my modern attention span, but a vast majority of this album is very background music for me. It's not bad, but none of it really stood out as something I would listen to actively by itself. Still good mind you, just background good.

The album isn't back to back bangers, but the highs are timeless classics, and the lows aren't too bad either. I have a bit of a gripe with the production (not a fan of the cheesy strings and some of the back vocals), but the singing, playing and mixing are top notch. One potential problem with the album, or REM in general, is that the singing and musical ideas are of a certain tone. I can see how someone who doesn't like this particular combination would find the whole experience a miss, but for me it lands.

Ubiquitous.

An absolutely stellar album.

Not bad, some overwrought songs here but some great darker tunes

good but terrifyingly emotional

It was pretty good.

bit edge lord for me

- Controversial opinion: This is my least favorite album of the three R.E.M. albums I have been given so far. I know this is considered their masterwork in a lot of circles, but yeesh. - Did not mind the stretch from "New Orleans Instrumental No. 1" to "...Ignoreland." in fact, I somewhat liked the barebones western nature of "Monty Got A Raw Deal." - However, I cannot stand "Everybody Hurts" or "Nightswimming"...I did not mind the latter at first, but when the oboe comes in, I can feel my eyes roll back into my head with the pretension of it all. Stipe's voice really kills me on these tracks. - On another note, the lyrics of "Star Me Kitten" are weird. And not in a good way.

a gentle album that stayed longer than I expected.

Walking into this album, I knew two songs already. I despise "Everybody Hurts" and love "Man on the Moon," so this was gonna be fun. R.E.M. is a band I haven't listened to nearly enough, but I do enjoy their sound. "Drive" is a hell of an opener, with a (pun not intended) driving intensity that ebbs and flows. Overall, its alt-rock done right, and while not many of the songs were favorites, aside from "Everybody Hurts," they were all enjoyable.

Beautiful melancholy. Stipes vocals over beautifully arranged, heartbreaking music. Even the tracks I don't think I'd heard before felt familiar and strangely comforting. Drive The Sidewinder Sleeps Tonite Everybody Hurts Man On The Moon Nightswimming

Not bad.

I miss the jangle Fav track: Nightswimming

Listened driving to and from RAH today. Ethereal, emotional, mournful, melodic.

Good listen.

Rating: 5.0/5 Short Review: Quiet, reflective, and profoundly moving. Automatic for the People is R.E.M. at their emotional peak. It trades arena-rock energy for patience, mortality, love, and acceptance. Every song feels carefully placed, and the album never wastes a moment. (en.wikipedia.org⁠) Favorite Track: “Nightswimming.” A perfect song. Piano, strings, and Michael Stipe’s voice combine into something nostalgic without becoming sentimental.

Divorced Dad Music (?) I went into this album knowing absolutely nothing about R.E.M. Never heard of them. What I found was... well, it's music for dads. I know people love R.E.M., but I think they must be an acquired taste, because I just don't get it. The whole album is mid-tempo, stays in one gear, and doesn't really hit any peaks or valleys. The songs kind of blur together, all sounding pretty similar. There's not much upbeat energy and it just drags on. The only thing that really stands out is Michael Stipe's voice... it's unique and memorable. But overall, it's just tiring. "Drive" was pretty cool. Lyrics are nothing special. Kind of boring. 4-5/10. "Try Not to Breathe" sounds a bit folky. Weirdly upbeat song for somebody dying. Kind of boring for a while. I like the guitar singing a bit. 4/10. "The Sidewinder Sleeps Tonite" is much more uplifting and poppy. It's fine. A bit funky. Organ is pretty prominent. Weird little lyrics. Don't hate it but it's so repetitive and doesn't really build. 5/10. "Everybody Hurts" is so boring. So cheesy, like from a really white movie. Strings coming in is nice. It's literally just fine. 4/10. "New Orleans Instrumental No. 1" is a weird little interlude. Not bad. Chill. 3/10. "Sweetness Follows" – I like the themes of this song. Very relatable as someone whose family fell apart after dad died. Very somber. Decent but still pretty boring. 5/10. "Monty Got a Raw Deal" – Purely acoustic guitar for the first part. Then drums and synth/harmonica comes in. It's alright. Don't hate it. Kind of folky. 4/10. "Ignoreland" – I like this. The lyrics are pretty sharp. Still kind of only blames one side whenever both are equally complicit. Take a social democrat stance, not really punk lol. Definitely the most energetic track. Still it sounds just fine and not actually getting me that excited. Really do love the Reaganomics critiques tho. 5/10. "Star Me Kitten" – Whispered melancholic bs huh. Very minimal. So slow. It's fine. 3-4/10. "Man on the Moon" – Pretty catchy. Almost a country feel to this. Very acoustic. Kind of upbeat. Pretty basic. 4-5-6/10 depends on mood. Still just kind of okay. "Nightswimming" – Kind of sounds like Bo Burnham lol. Prob the piano. Pretty sad lyrics. Pretty cool song. Very melancholy and nostalgic. 5/10. "Find the River" – Melody instantly seems familiar. I've probably heard this somewhere. 5-6/10. This album is well-made, I can't deny that. There's a lot of care put into the mixing, arrangements, and songwriting, and I respect the craftsmanship. But I'm never coming back to this. It's not bad, just not what I was expecting. The guitars feel kinda thin, like they could have filled out the sound more. A lot to admire, but nothing that makes me want to listen again. Rating: 5/10

greats

A fine rock album, some songs impressed me but not enough to listen to it again 3/5

3.8/5

Pleasant. Like R.E.M but I've always been a fan of the singles and found the non singles a bit slow. My Dad had this album growing up, never made it through the whole thing. Glad for the excuse, appreciate the vibe, enjoyed it but wouldn't listen again.

Rating: 4-4.5 (many beloved and memorable tracks) Favorite tracks: Drive, Try Not to Breathe, Sidewinder Sleeps Tonite, Sweetness Follows, Man on the Moon, Nightswimming A classic of my childhood and dad's collection. I love the more mantra-like performances from Michael Stipe. Incredibly rich and lush pallet. I sink into the haze of songs like Sweetness Follows as much as I giggle with the performance of Sidewinder. Influential on my love for jangle pop. Just a great record, one I will fondly recall for years still to come.

I guess I’m just not a fan of R.E.M, this was ok, wouldn’t seek it out again

When R.E.M. began, they often had pensive and downbeat moments that made me want to give Michael Stipe, and I supposed the rest of the band, a comforting hug. They were not Smiths’ level depression, several songs explored the world and the past in a wistful manner. For much of Automatic for the People R.E.M. reached out to their audience like a deft counselor. They coupled this attitude with an embrace of nostalgia as references to childhood abound. While they do not quite get to the Sesame Street vibe of “Shiny Happy People” or “Stand,” Stipe and company channel a bit of Fred Rogers. I will admit that this approach would have been a major turn-off from another band. R.E.M. had built a level of admiration at this point to allow me to tolerate these moments. In addition, the songwriting, playing and singing manage to keep these songs uplifting rather than maudlin and cloying. Peter Buck remains in the background as “Ignoreland” has the bigger guitar sound of Document and Green. The chiming and murky sounds of the first four records also rarely appeared. Musical growth makes sense for the material on the album as the songs require understatement. The arrangements remind me of the less orchestrated ballads of peak Beach Boys. Gently keyboards, full fledged piano (“Nightswimming”) and stickless percussion give a new sound. This subtle touch adds pathos then allows some terrific choruses to shine during “Man on the Moon” and “The Sidewinder Sleeps Tonite.” Michael Stipe had also grown as a singer. Perhaps fully trusting his voice or desiring to give the lyrics a clear airing, Stipe gets pushed up in the mix, quite a shift from the Murmur singer. These changes allowed the lyrics to provide the comforting nostalgia that defines the record. I “Everybody Hurts” is as close to an anthem as R.E.M. was willing to release. It is not quite “Imagine” or “Help”, more at the level of a Carpenters’ song. Several songs make attempts to buoy the listener with a look at the past. “Nightswimming”, “Man on the Moon” and “Drive” with its nod to David Essex’s “Rock On” dip heavily into the members’ youth. Pleasantly sad, Automatic for the People lacks a true emotional wallop. Aside from the songs mentioned here, the tunefulness can’t match a similar record like Harvest, which keeps the record at a good, not great level.

Depressing, dreary, moany and whiney. But a very distinct sound! 3/5

This is such a great, great album - one of the easiest 5 stars ever. It would probably be 4 stars just with Nightswimming and a bunch of ok stuff and it's obviously way, way more than that ... Can I just say how much I love the lyric about the photograph on the dashboard? I'm not even 100% sure I understand it -- it's just so damn evocative. (I'm also not 100% sure I understand what "evocative" is in this case, but it seems right). Anyway, for me, this is a good example of "a band's best album doesn't necessarily have to be your favorite." I'll always have a softer spot for Murmur, Life's Rich Pageant and Document -- all of which I assume we'll be getting to later -- though I acknowledge that this one is probably better.

Back half saved this one ngl

Lots of hits! Not really my thing but w/e.

Beautiful

Such an iconic album. This is what I consider peak R.E.M. The album comes through as hauntingly introspective and quite melancholic and the vocal successfully sells this feeling with palpable emotion backed by tight strings that you just can't ignore. There's a lot of great alt-rock from the 90's and still this album stands out as one of the greats with music and lyrics that tackle timeless emotions. Standouts Man On The Moon Everybody Hurts The Sidewinder Sleeps Tonite 5/5

didn't impress me i guess

Melancholic, timeless alternative rock masterpiece.

Music for dads. Not bad though

fav songs: everybody hurts man on the moon lush, warm, consistent 40/100

non proprio il mio, molto orecchiabile e bella da tenere in sottofondo

Had a fantastic run.. Not a single weak song on this record. The closing three are all timers. Man of the moon hits the spot every time. Long live rem

Still remember the first time I listened to this album the whole way through and just being blown way. Incredibly well produced, brilliantly arranged, touching themes of mortality and loss amongst others. Plenty of highlights here but Try Not To Breathe, Sweetness Follows and Find The River are standouts for me. Not one wasted second on this gorgeous album and well deserving of 5 stars

Day 342 Highlights Everybody Hurts Ignoreland

The best REM ALBUM. So good. 5

Bought this CD my freshman year of college. And what a great album.

Really nice album. Nightswimming a beautiful track.

An exceptional album. I remember getting this album as a Christmas gift from my parents when it came out. I've always loved it

Their last great album and their best since the IRS yesrs

Really enjoyed this one

Overall pretty solid - would listen again

Great album but a real downer

nothing special

Really good, I have heard a lot of R.E.M. but listening in album form is different.

adore REM and while this isnt my favourite album of there's it's still pretty amazing. the final three songs are all perfection

Alternative rock, baroque pop, folk rock, chamber pop.

Very boring album. Nothing really bad about it but just felt very monotonous and no interesting elements

still fresh after all these years

I think R.E.M. has one of the best Best Of albums but I've always been intimidated by the size of their catalog so have never gone deeper. Absolutely loved this.

Extraordinario

Listening session: july 17th, while chilling at home Listened to before: listened to two songs before Thoughts: nice album with some classic songs but not something that really stands out to me as a whole Favourite tracks: Everybody Hurts, Man on The Moon & Find The River

Hard pass

Loved this start to finish, no skips.

1/5. Trash. Incredibly depressing music.

The best album by the best band. The biggest hits on the album ("Man on the Moon" especially) sound like quintessential R.E.M. songs from the decade that preceded them. What really elevates this album, in my view, is the looming, funereal aspect that runs through nearly every one of songs. The minor progressions on the cello, the judicious use of bagpipes and keyboard effects. It has just enough of classic jangle-pop sound to keep it from falling into a trap of same-ness. Stipe's lyrics are famously inscrutable, so here's my best stab at a general theme for each song. DRIVE - Death, longing. TRY NOT TO BREATHE - Suicide. THE SIDEWINDER SLEEPS TONIGHT - Prank phone calls. (!?!) EVERYBODY HURTS - Death, despair, but also hope. NEW ORLEANS INSTRUMENTAL NO.1 - N/A SWEETNESS FOLLOWS - Death, loss of a parent. MONTY GOT A RAW DEAL - Death. IGNORELAND - The many evils of Ronald Reagan/the GOP. STAR ME KITTEN - Sex. MAN ON THE MOON - Artistic inspiration, Andy Kaufmann, death. NIGHTSWIMMING - Youth, anxiety, sex. FIND THE RIVER - Despair, longing, but also hope. Two of my childhood (and still) best friends and I bonded intensely over music, and specifically a shared love of R.E.M. It's one thing to debate the greatest rock bands of all time, but the real challenge is to argue the greatest *American* rock band of all time. Your mileage may vary, but I say it's R.E.M. And I'm right. This album means too much to me to be objective. I go back and forth on whether this is THE best rock album of all time, full stop. If it isn't, it's close.

god i fucking hate rem Would I listen again: no. Deserves to be on this list: apparently. 2.0

I have this complicated theory that Appetite for Destruction and this album bookend the period of Reagans America. This captures an America filled with doubt, and confusion but ultimately heart and hope. Michael Stipes voice is at its most pure, his lyrics clear and less ambiguous than early albums. The songs are perfectly crafted, the playing is the band at its peak and the bass and backing vocals on man in the moon are genuinely perfect. I remember the first time I listened to it, full of hope and fear. I’ve got over both but it’s still an album that answers the questions I have 30+ years on. Also I stand by my view that Monty got a raw deal is one of the best 20 songs of the 1990s

this is the first album since i'm on this website that i actually liked i liked the music this is an album that i could come back listening

A bit whiny and melancholy of an album. Radio Free Europe is a much better album overall. A couple of good hits makes this album better.

Tiene un álbum mejor a este. Está bien

Second REM in a row and third in 48! This one is actually pretty good. 3.5/5 Top tracks: Everybody Hurts, New Orleans Instrumental

Generally a snorefest as most 90s alternative rock is, but there was some highlights and some interesting musical elements. Some chords took me by surprise and for that you get a bump, REM. Highlights: Ignoreland, Find The River

Intrigued to listen to this again, so an improvement on the other R.E.M. albums on this list.

I liked this album, but its nothing more than nice background music to me I will come back to it tho!

great album. loved it. but I feel it it needs another listen. I am giving it an honorary 5.

usa pyx lax

Great album for easy listening. A little lacking when it comes to any deeper listening for me. Obvious highlights are Everybody Hurts and Man On The Moon. Personal favorite is Nightswimming.

2/4

(4/5) Another piece of the rock music foundation and a hugely influential and important album. As I've said on other R.E.M. albums and will continue to say, I appreciate the artistry and freely offer my acknowledgement that this is a 'must hear', but it's never really excited or struck me as 'all the time listening '. "Everybody Hurts" is simultaneously the best and worst song to play when you're sad, for instance. I get it. I truly do. But, despite their size and the artistry, I can't get past a '4' for them. It's just not everyday listening for me. Likewise, I'd never begrudge anyone who loves them and this album. Taste is funny that way. It's not automatic.

Well, I do like this album a bit more than Green (the previous R.E.M. entry we had on this list), but I still don't think I'll come around to being an actual fan. I definitely lean more into the Man On the Moon parts of R.E.M. than the Everybody Hurts tracks (my least favorite song of theirs, though there are a few contenders). But there's enough compelling material here (Drive, Ignoreland, MotM, and Nightswimming being the highlights for me) to overcome that blip and round this one up to a 4/5.

140. Automatic For The People - R.E.M. (1992) 7.12.26 Variety: 4 Adequacy: 5 Listenability: 5 Uniqueness: 5 Emotionality: 5 = 4.8 rounded up to a 5 "These things, they go away/ Replaced by everyday" We reviewed Green not that long ago, and after listening to that I went on a bit of a splurge, revisiting a ton of R.E.M.'s discography, including one on the list we haven't gotten around to yet - breaking a personal rule ( I listened to at least 5 times over the course of a week). It led me all over the place, including some live performances ( their Unplugged session is great) and dips into some similar acts, both sound-wise ( Miracle Legion/ Polaris) and stature-wise ( the Cure). R.E.M. is a band I find both emotionally and intellectually stimulating, and remain to this day up in the rarified air with all the A-class bands, which America seems short on compared to our cousins across the pond. In my opinion. By the time this album came out, I had heard tracks from their earlier albums, with Green I think being the first one where i had any sort of sense of who the band were ( "Pop Song 89" and "Stand" were all over MTV). Then Out of Time was the one where my interest in these guys as personalities was piqued. That's the one I think where they exploded fully into the mainstream, and the follow up the one where their mainstream legacy was set in stone. Automatic for the People is one of the earliest CDs I owned ( though I didn't bother buying it - used - until a few years later as I was still pretty invested in cassettes and this one was played SO much on MTV, not sure I thought I even needed a copy). Will have to check, but pretty sure that same copy is sitting snuggly in a CD case somewhere in my basement. I might have to see if it still works. THE TRACKS Side one "Drive" - Shivers. Yep, still the opening of this with the acoustic guitar and the big, portentous bass gets me every time. When Stipe comes in with his slap-back delay reverbed vocals it solidifies the BIGNESS on display, and sets the tone for the rest of the album. The electric guitar and the strings only serve to make it somehow even BIGGER, and by the end we've been picked up and shaken awake, by what is on the surface a down-tempo thing. The crispness of the production here stands out as well. Their stuff has always sounded great production-wise, but this has got that sort of Tears for Fears-ish clean, but not sanitized sort of expensive sound that they hadn't quite gotten around to yet. All of this is on point though, and for a track that, like so much of their stuff, that is lyrically ambiguous, you get a definite sense that this one has some sort of determined grudge bubbling beneath. Awesome song, and inexcusably snubbed from getting a spot on any of their greatest hits collections! "Try Not to Breathe" - Things stay low and quiet, and a maybe a little more friendly in tone. Some very pretty acoustic dulcimer work from Peter Buck, anchored by Bill Berry's massive bass drum sound, and augmented by electric bass and slide guitar. There's a great ( as always) counter melody from Mike Mills, and Stipe delivers the goods vocally with what seems to be a deathbed monologue of sorts. Somber but not quite sad, with "this decision is mine, I have lived a full life" the key line I think. Someone choosing to let go while maybe trying to comfort and console the person they are leaving. Pretty emotionally affecting and aspirational in that we should all be so luck as to be able to say goodbye on our on terms. That final organ note seems less funereal, and more like a resolute punctuation. "The Sidewinder Sleeps Tonite" - We get a nod to "The Lion Sleeps Tonight" in the opening refrain, and get anything but a tribute to that song. Instead we're treated with what seems to like a super specific private joke or reference to some specific person or situation. There's a lightness here that seems like an intentional bright spot given the melancholy and seriousness that hangs over he rest of the album, and the slight laugh from Stipe at the beginning of the third chorus is pretty indicative of this. Even as slight as it might seem, there's still some striking imagery and possibly something still lightly sad about missed connections, and physical separation from human contact. As impenetrable and nonsensical ( the music video certainly gives no hints) as it might seem to the listener though, it feels musically very much a part of the same fabric, and is no less catchy than anything else on here. "Everybody Hurts" - Should I be surprised that the iconic music video ( the most iconic outside of "Losing My Religion" maybe?) still maintains the self-harm warning on Youtube? I remember when this came out that it immediately became an anthem of, if not optimism, then maybe of self healing and acceptance. It's certainly the first bit of mainstream pop culture I recall dealing so openly, if tangentially with the themes of depression and suicide. I think it became a bit of punchline over the decades, but not so much that it endears as such. or a band that always seemed ahead of the curve in so many ways, the openness and straight faced manner in which they deal with the subject matter on here holds up incredibly well. I'll admit this one still hits hard for me, and I can imagine anyone who's ever suffered a major loss or battled with depression might feel the same. Some might get a little salty at how hard the song leans into poking at those scabs though. Sure, the rising strings and the music video in particular are emotionally manipulative in the extreme, but that's the purpose here. How else are we meant to engage with this sort of thing without those big emptions. Musically it's all subdued meditation, with the instruments themselves sounding almost defeated until that outro rises up we finally get the optimism just starting to shine through the clouds. And it's not celebratory by ANY means. Just mindfully accepting in tone. A realistic message that is still unfortunately rare to find in pop culture depictions. Maybe a weird left field comparison, but the Babadook movie is one of the few ones I can think of that lands on a similar resolution that accepts there are no real resolutions. Pain never goes anywhere, you just learn to live and deal with it in a way that it doesn't always feel so overwhelming. A truly beautiful song about human connection and the power of self awareness. "New Orleans Instrumental No. 1" - after all that headyness we could use s little bit of a come down I think. This was a charming little instrumental interlude that won't make anyone's day necessarily, but does provide some calming notes, and brighten the corners ever so slightly. "Sweetness Follows" - the cello on this from guest musician Knox Chandler pulses throughout like a heartbeat, and lends what could otherwise be seen as the little brother to "Everybody Hurts" a bit more... thunder. A meditation on grief and possibly the distance and walls that can form between families I think this one while not as maximalist as "Everybody Hurts" does the job of offering a bit more optimism and a sense of finality that is absent form that one. A pretty as this one is, there's an aura of regret than casts a pretty large, looming shadow still. Go - call your mom. Or your dad, brother, sister, whoever. Do it now while you're thinking of it. Side two "Monty Got a Raw Deal" - A fine number that sails along through a tale of what I took to be conformity in the face of human suffering, with someone repeatedly chastised for wanting to reach out and lend a helping hand to someone who is obviously in distress. The internets reveal that the subject of this song was likely the tragic life of Montgomery Clift, who's life and career as a star was cut short by a terrible car crash. Sure I guess. I prefer my reading, but as an ode to the tragic life of a Hollywood star this still shits all over the "Candle in the Wind". "Ignoreland" - Coming right after Dead Kennedy's Fresh Fruit for Rotting Vegetables, this can't help but feel a little feeble with its indignation over the right wing takeover of the 80s. But that sort of seems to be the message anyway - "this sucks, but too bad we can't do anything about it". As much as Biafra's more militant message feels energizing and exciting this one feels a bit more realistic. My pessimist streak certainly identifies more with Stipe's ultimate shrug of defeat after litany of offenses outlined in the lyrics. The despondency certainly feels much more applicable to our current "no-solution" situation to me anyway, where the fascists will continue to sink ever lower than you thought possible to keep their stranglehold applied to the American experiment, despite their relatively small numbers. "Star Me Kitten" - Church organs, metronomic cymbal work, and low register vocals guide us through this molasses-slow look at a relationship where maybe the fire, if it hasn't gone out yet, is in danger of doing so. The processed, choral backing vocals which have a distinct 10cc "I'm Not in Love" feel ( looked this up and confirmed to be an inspiration in the production - with Mills providing said vocals). I usually odn't like to read very much while I'm listening, but as each one of these tracks has gotten multiple playthroughs, I find myself curious, and so found this quote from Mike Mills that seems to sum things up pretty well - “It’s a very twisted love song. And Michael’s just saying, ‘Yeah, relationships are tough and ours may not be the best, but go ahead. What are you waiting for? F--k me!’” "Man on the Moon" - As much as I loved this song when it first came out, it did not dawn on me until much later that the song was about that funny dude who I had seen clips of on Letterman. I was a bit to young to have seen the original appearances, but still old enough to be a huge Letterman fan while he was still at NBC, and recall seeing clips somewhere and connecting them to the guy in Taxi. It was still pretty nebulous though until I must have read something ( maybe in an issue of Spin?) about the lyrics, and connected it to the "I'm from Hollywood" special I'd seen on cable. This was a tiny bit mind blowing, and I recall it made me start to pay closer attention to lyrics ( even if I still continued tom even to this day, mostly discount them) to stuff other than Weird Al songs. Though I'm in good company with Peter Buck who said that "I don't even worry about it. Lyrics are the last thing I listen to, unless someone is hitting me over the head with it." This one I think has grown more than any other off this album in the public consciousness as a key track in the band's discography, and it's easy to see why. Charming, funny, and lyrically equally both ambiguous and literal in it's mythologizing of a man whose life was a bundle of contradictions. And pretty sure the legendary nature of his exploits owe more than a lot to this song and its impact, both upon release and leading up to the mediocre biopic. A cult figure is given his flowers here, and through some pop cultural bit of alchemy, becomes more cemented in the mainstream psyche as a reference point that millions more understand, than otherwise would have been possible. My favorite parts on here are the twangy opening and the great backing vocals, but Stipe delivers one of his best vocal performances as well here. The whole thing is stitched together out of god-tier hooks, and an all time sing-a-long core vocal melody. This is the R.E.M. track that would belong on any more golden records we might decide to shoot into space. "Nightswimming" - My personal favorite track on the album, and in my opinion one of the prettiest songs of the 20th Century. Stipe's voice straining on the first line, along with all of the nostalgia porn throughout combine with the beautiful gospely piano line and sweetly rising strings ( thanks Mr. Jones!) to create the most vivid picture I can think of in song form of that very specific wistful longing for vaguely remembered childhood times that can enter your mind by any number of random triggers. And it's a fondness that only exists in those half-remembered snippets ( imagine running, shoeless through the grass chasing lightning bugs for example) and comes with a realization that the bright cold light of day washes away the magic and we're ultimately left in the real world of small, boring literalness of moments that add up to what is ultimately biding time. The tragedy is that none one ever gets to experience that fondness and appreciation for the good moments while we're actually in them. The concept of bittersweetness distilled into a never rushed, always pleasant 4 minutes and 16 seconds. "Find the River" - More bittersweetness to end on with what seems like an older person nearing the end who has a few words of advice for someone younger. With all the loss, anger, and sadness we've had on this album, this one does actually end things on an accepting, and possibly more optimistic note than most. But it's still worth mentioning that it could just as easily serve as a waring as it could a pop talk of any sort. HIGHLIGHTS - "Drive" - "Try Not to Breathe" - "The Sidewinder Sleeps Tonite" - "Everybody Hurts" - "New Orleans Instrumental No. 1" - "Sweetness Follows" - "Star Me Kitten" - "Man on the Moon" - "Nightswimming" MIDLIGHTS - "Monty Got a Raw Deal" - "Ignoreland" LOWLIGHTS FINAL THOUGHTS "All of this is coming your way" can be both sinister and hopeful depending no how you look at it. And I think this applies to the album as a whole. Given your temperament going in - be it sanguine or melancholic - will determine what you get out of it. For me this album has hit both ways at various times in my life ( this time around I found it more hopeful than not) and I think will continue to do so. More than a lot of albums I find this litmus test quality to be an essential part of the listening experience, and it's one I engage with on a deeper level than most. There are certainly albums I love more, that have more of an emotion effect on me, or that contain a lot catchier and memorable songs, but its hard to think of many that do all of these things at once, while also reaching out and shaking hands with the mainstream as successfully as this one has. I'm glad that we'll be getting two more from these guys - both great and deserving, one of which I just might count as my favorite pure listening experience ( no spoilers!), but I'm also sad there are only two left. For years I've avoided listening to much of anything past Monster from these guys, fearful of hearing a band I love begin the long unavoidable slide into mediocrity. I've just wanted to keep them preserved in the amber of my 14 year old memory I guess. I think this project has inspired me to try and overcome that urge though, and I think once the remaining list albums are out of the way I might go on a spree and do the whole catalog in release order, B-sides, rarities, and all. There are only a handful of artists that would prompt this sort of enthusiasm for me, and I've already done this with the Beatles, so... Overall, a great experience revisiting this and I might just give it a few more spins, though a bit more casually than one of these review centric listens entails. Also worth mentioning - this is the second album in less than a week's time that John Paul Jones has had his calloused fingers in, with Donovan's Sunshine Superman featuring him as a session player along with Jimmy Page. Jones provided the string arrangements for several songs on this, and if the roster of other giants of the industry he has worked with is any indication, he is bound to pop up several more times before we even get to any of Zeppelin's 5 ( count them! 5!) entries proper. PLAYLIST ALTERATIONS - Never FURTHER LISTENING - These guys are so singular that I find it hard to find much similar to recommend, but here goes anyway: - Out of Time by R.E.M. - Bloodflowers by The Cure - Everybody Else Is Doing It, So Why Can't We? by the Cranberries - Siamese Dream by Smashing Pumpkins - Portrait of a Damaged Family by Miracle Legion - The Bends by Radiohead - Tigerlily by Natalie Merchant - Elliott Smith by Elliott Smith - Ukulele Songs by Eddie Vedder

Not too long ago we had R.E.M.'s "Green" album and on that review I called them pioneers of the alternative rock sound. "Green" sounded 5 years later than its 1998 release suggests. So what would an the album they did release nearly 5 years later actually sound like. Well, it sounds exactly of its time, 1992, but also effortlessly timeless. This album might be the full maturation of alternative rock. There is a disenchantment over the whole album that I never got in my pre-teen/teenage years. Oh, I understood it on a track like "Everybody Hurts" but that was a channel changer/bathroom break video when I was watching MTV at my young age. I missed the electronic guitar coming in near the end and dropping the song lower with the lead sound. "Man on the Moon" seemed goofy and the nostalgia again went right over my head. I was an oblivious teen, I guess. Now the tracks that catch me are the somber numbers, "Nightswimming," and "New Orleans Instrumental No. 1." This is good contemplation music. I once slept an entire evening to this album on loop because I forgot to set the sleep timer. Good sleeping music too. I say that as a complement. Yeah, 1992 was the year that alternative music conquered the world so it might be a quick trigger to say that an album of that year is the genre fully formed, and one would probably be right saying that, but it feels like it when I listen to this album 30+ years on now. In 1992 R.E.M. had been at this for a decade by then. That 10 year mark is an interesting one because some say this is R.E.M.'s best album. Seems like when a band lasts that long the album around their 10 year mark is often one of their best. Would be interesting to examine. So here I am giving R.E.M. another 5. When I began this project I would not have guessed that I would be giving R.E.M. multiple 5-star ratings, but maybe it is how foundational they were to my favorite musical years that they give me so much nostalgia. I only discovered their deep cuts years after the fact, but they really hit home and bring me back to the 1990s in a good way.

why is try not to breathe so good? a very solid album. enjoyed more than i expected

That's good shtuff

Not the best REM but some great songs

I know people love R.E.M. but I think they must be an acquired taste, because I just don’t get it. The songs kinda run together, all sounding so similar, there’s not a lot of upbeat and it kinda drones on.

Good!

i didn’t like the first one and maybe the last one

guilty pleasure.

*Hopelessness, anger and loss Drive Everybody hurts Night swimming Man on the moon

fine

A lot of samey ballads one after another, but enjoyable nontheless.

9/10

aparentemente eu vivo em uma bolha pq só descobri a existência desses caras agora 22hrs da noite não é muito meu estilo não, só to escutando pra aumentar meus minutos no spotify meu deus eu conheço os caras sim da música de comercial pra doação de médicos sem fronteiras ta me dando vontade de dormir

I've always loved their singles but I've never listened to this album before. It's pretty much perfect. It's emotional and heartfelt. The tunes are insanely catchy. Michael Stipe has a great voice and the rest of the band tie it all together. Five stars.

Some beautiful songs like Nightswimming and Everybody hurts. But overall just a bit unexciting.

Different and I love everybody hurts. I just couldn't get into the other songs

Let me start at the end by saying that Automatic For the People is one of my favorite albums, it's one of the all-time great albums. It's an easy 5 star. This is a Southern Gothic masterpiece in musical form. The songs are often melancholic moody songs, but I don't want to stop listening to them. Man on the Moon, Sidewinder, Drive, Nightswimming, Everybody Hurts are just all of them great songs. Man on the Moon, Nightswimming, and Find the River make an amazing three song punch to close this record.

it has potential in the beginning but after a little bit it sounds like a very ordinary Americana divorced dad album.

Heard before?:❌️ Will listen again?:❌️

Pretty good, but didn’t have the standout hits I remember.

It’s just too much REM.

I wasn't expecting to like this one as much as I did. This bangs and I'm glad I have heard it

Not super familiar with R.E.M. other than their hits, but there are 2-3 songs on here that I initially thought were Losing My Religion. Imagine my disappointment...

Despite this list’s best try, my opinion of REM remains unchanged. I will always love “Man on the Moon” because of the Jim Carrey/Andy Kaufman movie and documentary, but this album was a snoozer for me.

Now that I have a more complete picture of this band, this feels like their peak in terms of production value. Big strings and loads of instrumentation create a more cinematic and emotional REM. I’ve always liked Man on the Moon and found a few new ones I enjoyed.

A bit too suburban mall for me, but there are some good tunes on this. I can’t help but think of that one guy on 60 songs who trashed nightswimming because he thought it was obnoxiously self-indulgent nostalgia. I kinda get that. Although I also identify with it a bit too. lol.

Good overall album. Kind of a slow country vibe.

STAR ME KITTEN

# Album Name: Automatic For The People # Artist: REM # Rating: 5/5 # Comments: Great album with plenty of bangers. # Top Tunes: drive / sidewinder / everybody hurts / sweetness follows / MOTM / Nightswimming # Would I listen to it again? Yes

As expected the ratio of great songs to album filler is quite high, classics nearly every one with only a couple of album fillers. An evening listening and fairly chill even with the more upbeat tracks. It's mix is of its time, i'd worry about any remaster affecting the dynamics and its subtle stereo mix

This is my 3rd or 4th REM album in this project and when I think of REM it is apparently the sound of this album I am expecting to hear. This was great! And I am thrilled about this 3 hour deluxe version of it.

More R.E.M? I started this perfect to hear music that was exciting and new to me. R.E.M, in their third appearance on my list, are neither. And, in fact, out of the last 10 albums on my list, 8 of them are artists which have already appeared. For the album itself, honestly this is the best R.E.M. album so far, but that's not a very high bar. I found a couple of the central tracks pretty musical, which I realise is also faint praise. if I were editing the next edition, I would ditch the other two albums and keep this. It's got some good tracks and also Everybody Hurts, which as close to essential as anything R.E.M. have done.

Classic. Knew this album inside out and lovely to revisit it.

Not a huge REM fan but this is one of their best

The band set out to make a hard rocking album. They failed completely and accidentally made one of the greatest records of the 1990s. Sometimes being bad at your original plan is the best thing that can happen to you. Peter Buck, Mike Mills and Bill Berry spent months in a rehearsal studio trading instruments and writing songs without Michael Stipe present, which is either a profound creative strategy or a very polite way of saying they needed a break from each other. They handed him the demos in early 1992. Stipe listened and described the music as pretty weird, more acoustic, more organ-based, less drums. He then went away and wrote an album about death, loss, AIDS, Reagan, grief and his dying grandmother. This is not what most bands do when handed a set of mid-tempo ballads but it is absolutely what R.E.M. did and it is exactly right. John Paul Jones, yes that John Paul Jones, arranged the strings for Drive, Everybody Hurts, The Sidewinder Sleeps Tonite and Nightswimming. He showed up with charts, directed the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra, swapped autographs with everyone afterward, and then went out for drinks and what he described as a bit of old style rock and roll behavior. Nobody deserved that dinner more. The title comes from a slogan at a soul food restaurant in Athens, Georgia called Weaver D's. Automatic for the People means we will take care of you without you having to ask. That is also what this album does. They did not tour. Not for Out of Time, not for this. Stipe's explanation was that you cannot play a festival in Belgium in front of 45,000 drunk muddy people and perform beautifully orchestrated slow songs. He is correct. Instead the album was left to stand entirely on its own merits, which turned out to be considerable given that it sold 18 million copies worldwide and topped the UK charts four separate times. Meanwhile the press, noting Stipe's thin frame and the album's relentless meditation on death, began printing rumors that he was dying of AIDS. His response was to wear a baseball cap to the Grammys that read White House, Stop AIDS. Stipe should be protected at all costs. This review stands by that position without reservation. Man on the Moon almost had no vocals. Stipe could not find the lyrics. He finally finished the song by walking around Seattle thinking about Kurt Cobain's use of the word yeah in Nirvana songs, and decided to end it with more yeahs than any Nirvana song had ever used. That is the most 1992 sentence in recorded history and the song is perfect. Monster came next. I lost interest. We do not talk about Monster. 5 out of 5. All five stars awarded without negotiation, without caveats, and without a single deduction for anyone's personal conduct.

danilo i ja smo pojeli brauni koji nam je uros doneo za godisnjicu useljenja. dosta je gadan. album je oke za sad stigli smo do pola, ne mogu da kazem da bih ikad ponovo slusala ijednu pesmu. znam samo everybody hurts. ne svidja mi se njegov glas, osim toga nije lose. znam ipak i man on the moon.

This album makes Foever Blue feel like Carnival. I kinda stopped paying close attention to REM after Out of Time, maybe even Green, but obviously they were unavoidable in the 90s. I've never listened to this album as I whole and I never will again. It's even sadder than I remember people being in the 90s

I did not really enjoy 'drive' I don't really enjoy this style of music. I do like, 'try not to breathe' The sidewinder sleeps tonight is also ptetty good. Ignoreland is not too bad I like man on the moon

music is love

Banco, pero hasta ahí. Un clásico R.E.M. igualmente

R.E.M is toch wel peak WMvMLmuziek… daarom wil ik graag nu op de rem trappen met dat genre. Wanneer is het genre WMvML leeftijd genoeg geweest? Ik ben er al klaar mee, laat staan hoe jullie daar tegenover staan met 100+ extra albums.

Vorige REM Album had ik een 1 gegeven. Dit albums is wel een heel stuk beter. Het is meer sferisch en de arrangementen zijn beter. De stem is ook iets lager wat minder irriteert.

Ik vind het een geweldig album! Nee ik lieg, ik vind het niet leuk Ik zou liegen als ik zou zeggen, dat ik maar wat doet.

Solid song writing. Good listen, but not mind-blowing. "Monty Got a Raw Deal" was my favorite track.

Drive is a good R.E.M song. Do you have to put the periods in the band name? Everybody Hurts was the big song off the album and it's super overrated. I like New Orleans Instrumental No. 1 though. I am not loving the album tracks. Man On The Moon is a good song as well. Nightswimming suuuuucks. It's like the embodiment of whiny rock, like Ben Folds without a sense of humor.

Baustelle, Gerstetten, Deutschland. Fast nur Banger!

Everybody hurttssss cool medio lento pero bien

Decent but not my jam

I loved this record when it was first out, but hadn't listened to it in quite a while. I still liked it, there are some solid songs ("Nightswimming," e.g.), but on listening to all of R.E.M. in retrospect recently I have to say that I prefer their earlier jangly, incomprehensible stuff better. But this is nice.

rem is always a safe bet. idk how they always manage to make some good shit, its really impressive

Whiny sad boi music (complimentary).

Just some super chill tunes, great production. Easy to listen to and interesting on top of it, really enjoyable.

was fine didn't finish, i did like the instrumentals

More less.

5/5.

Hey maybe the UK knows how to do something else than Beatles slop

Love this album - I won’t say front-to-back bangers, but pretty damn close

Early R.E.M. >>>>>>> later R.E.M. Never like this album. They're brilliant, but I'd take any of their first five albums over this one. Too much piano, mandolin, and warbling.

•DRIVE - Love this endlessly. I feel like a modern cowboy. •TRY NOT TO BREATHE - not my fav but still royally like. •THE SIDEWINDER SLEEPS TONITE -> we've got to moogie moogie move on with this one. Not my fav. •EVERYBODY HURTS -> who doesnt know this. I love love love. I think willie nelson would do a mean cover. so far this album is country music for people who don't realise they like country. •NEW ORLEANS INSTRUMENTLA NO.1 -> yum yum yum in my tum tum tum •SWEETNESS FOLLOWS -> love the title. Very cute. Think I would like to hear cocteau twins cover or Julee Cruise or maybe even John Grant. •MONTY GOT A RAW DEAL -> yet again riding my mare through the western plains. •IGNORELAND -> wasnt really paying attention. I think it woukd be really good live. •STAR ME KITTEN -> very very cute name. Sweet song. I love it so much. •MAN ON THE MOON -> 5 seconds in and I can tell I'm going to love it. I loved it. •NIGHT SWIMMING -> beautiful concept for a song equally beautiful execution. favourite from this album. So unbelievably gorgeous. •FIND THE RIVER -> very nice end to this album. I can see the lighters waving in the crowd.

Everybody hurrrrrts I love the shiny happy people song by REM. It isn't on this album but I'm still really liking it so far. Sometimes this guy's voice kinda bothers me, I can't really say why, it just does. Maybe sounds a bit too cheesy 90s for me. Idk. But I'm really liking this vibe.