Automatic For The People

I liked this record quite a bit, but that said, I've never been a super huge R.E.M. fan and it's probably because everything is just way too straight. I like weirder music, and while they definitely are not mainstream pop, they are closer to that then they are progressive rock or new wave or Zappa. My feelings about R.E.M. are probably colored by my belief that they were one of the last "record label" pushed bands -- they were allegedly alternative but that said they weren't as adventurous as other bands of the same era, and their singles and videos were always on heavy rotation... the hype around each new release just built and built for years and years.

I guess

That was nice! I enjoyed it a lot. Would listen again.

I didn’t realise how many REM songs I knew, and also just how many are found on this particular album. If I have the radio on, I could probably safely bet money on hearing at least one song from this album every day. I’m curious of if that’s simply a UK thing or if REM are this played everywhere. The familiarity definitely enhanced the listening experience, although I do want to note that the tracks I didn’t already know were also good fun. I quite liked this. More, in fact, than I expected to.

I know that R.E.M. isn’t a goofy band, but I always associate them as such a bit. This album is definitely a departure from that persona.

This is the iconic album for Michael Stipe and R.E.M. Drive is a classic, no questions about that. The album is well put together from a flow perspective, all songs go together. Just misses my 5 rating as I look for those same elements but more hits to carry you all the way through. I loved it and still love R.E.M. as they were a bad that fully influenced an era and their music stands the test of time!

4 out of 5, classic R.E.M. It's been a while, but Sidewinder Sleeps Tonite and Everybody Hurts are great songs. Overall good album, probably my third favorite of theirs.

-I wasn’t a huge fan at first but I got more into it during the second half of the album, his voice is good -Favorites are Drive, Monty Got A Raw Deal, and Star Me Kitten

Another banging classic. Needs no more review than that

This is my most-scrobbled R.E.M. album according to my Last.FM stats, with 3 full plays in the past 9 years plus numerous selections of individual tracks. I have a fair familiarity with it. If it was the first time I'd heard this album I wouldn't be a fan. Drive isn't a particularly ear-catching opener, but purely out of familiarity, I felt somewhat connected to it. It's interesting how you react to music differently after you've already been exposed to it. I'm giving it a 4 because I enjoyed re-hearing this collection, but I'm adamant I would have given it a 3 or lower on first spin.

REM is the DROAT (dad rockiest of all time). Quite a few big time tracks on this one, outside of those everything blends into same-ness for me. I think if lyrics were higher in my criteria it would be higher, 3.5/5

these guys are always a good listen

R.E.M. býr til þessa líka prýðilegu plötu sem ég mun reyna eftir fremsta megni að muna eftir að setja á af og til. Ég fíla þá og hálfpartinn skammast mín fyrir hversu sjaldan ég spila plötur með þeim. Þessi fengi 3.5 stjörnur en ég í skömmustu minni toga hana upp í 4

Without doubt my favourite REM album. I saw them play at Slane festival with 110,000 other people and they were awesome I love this album and I especially love 'losing my religion', 'Drive', 'Man on the moon' and 'Sidewinder Sleeps Tonite' I really love 'Drive' Wish this was a weekend album!

I've never been a massive REM fan and I find Michael Stipe's vocal style a little irritating, BUT theres a lot of nostalgia here! REM absolutely ruled the airwaves when I was growing up and despite having never owned any of their albums I can still sing a bunch of their tracks word for word. I really enjoyed this listen through, particularly the songs that haven’t been overplayed to death on the radio.

Great album, really enjoyed this one.

I've always enjoyed REM when I've heard them but until recently hadn't listened to any of their albums back to front. So far I've heard this one and Green. I prefer this one without question. Definitely gonna save this one to revisit later.

Great album, has some of the big hits and typical R.E.M moodiness

What can I say, this album is just fun and beautiful.

I have so many fond memories of all these early R.E.M. albums. I was in a high school band around the time Out Of Time was released and I remember our bass player being obsessed with R.E.M. to the point to where he’s the first person I think of every time I listen to them. I particularly remember a time when I walked out to our drummer's garage/rehearsal space and there was our bass player playing R.E.M. songs that he’d been learning. In that moment it struck me how memorable those bass lines are. They have so many songs that you can hear the bass line and immediately know what song it is. Obviously this is true for really all four musicians in this band. Since then I’ve really come to admire Michael Stipe for his take on being an artist and his political activism. Recently I was listening to his interview on the Smartless podcast and was really struck by how much this band was just trying to figure things out for those first 3 albums. I mean the first song on their first album was a radio hit immediately and they kinda had no idea what they were doing. Obviously by the time this album came out they had things figured out and it shows here. This is a collection of perfectly crafted pop rock songs that on their own could stand the test of time, but it’s Michael’s heartfelt vocal delivery that send these songs over the top. The Sidewinder Sleeps At Night, Man On The Moon and Nightswimming are my favorites from this one.

After the success of "Losing My Religion" from the previous album, the world of music changed, and grunge and 'alternative rock' marched in with its own sounds and ideals that the radio and MTV ate wholeheartedly. Many groups jumped on the bandwagon and rode the wave. How did R.E.M. respond? They didn't. They just kept doing what they do really well, and the world returned to them, grunge still in tow. Automatic For The People was not solely responsible for the openness and acceptingness of the times that allowed grunge and non-grunge to coexist peacefully together (radio played piano art of Tori Amos, industrial Nine Inch Nails, bubblegum Cardigans, prog-metal Tool, squealing noise-rap of House of Pain, sugar pop of Sugar Ray, etc. all in the same hour), but I do believe it helped to make room for more than just one sound or style to be appreciated. My general complaint about R.E.M. is that most of their 'songs' are the same 4 chords repeated consistently. From a chord standpoint, there is no intro, verse, chorus, bridge, or coda. The band plays a chord arrangement, and Michael lays down some evocative musings and if he repeats a phrase, "Hey! There's a chorus!!" For the most part, the song still turns out well. But when the songwriting ventures to add a chord change or two, we get an elevated version of themselves, and we see that version explored a bit more during the Warner Bros years, including here on Automatic For The People. "Nightswimming" is one of R.E.M.'s best songs in their entire catalog, and hits like "Drive" and "Everybody Hurts" validates a place for honest sensitivity in pop music. Michael Stipe has one of those emotive voices that make everything he says sound deep and meaningful. The softer songs on this album shine through the most for me on this album. Congrats on their recent induction into the songwriter's hall of fame.

Nice album, with some line-less pieces

This was hard because it's probably one of my top listened to albums as it goes. That said, Everybody Hurts is the worst REM song and it kills the momentum on the album in a way that it never fully recovers from. My tape was slightly warped from always skipping that song. I decided to be fair and include it in the listen this time. Still sucks.

dig the instrumental!

Enjoyed most of it, the last few songs are a bit too gloomy for me

Really liked this band

Coincidentally I'm in Atlanta, GA and R.E.M is from Athens, GA. Was listening to Man on the moon and ran into Lewis

I like R.E.M's style and have listened to another of their albums before. I enjoyed this one and loved the famous Everybody Hurts.

Nightswimming might be the best REM song, and the rest of this album is killer, albeit equally depressing. Not a bad thing, but you have to be in the mood for it for sure.

A couple familiar songs. Pretty mellow feeling throughout the record. 3.5/5

Top ten album of the 1990’s. REM was great alternative music for me growing up.

Tres ó cuatro canciones memorables. REM alcanzan su plenitud.

nightswimming!!

sorry for ruining the perfect score. i rly only like a few from here, and the rest im meh on.

Damn, okay. Number three from REM, still no sign of "Losing My Religion." But this has to be my favorite that we've had so far. A few big hits, like "Everybody Hurts" and "Man on the Moon," plus some others that I hadn't heard before but loved, especially "Nightswimming." I really love Michael Stipe's voice, and this album is just really excellent. I'm not holding my breath at this point for the "Losing My Religion" album, but if they all sound this good, I'm chilling. Favorite tracks: Everybody Hurts, Man on the Moon, Nightswimming, Drive, The Sidewinder Sleeps Tonite, New Orleans Instrumental. Album art: Not entirely sure what I'm looking at, some sort of spiky block or something, over a mostly blank, grey backdrop with a bit of texture. Not too elaborate or memorable, but the bold font helps a lot. 4.5/5

I should probably listen to more REM

Have loved this album for a long time! It set the tone for the nineties. IT was on heavy rotation on the CD player in my car!! The band was groundbreaking in the eighties and then got the recognition they deserved in the 90's. Sounds as fresh today as it did then!

epic

I think R.E.M grew in an interesting way. It makes sense. But I prefer the earlier, more rocking stuff better. That said, this has some incredible songs and even if it's not my favorite it's still really really good.

everybody hurts

It's an overall really nice album, with some great hits in there. It's strange, but when you're actively listening to an album you notice so much more. I wasn't too aware before just how much organ was on some of these songs. I also like the jangly guitars and the violins. There's some standout songs in here. Everybody Hurts has to take it though, it's such a beautiful song, my god. My favourite songs are generally the ones I already knew, but 'Find the River' is a lovely end to the album. Great stuff.

If you Try Not To Breathe when you listen to this album while Nightswimming, Sweetness Follows.

love wonderful

revelation nation

Good mid-period R.E.M.

I've always liked REM.

A nostalgia blast.

It’s kind of crazy that this album just just pushed “out of time” to the side. This is some of the best music R.E.M. has made. It’s just not the R.E.M-iest.

This album and Out of Time are the two albums that defined REM for me. They were both recorded around the time of high school graduation.

Wasn’t huge into REM back when, but seems like my brothers and cousins were so have heard this album many times. It’s one I could listen to again.

Own this one. Definitely up there on the list. Was good to hear it again. It’s been a while.

Overall solid album.

Pretty good, probably three and a half stars. I wasn't fully in the mood for it but it was a nice chill listen. It didn't wow me but I really have nothing to complain about. I'm already familiar with REM, and I'm pretty sure I've heard this album before. Man on the moon and Night swimming are favorites here, both songs already have personal meaning to me.

Great for when you’re sad, this album captures melancholy very well. If you’re in a good mood, it doesn’t work as well.

A good old album

Everybody hurts and man on the moon were the only songs I recognized, but loved the closer, ignoreland and even the instrumental overall a 8-9/10 album

I don’t know why I expected to dislike this (as I’m not really familiar with R.E.M.) but it was surprisingly good. Nice and melancholy, though I must admit, also a little boring at times. Favorite tracks: Try Not To Breathe, The Sidewinder Sleeps Tonite, Sweetness Follows 3.5 rounded up

Excellent. 4,5

So far on this site I've had several R.E.M. albums, about 3% of the albums to date! Anyway, R.E.M. is one of those bands I never really cared for back then. Didn't particularly hate them either. After having R.E.M. pushed at my via this list, I think I like them a bit better, but not enough to rush out an buy a copy. It's a pretty consistent album, Sidewinder and Everybody Hurts stand out for me.

I guess I just like R.E.M. Two albums in three days. They’re truly lovely. Stipe’s voice is so weirdly average and simultaneously iconic.

REM Everybody hurts is so simple and great. Sweetness follows is also great . Find the River is good. Least favorite was Drive. String arrangements by John Paul Jones 3.5

This is really good but REM has never really done it for me. Don’t love the singing. So much better than most of the stuff we’ve been getting lol. 3.5

This sounds like liquid gold compared to the other stuff we’ve been forced to listen to. My favorite was Ignoreland

really easy listening, some of the songs are a little too boring or slow. lyrics and songwriting are excellent, especially the last few songs

Not bad music, just not a fan of the singing.

The last album Kurt Cobain listened to before he died... I really like R.E.M and love Michael Stipe's voice, which reminds me so much of Gord Downie's. "Man on the Moon" is a great hit on this album but I also really liked "Ignoreland" and "Nightswimming."

points for being the first(?) album on the list to reference classic board games

A very pensive and mature album, probably my favorite I’ve heard by REM. Lots of radio hits on here, which is kinda funny since it’s pretty quiet and slow. Definitely one worth replaying. Best song: Nightswimming

I get what u guys r saying ab the good album streak! I liked this, just an easy good listen 8/10

This is the kind of good album I was talking about when I asked why nobody could make one. Nice lead vocals, good song structure, balanced mix, enough melodic/rhythmic variation between and within songs to keep it interesting. That said, it’s just a good album, not a great album… checks all the boxes and doesn’t do that much more for me. 7/10

7/10 - Everybody hurts is such a meme song but there were some absolute bangers in this album Ignoreland was the only one I had not heard that I liked quite a lot. But The Sidewinder Sleeps Tonite is good and so is Man on the Moon and Nightswimming

I really liked this. The back half especially was super solid, and the last few songs were bangers. I just don’t think I can give this a 5 because the first half of the album wasn’t my favorite 8/10

Despite being their most acclaimed and popular album, I actually don't care for it as much as their earlier releases. I can admit their sound is much more sophisticated, with clear vocals, slower tempos, and mature lyrics while still emphasizing Stripe's distinguished whiney vocal style and jangly folk pop melodies, this time accompanied by orchestral strings. Songs like "The Sidewinder Sleeps Tonight" do evoke a sense of their earlier hits but much more confident and complete. The strengths of this album lie in the front and back. "Drive" is a fantastic memorable song unlike anything else they've done. "Try Not to Breathe" is an awesome ballad with his most emotional vocals and a fun jangly melody. "Sidewinner Sleeps Tonight" is a bright fun song that evokes their earlier hits but much more confident and complete. Loud and energetic. "Everybody Hits" is their simple slow folk ballad that somehow became tied for their most famous song. It's a good ballad with some Bealesesque strings near the end, just a bit cliche and overdramatic while dragging on longer than it had to. "New Orleans Instrumental No. 1" is a strange but lovely jazz instrumental. A bit repetitive and unlike anything else from their catalog, but it's a nice interlude. "Sweetness Follows" is an ambient track with forgettable vocals but atmospheric between the strings, jangly guitar, and distortion. I really liked the ending. "Monty Got a Raw Deal" is a bit generic but the guitars have a tint of western and what sounds like a Japanese koto near the end. "Ignoreland" is a noise rock outlier on here, with a loud distorted hard rock sound. I find it conflicts by his boring vocals here, with not much going on. I did really like the last minute. "Star Me Kitten" is a beautiful lullaby ballad. I did find it boring and forgettable. The album picks up into a monumental finish with "Man on the Moon." It's loud, lush, and catchy. My only complaint is that it did sound a bit repetitive. They could have cut the middle verse and chorus, instead of dragging on to over 5 minutes. "Nightswimming" is a beautiful bright ballad that evokes a sense of hope and nostalgia. The strings and pianos work really well to compliment his voice. It took me a few listens, but I really love that last minute. Seems to be a theme with this album, where the beginning of a song entices it, it loses me in the middle, then wows me at the end. "Find the River" is our melancholic closer. I like the contrast with the high-pitched strings, the angelic back vocals, and his provocative poetic songwriting. Some consider this to be their best song. Looking back on this record, I can why it's so beloved by both fans and the mainstream. It's consistent with plenty of innovative ideas, mature songwriting, and clean production. It's just not my style. I prefer REM at their most lo-fi, jangly, and punk.

I knew the hits. Only one other song really spoke to me. They definitely have a sound, but I like it and it holds up.

Solid 4.0 for Michael Stipe

Classic 90s album. It was on heavy rotation in the car CD player. I reminds me of feeling sick.

Really liked this one, def one I’d go back to

It's hard to place where REM fits in the history of rock. Their quality is superb but it's slightly difficult to find their influence in modern rock given the scale of their best albums. This isn't their best work in my opinion, but the highs are as good as any of their albums. The ending of this album just floors me with emotion, doing what they do best

this is a great album. songs of recollection and existence... it's beautiful, emotional and melancholic from start to finish. it's done in such a way like no other. this mellowed out rock is just sublime, really makes you think. not sure if i'm feeling a perfect five but a four will suffice.

Rating: 8.5/10 Great album overall. A lot of catchy melodies, jangly riffs, and beautiful orchestral elements. The singles were a highlight in particular but the whole album is great, although sometimes slightly boring. Favorite songs: Drive, Try Not To Breathe, Everybody Hurts, New Orleans Instrumental No. 1, Monty Got A Raw Deal, Man On The Moon, Nightswimming. Worst song: Star Me Kitten.

It's alright, its got some good songs in it

Classic. But -1 for Everybody Hurts starting the slow part of the album. Heinous stuff.

Really enjoyed this album. Something about the singers voice is very nostalgic to me.

It starts with Drive which is a great track. I’ve heard this before and always liked it. Try Not to Breathe was new to me. Really great sounding track. Everybody Hurts is a classic, and beautifully melancholy but hopeful. Monty Got a Raw Deal and Sweetness had a nice, mellow sound. Man on the Moon remains one of my favorites. Star Me Kitten was my least favorite track on the album. It’s just didn’t vibe with me. The rest of the tracks were ok - didn’t love them, didn’t hate them. Overall I give it a 4 - nice, mellow sound with several standout tracks

Many catchy melodies that surround somber themes. It lacks some punch but delivers depth and authenticity.

Drive 4 Try not to breathe 3 The sidewinder sleeps tonight 3 Everybody hurts 5 New Orleans instrumental No.1 2 Sweetness follows 3 Monty got a raw deal 2 Ignoreland 3 Star me kitten 2 Man on the moon 4 Nightswimming 4 Find the river 4

It is a soundtrack to my high school years. 4 stars because I like early REM slightly better, but a great album nevertheless.

This is one of the first albums I got into without the influence of my older brother. There a lot of sad songs on this album, and some of the songs bring back some not so pleasant memories. But it's an album I love and I'm glad I got into when I did.

Drive Everybody Hurts Man On The Moon

classic with so many popular hits by R.E.M. very solid album.

Nice album -- often relaxing, but also dark. This album does a great job hitting heavy themes without overly-heavy music. I think the only song I was familiar with was "Everybody Hurts," but there were lots of great tunes... I will say, though, that nothing stood out as unforgettable.

Buen album para comenzar, unas lindas armonias casi siempre con guitarra. Justo estaba con la mía asi que aproveché de sacarme algunos temas de oido. Diría que nightswimming es el tema que mas me gustó pero la mayoria de canciones son buenas tambien

4.5

This was more acoustic forward than I anticipated.

Standout tracks: Drive, Ignoreland, Man on the Moon. Pretty good, would listen to again.

Such a fun album with many great songs! A couple throwaways keep it from being a 5/5. Find the river is my fave!

So. I enjoyed seeing this cover pop up: pleasant music that I know and like well enough, enjoy my time with it, give it a 4 or 5, move on. Maybe take the opportunity to dig deeper into R.E.M.'s work. And then I started to wonder why I never quite *loved* them. And then I started to see. It's Your Friendly Neighbourhood Music. Music that rescued Little Becky's kitten. Helped clean up Mrs. Rosario's yard after the terrible storm last month. Which is all very nice and of course it is, but... I have picked up a word from other people's reviews over time and it is a good descriptor: "beige". Like that oboe(?) in Nightswimming, for instance? That's fucking beige. All of what the instruments are doing here is just, here's that word: boring. Also: safe, courteous, bland, mid. An inoffensive backdrop for Stipes' singing. But then I also understand how I'm not doing it justice by just looking at the sensations I get from this music's soundwaves pounding my eardrums and suddenly I find myself missing the days of buying CDs and flicking through booklets, reading the lyrics and then "Automatic For The People" does a full circle and makes me feel nostalgic and it becomes... a 4 after all? Yeah. Rightly so. A good 4. Done.

Great album, I’ve never really listened to REM outside of singles but this is a beautiful album

EASY 4. Lots of absolutely beautiful songs. Brings a bit of a tear to my eye because this was the third album I picked when I was doing my independent Album of the Day Club with my college friends a little over 5 years ago. I surprisingly have pretty much the same opinion of the album today as I did back then (which was pretty great), although I've certainly warmed up to the last song a lot. In my review back then, I said that Nightswimming could be a Disney or Christmas song, but in a good way. I think I still stand by that. Near-perfect song. The slow songs are the strongest on here, but Man On The Moon, Ignoreland, and Sidewinder are great uptempo ones that diversify the album well. Overall, super consistent album that has remained wonderful over the years. Quite nice to listen to it all the way through again.

This is IMO R.E.M.’s best and most consistent record. I remember the first time I listened to it start to finish and how it finally made me realize why people like REM. The final 3 song stretch of this album is 5 star worthy

The popular ones on this album are great. The deep cuts are great. Don’t remember enjoying this album this much last time I listened to it. Ran it back once i finished it

One of the better R.E.M. albums. I like how dark and brooding this one is, and the cover really matches that vibe. Interesting mix of acoustic and electric sounds.

Pretty good harmonies, could be higher energy

really enjoyable album to listen to in the background while working.

Heel beluisterbaar, beetje wat je ook in de wachtkamer bij de tandarts te horen krijgt. Everybody huuuuuuuurts!!

very nice sound

Very unique voice here. Enjoyable and it has some hits on it

Michael Stipe’s vocal ballads are the albums focal center.

Had this on CD. One of their best.

Wanted to be a hater at the start but it reeled me back in.

ja prima

So I always thought REM were depressing and dull... But this is actually decent for the most part and a fun listen

Awesome!

Had never listened to an R.E.M album all of the way through. This fucks. Love the blend of glam rock and acoustic ballads. Favorite songs Try Not to Breathe, Ignoreland, and Man on the Moon

Great album. It was perfect for putting on while getting stuff done around the house.

so good my man, Monster (1983) is better, but this is a

I was a casual fan of R.E.M. when they were at peak popularity in the early 90s. You couldn't go anywhere without hearing "Losing My Religion," "Shining Happy People," "Man on the Moon," or "Everybody Hurts." This is a solid album from beginning to end. There's a melancholy vibe that travels throughout most of the songs. Perfect for playing on an overcast and/or rainy day.

This was a great listen. It wasn't my bag growing up and that's disappointing. I missed out for sure.

It's the most direst REM album, and it has some amazing tracks, absolute all timers. Night swimming, Man on the Moon, Everybody Hurts. It's so close to a five star album, it just doesn't quite hit that height for me.

Prob their best album. Lovely sondwriting and production. Dont like Sidewinder.

klassiska isk vet nettä detta är vitriol a no situation i n have shouted the winner 1979 caoo that ruuy GREGORY!!!!! översättaren glömde att man måste prata på svenska och inte på engelska HEH....... anti-drog nonsens. två veckor och sedan kommer tentorna rygg mot rygg mot rygg mot rygg. jag m¨ste. https://1001albumsgenerator.com/ben, käykää trollaamassa idioottia. drive

Low key, good listen

Fabulous

I prefer Document. But this is a great album.

A good solid 4 for a solid 4* band. Always wanted to like REM more than what I do, and I think this album is the closest Ive come to understanding how loved they are. There’s always just a little something stopping me going all in with REM though and Im not sure what it is. Part of me thinks if they werent as polished Id probably like them more. I dunno. Either way, this is a very very good record with few lulls. Theyre clearly excellent. Ignoreland and Drive were my standouts. Probably heard enough to be back, got a feeling this might be a grower for me

Would still say I prefer Reveal, despite this being on the whole, excellent. I've heard many of the songs on the album before, love Man on the Moon, but re-listening to Nightswimming is a bit of a revelation. Maybe I'm in a melancholy mood, but, truly great stuff. One of the easiest 4 stars I've given.

I've not listened to much R.E.M. so this album kind of blew me away. It has beautiful lyrics and equally lovely music to accompany it. I'm definitely going to listen to it again and I think it could grow on me. Highlights: Drive The Sidewinder Sleeps Tonite Everybody Hurts Man On The Moon

It's better than I remember. I never loved it as a kid, but I enjoyed it for what it was. In my older age now, I appreciate the complexity, risks, and ideas even more. I wouldn't be surprised if I listen to this again in 10 years and give it five stars instead of four.

Favourite Song: Man On The Moon Not an album I was very familiar with, but I ended up absolutely loving it.

I appreciate why people like it but as an introduction to Deep Purple it’s a lot. Honestly just too long. I can’t sit through a 20 minute jam. Michael Stipe’s voice is *chef’s kiss*

Ok

bueno 4/5

Loved it!

Brilliant follow up to Out of Time. This was REM at their 90s peak. Drive is always haunting and sounds amazing in the new Dolby Atmos mix, but I’ll always have a spot for Nightswimming. Such a lovely nostalgic song.

Pretty good songs

You know what? I liked this.

Always liked their radio hits. Turns out everything else is just as good.

My Second REM album in the short time I've been doping this. Trying to tell me something? This is a very good album. Everybody Hurts is obv. popular, but also one of my favorites

This CD, among others, spent as much time in the changer as it did in its case.

I liked this way more than I thought I would

oh wow this was excellent, i really enjoyed it. will def listen again

Nostalgic some bangers

When we were teenagers, my brother was obsessed with REM. He’d hole himself in his room and sing along to their albums for hours. Mind, my brother has the worst singing voice, so you’d just hear a kind of guttural humming, all off-tune. Now I can’t listen to REM without also hearing my brother’s attempt to sing along. At the time it annoyed me, but now I think it’s charming. I had this album too and also listened to it over and over, without the attempt at singing. But it’s been years since I’ve listened to it, so while the songs are all familiar, I’m also getting a fresh take. Star Me Kitten and Find the River strike me more now than they would have when I was a kid, and more than Everybody Hurts or Man on the Moon do now.

This is a mood. Nightswimming is just perfection wrapped up in 4 minutes. Its meaning has changed to me over the years. Also, I had no idea Man on the Moon wasn’t made for the movie.

Une performance remarquée de la part de R.E.M. qui avait laissé nos oreilles jusque-là indifférentes.

J'ai jamais pris la peine de chercher si le chanteur de R.E.M. avait la voix de Phil Collins parce qu'il chantait pareil ou parce que le chanteur de R.E.M. est en fait Phil Collins, je lance donc ici une bouteille à la mer est-ce que queulqu'un peut me répondre ?

Lots of classics, I really enjoyed it.

Drags a little in the middle but great start and finish.

This is a very good album. The songs are strong. For me, it's a duology, together with Out of Time. This is the older brother of the two, and the slightly more serious sibling. I'm not a huge fan of Stipe's very abstact lyrics. They don't make enough sense to be effective. Nonetheless, it's a strong album and well worth a listen.

Good album from this band. Will buy it. It’s the only one I haven’t got from their early 90s.

Vibes. It's not my favorite REM stuff (I prefer the earlier Murmur era) but there's a bunch of great songs here that establish a nice vibe

Nice sound. Almost "folksy".

I still love this album but I think I overplayed it because it didn’t feel fresh when I relistened.

Sitting inside working instead of going skiing. I finally understand REM.

Having never been much of a fan of these guys, I was pleasantly surprised by this. Great sounds. First time I ever made it all the way through one of their albums.

A great album filled with known songs, absolute classics some of them and the rest were some hidden gems too.

This album was very popular when I was in college. It's not my favorite REM album, but Nightswimming and Everybody Hurts are classics.

Many good songs. Wish I could sing all the words in “It’s the End of the World as We Know It” but he goes so fast.

Best r.e.m. album by far

REM this album down my throat, dawg.

Epic, genre-defining album by R.E.M. that's packed with some of the band's greatest songs. Somehow not even in my personal top 3 of their albums though. That's how good they are

I enjoyed it, have expected REM to be a downer based on the songs I've heard before. Well structured and some good songs on here I hadn't heard before.

I liked a couple of tracks - drive, sweetness follows, monty got a raw deal, etc. It’s actually like 3.5 - but I do want to listen again so will give 4

Love R.E.M. and have listened to some of their albums (Out of time, Document, Life's Rich Pageant) and this one stacks up to the best of them, though wasn't life changing and didn't blow me away

Some classics on this album, Everybody Hurts, Man in the Moon

Mellow and melancholic. Probably R.E.M.'s best.

It's good but not really my speed. It feels too melodic for the grunge guy in me but too sludge-y for the pop guy in me. Last three tracks close out so so strong though. Good listen

Colleen Chad Wakerman? The first four tracks are quite ho hum in my books. I like the turn it takes with the instrumental track and Sweetness Follows. Quite good, but also quite simple. I liked the album more after reading through the full Sidewinder lyrics - respect for getting such legs out of a topic as banal as a payphone. Good work generating lyrical discourse. Fave Tracks: Sweetness Follows, Man on the Moon 3.6/5

Document will forever reign supreme for me, but Automatic is always in contention for my second favorite R.E.M. album. A high 4 stars, as it has been for me for quite some time. 4/5

Good stuff.

I've read that this era for R.E.M. (early 90s) found them putting touring to the side and focused on their studio work, kind of like what the Beatles got up to in their later years. This focus is really apparent in the sharpness of the lyrics, the themes reflective of the trauma that America had experienced under the Reagan administration for the past decade. While the production can feel a little slick at times, the band is in top form and the pacing of the tracklisting is perfect. Fav tracks: Man on the Moon, Find the River, Nightswimming, Star Me Kitten, the Sidewinder Sleeps Tonight

Good

Very acoustic not so jangly drive tight

Not favorite REM album

Strong record, great for rainy days like yesterday was for me

Beautiful album.

Michael Stipe: Morrissey but american, and also talented and not a piece of shit.

John Paul Jones did the orchestra arrangements on this record. That's pretty neat 3.5 stars

man on the moon <3

It's vibey so far I kinda like it. I know I'll never listen to it again but it's still nice.

In 1991, R.E.M. released “Out of Time”, which feels to me like the culmination of their journey up to that point. The band who began as a homespun indie rock unit reached maximum jangle and polish in singles like “Near Wild Heaven” and “Losing My Religion”, finally reaching number 1 in the US and UK and winning three Grammys. For better or worse, Michael Stipe and friends had become “Shiny Happy People”. The story was over… right? Nope… the following year, they came out swinging all over again with this miraculous album. From the start, “Automatic for the People” is caught between the dark and the light in a much more complex way than its predecessor: opening track “Drive” begins with a solo acoustic guitar strumming a D minor chord, Stipe’s ghostly echoed vocal addressing a lost and lonely generation. It builds subtly, majestically into a miniature symphonic rock track: even if it doesn’t quite break me down, the intent is clearly there. Following it, “Try Not To Breathe” is a singalong folk ballad about a quietly contented dying man, and then things reach an apex in the empath’s bible “Everybody Hurts”… undisputed classic, no notes for that one. They’re all great tracks - dark yet beautiful - and in the middle of them comes the only light relief: the cheery sledgehammer of “The Sidewinder Sleeps Tonite.” It might be criticised by some (including the band) as too glib and out of place, but for me it’s absolutely indispensable: “Automatic” would not be the same without it. The giddy, near-indecipherable chorus (supposedly “call me when you try to wake her up”), reference to “The Lion Sleeps Tonite”, the sweeping strings, and even Stipe corpsing halfway through… a perfect package. My quibble with this otherwise stellar album comes in the middle, from “Monty Got a Raw Deal” to “Star Me Kitten”. We’re lumbered with three tracks I don’t particularly care for: droning and samey, a little tired, holding the album back from being absolutely flawless. But it’s the closing three tracks which really send out “Automatic” on a high note and secure it as perhaps the band’s finest hour. “Man on the Moon” is an obvious but brilliant grab for chart success, becoming one of the band’s defining hits while managing to be about Charlie Kaufman. “Nightswimming” is a gorgeous track, holding a very special place in my heart. Driven by a beautiful piano line backed with string arrangements from Led Zeppelin’s John Paul Jones, it’s unlike anything else on the album (or most R.E.M. tracks I’ve heard, for that matter) but it’s easily my favourite song by them. And “Find the River” just about manages to follow it with a soothing, lilting melodica refrain and the final hope-tinged phrase of “all of this is coming your way”. So, while it isn’t pound-for-pound genius, “Automatic for the People” is a wonderful album, and will always be the one I associate most closely and fondly with R.E.M.

Strong album. Of the songs I already knew, the irresistibly peppy The Sidewinder Sleeps Tonight may be me favourite. Conversely, the darker tones of Drive and Monty Got A Raw Deal stood out among the tracks I didn’t know. The instrumental was very nice, too. 4 / 4.5

👍

Lovely melodies and nice vibe. Nice instrumentals, and excellent subdued passion across the album.

Still very fine

A couple bleh songs. Mostly good. Johnny Cash Everybody Hurts is better.

I like REM. They are solid. Especially for this list.

Not a huge REM fan, but there are some good, and classic, tracks on here.

Man alive. Scarcely believable number of radio hits for a single album. Impressive, even if it is a bit more MoR then some of their other efforts

Powerful, hypnotic, soul searching.

Another really great REM album here. Much, much more introspective look than their previous ones, but their talent shines through all the same. Favorite track: Man on the Moon

Great stuff. Another nostalgia trip.

- The sidewinder sleeps tonite = Banger -Ignore Land = Banger

3.5 stars. Pretty decent alt rock. More listenable than intriguing or compelling. Standouts are "The Sidewinder Sleeps Tonite" and "Man On The Moon".

Enjoyable soft 90s alt/art rock

50 minutes of Michael Stipes dancing around the room unable to keep still to seemingly “jaunty” tunes of hopelessness, despair and nostalgia

Classic album. I remember buying this for a girl I liked in high school 😂. It came in those huge, like two foot long plastic anti theft things. Probably some of Michael Stipe's best/mainstream vocals on this one.

I remember the video premiere of Everybody Hurts. My teenage hormones loving the permission to be sad. I have an unsavory story about Michael Stipe from my time in Athens. You kind of have to love REM if you went to Georgia. This is an amazing album either way.

I always felt like Michael Stipe is a really serious person who doesn’t let loose often. But he really says some shit in his songs.

Alt rock, super melodic and chill… think of a concert where people wave their phones with flashlights on slowly, that’s this album

We've had R.E.M´s 'Document' album here before which was beneath mediocre, but this definitely stepped up the game a notch or two! After hearing two albums I'm semi-convinced that the base sound of R.E.M. is not really for me - it's more an exception that they managed to create a few really really good songs. This one falls apart a bit at the seams between those strong songs, preventing it from reaching a 5 for me. Favourite songs from the album are 'The Sidewinder Sleeps Tonite', 'Everybody Hurts', 'Man On The Moon', the latter two of which are absolute smash hits that everyone has probably heard at least once. Miscellaneous strong points unrelated to this album specifically are that I really like Michael Stipe's singing, very good voice and energy. Also badass band name!

After listening to "Document" a few weeks back I was prepared to write R.E.M off as overrated or just not for me. This album however proved that notion wrong as this album was way better. Just the right amount of ambient and moody ("Sweetness Follows") along with quite a few well known hits ("Everybody Hurts", "Man on the Moon", "Nightswimming"). There was a surprising depth in this album. Just a super melancholic album in a good way, will definitely listen to this more times. A strong 4.

Drive- I liked the orchestral instruments and the vibe Try Not to breath- I liked! Sweetness Follows- that Bari is awesome

3.5/5

It boggles my mind that this album didn’t reach number one in America. This album was everywhere! And justifiable so since it is very good! Garth Brooks had the number one album that week, by the way. I like REM, they are good, but I don’t consider myself a fan, if that makes sense.

I’ve always liked REM, but they’ve never been one of my favorites. I’ll throw on an album of theirs every once in a blue moon. This is always an enjoyable listen.

Had a pretty tough day regarding a tragedy in my family, so I feel like this album came at just the right time.

cool

The last three songs are beautiful. Album has a nice nostalgia to it, feels very much like it fits in the era it comes from.

Enjoyed the use of strings to thicken up the sound and add an interesting flourish. Instrumentation kept me interested throughout. A pretty amazing range of rock styles, band sounds dialled at this point. I’m sorry that I hadn’t dug into REM sooner

So good

sad and somber this album is a wave of nostalgia for em. i love how the vocals are soft in comparison to the rest of the instruments. the album screams someone trying to get themselves out of a rut and it's not working too well.

Good hits and the rest doesn't fall behind too much. Pretty solid

Consistent and very well balanced, mature work. The „wildness“ earlier recordings is traded for some more instrumental variety, depth und sound and more than a pinch of pathos. Very straightforward and an album to look forward to listen to. 3.5

You can draw a straight line from this album to The Decemberists and I think that's neat. I stole this CD from my Dad when I was 11 and have loved it ever since.

Really very good! Enjoyed every minute and was sad when it ended

Nice acoustic melodies reminiscent of the 90s. Loved it.

Je hoeft er niet veel aandacht aan te besteden, best wel makkelijk te luisteren. Positief verrast.

Automatic For The People is one of the best produced albums you’ll ever hear, there is so much space in the record. Do yourself a favour and listen on headphones. The album starts incredibly strong with Drive, Try Not to Breathe, Everybody Hurts. And closes strong as well. For me, the medium holds the album back a bit, it’s not very dynamic but still has nice songs. Automatic For The People is very good, likely R.E.M. best but I’ve been grading very hard on my project so it falls just short of 5 stars. 8.7/10

Great album, not a bad track in here. It's an interesting listen when you notice how stripped back the songs are, only including what is best for the song. There are a fair amount of arrangements here, as was so prevalent in the 90's, but I think they are all fitting and tastefully done. Best Song(s): The Sidewinder Sleeps Tonight, Everybody Hurts, Sweetness Follows, Nightswimming Listen Again: Already Owned

Not my genre of music

My favorite of their albums. So many great songs.

Songs I already knew: Sidewinder Everybody Hurts Man on the Moon Nightswimming Good album. Enjoyed listening to it. Would now seek out more R.E.M. material

If I could give a 4.5 stars I would. Insanely good, really puts you in the zone, but a couple of mediocre songs before Man on the Moon break the immersion. Stand-outs: Drive, Find the River

12 years between the last album on our list, Back in Black, and both have songs that talk about the importance of rock and roll. Yet they are very different flavors of rock and roll, and REM is one of the bands at the top of the family tree of music that I listen to these days. In a lot of these songs I can hear influences in alternative music today, or at least generations of influences modulated into parts of today's indie/alt music. Everybody Hurts was a song I listened to a bunch in high school as an anxiety-ridden teen, like one does, so it still has a special place in my heart even if it might be overdone. Nightswimming should have been the closing song of the album.

I love Drive, one of my favorite songs from when I was a teen. Try Not to Breathe is much more unplugged than Im used to hearing REM. Sidewinder feels like they wrote about half the lyrics and had to adlib the rest. That instrumental was not a song, just random noodling. Monty Got a Raw Deal had great guitar picking. This might go on my music playlist. Definitely the most varied album we've had so far, a lot of songs that sounded nothing like any of the others. My favorite album so far.

The second half of the album was definitely better than the first half. If you started the album at Track 8 ("Ignoreland") and replaced "Star Me Kitten" with "The Sidewinder Sleeps Tonite", it would be perfect. I really loved "Ignoreland", "Man on the Moon", and "Nightswimming," and I think that this style of music is more in line with the music I typically enjoy listening to. Some of the early tracks were a little bit boring though.

In this follow up to 1991's Out of Time, I gave this a full relisten as I heard it but didn't gravitate towards in the same way as the prior album (arguably my favorite in their collection). Whereas Out of Time had a more "upbeat" quality to it (all things relative), AFTP sounds much darker and introspective. It is also their most polished and lush production (thanks to the fantastic string arrangements by John Paul Jones). With out of time practically in my DNA I can overlook some of the weaker points, but I found AFTP a more uneven album. Ignoreland I think was a wasted opportunity where it's a good rocking song but it just seemed to Michael's singing gets lost in a live-stadium-like mix. Try Not to Breathe and Nightswimming are among my faves that are not hits, but Drive, Everybody Hurts, and Man on the Moon alone are enough to give this album 4 stars.

4.5

This album reminds me of my first boyfriend and my uncles funeral because they just played this whole album so it kinda just made me sad .

Couple of boring songs in the middle there but the rest elevates it. Ditto on the funeral sads front though

Along with Life’s Rich Pageant, the best REM album imo. This is them at their poppy best, a near perfect blend of anthems with traces of their earlier sound. The production is rich. About as deep as a 90s pop rock album can get.

Heard before: No Favourites: Drive, Man on the moon, Nightswimming Know a few R.E.M songs and have especially liked Nightswimming for a while. First time listening to an album by them, I enjoyed it.

I think I wanted to hate this as I have a weird dislike of everybody hurts. But once you passed that it's actually pretty solid. I'm not sure if I would listen to again but I think it's a 4

Discazo. Buen hit de nostalgia.

4.5/5 Incredible album Fall vibes, very nostalgic, feels like home Nightswimming fav track - reminds me of mom Everybody Hurts - reminds of Oliver Man on the Moon and Try Not to Breathe also great

4. Es muy bueno l. Hacía muchos años que no lo escuchaba. Algunos temas low dan ganas de pegarse un corchaso

Takes me back to HS - My bro had this album on cassette. Dubbed this one. Wasn’t my favorite album of all time by rem, but definitely has some gems.

wow I know more REM than I thought! Good listen

One of the first albums I ever truly, truly loved. Many old friends here. Overall, the album is more poignant than I remember - not every song, but many. Sad if you’re happy. Comforting if you’re sad. Take comfort in your friends.

Remembered this album as being a bit overproduced and sentimental compared to their best stuff. Great to listen with fresh ears again. Excellent album, but still don't love it as much as Murmur.

Bangers. Album flowed very well

Regretfully a great album full of bangers

Another strong album, discovered nice hits!

Enjoyed that one quite a bit. Maybe it helped that I listened to this staring in the dark through a train window.

I thought I knew this album very well, turns out there is a middle part I'd completely missed until today. It's exactly that middle part which degrades it to 4 stars for me. Still a great album!

Good stuff. Some great tunes.

Amazing sounds and guitar play!

An amazing album that leaves you feeling like a load of stress has been lifted off your shoulders. The build in Drive is so awesome and mysterious that you curiously follow the white rabbit further down the hole. You won’t be disappointed.

Classic indie rock album! It’s not 100% in my wheelhouse, but good to hear from time to time, and I’m never upset if any of these songs come on the radio.

Drive; 7/10 Try Not To Breathe; 7/10 The Sidewinder Sleeps Tonite; 8/10 Everybody Hurts; 9/10 New Orleans Instrumental No. 1; 6/10 (Instrumental) Sweetness Follows; 8/10 Monty Got A Raw Deal; 7/10 Ignoreland; 7/10 Star Me Kitten; 6/10 Man On The Moon; 9/10 Nightswimming; 8/10 Find The River; 8/10

Reminded me of simpler times when Losing My Religion was playing on the radio every other day. Quite mellow and nice lyrics

Good album with classic songs. Still REM though. Not a huge fan. But a decent album to listen to

MEL: Andy Kaufman song! Lotsa radio friendly singles from this one. Learned that Ignoreland is about Ronald Reagan

Top songs from his album Drive, Losing my Religion, Everybody Hurts, Man on the moon

This is probably the first R.E.M. album I’ve really liked, pleasantly suprised! I guess sometimes a band gets better when they go pop

slayed. i see them.

Great alternative album, thought I would think its boring but has great melodies and is a good listen.

Very good album

Superb album

Very sad, but well produced. Great introduction to REM

Bn tranquilo, bnos riffs e interesante, me sorprendió

good album

Has a lot of great songs like Everybody Hurts and Man on the Moon, but not enough to carry the album to a 5.

I've never warmed to this album to allow it to be ranked with their earlier albums. Maybe the timing wasn't right for me as I was an R.E.M fan from the outset...Murmer is still my favorite album. Maybe I resented it in some weird way because it was their commercial breakthrough and I'm thinking "Ha where have you all been for the last 10 years" Or maybe it's just a more difficult listen than their earlier works one that requires more time and effort to reveal its charms Well for whatever reason listening this time around after leaving it for a while allowed me to appreciate it more than I ever have previously. There's a melancholy intesity that I never quite appreciated previously. Sweetness Follows has just that feel and it's quite beautiful. Same for Monty got a Raw Deal - I never took the time to appreciate the deeper album cuts on this album, maybe because there are none that really rock out and the strong structures are not typical verse chorus verse. Anyway I'm thinking this album finally will get my attention, something it probably deserved long ago. 4 stars with a bullet

Did not realize they did Everybody Hurts

Not my go to type of rock and I usually only listen to a few R.E.M. songs here and there. This was pretty great to be honest.

Pretty solid. Slower than what I’m used to for REM, but still good.

So. It's good, I'm even on with the sidewinder sleeps tonight these days. Was going to default to a 3 tho but then realised I was maybe going to do that with Dinosaur Junior and those 2 albums definitely not in the same league... It is also a lot better than the other REM albums I've had on here, so I guess 4.

Sonzao nask, tem o clássico everybody hurts

This is a really good album, has hints of country rock and classic rock which i love. Have been meaning to listen to more R.E.M so this is a good starting point.

The album as a whole says that live is not white or black. It can be both at the same time, as well as it can be colorful. It's a great listen.

Smart lyrics and good music. Really good stuff.

4.75

One of REMs best. If not the best. Melancholy but enjoyable.

Sometimes everything is wrong.

Lekker album, erg van genoten. Geeft goede 90s vibes.

This is a beautiful album of melancholic musings that are not indicative of defeat but rather reminders that love exists and life can be good. Is this album them selling out and going more mainstream? Who the fuck cares! This is a masterpiece of pop rock. I don’t give a shit about the band’s career arc and whatnot. I like their old stuff, and I like their stuff ten years on, as the band members matured and had different things to say. “Nightswimming” says everything you need to hear sometimes. The stars aligned in the making of this album.

I'm not necessarily a huge R.E.M. fan but they made some really great songs during their career, several of which appear here. Everybody Hurts is just a moving song. I've been there and it's hard not to feel the emotions stir when this plays. I can't give it a 5, but there are several 5 star songs.

Nightswimming var overraskende

I really enjoyed this more than I expected. It’s a dark, introspective album.

Oh, we bought this album when it first came out I think. Pretty much Peak REM at that point. I don't think I've listened to the CD this century though and I was slightly wary of what it would be like. And actually it holds up pretty well. It's the bit of REM where there aren't as many jangly guitars and it's all a bit more downbeat, but the underlying style is still there. Enjoyable to listen to after all these years and I'll clearly have to go back and dig the old CDs up. Or download a few more of their albums. And Everybody Hurts happened to be mentioned on a TV programme we were watching the other night. Or maybe Night Fishing. Either would have worked. Half decent this.

It's easy to say this album isn't as good as some of the older REM albums but it is still a classic and has some cracking tracks on it. I bought it on the day it came out and it is still in heavy rotation

This was one of the first five or 10 CDs I ever owned. So I have a very soft spot of nostalgia for this album.

Great band, great album, lyrics nonsensical but feel right music is on point. Just brilliant psuedo cerebral American 90s guitar music.

Sound is surprisingly good. Has some classics. Not usually my jam but liked this one

Gigantic.

Just a very good and solid rock album. Drive is an amazing introduction to the album. The Sidewinder Sleeps Tonite is honestly a banger. Everybody hurts is a beautiful ballad with a beautiful message for the people who feel they have nothing to live for. Tracks I enjoyed the most: every single track except Try Not To Breathe, didn’t really like that one

I enjoy R.E.M. songs, but to some extent they do all sound the same to me. This is largely due to the vocalist being so distinct I think. It's a little fun and peppy for most of the album. 4.5

4/5

Wel aangename muziek. Niet mijn meest favoriete album of band

Great album

Classic album, some great memories came flooding back

Liked it.

Super good album. Much better than i expected

Solid soft rock from start to finish, pleasant, poetic snapshots of the human experience

Bello, ma triste. Poi migliora: 4 stelle, quasi 5.

A nice change of pace

Muy lindos temas Sidewinder sleeps tonite, everybody hurts, man on the moon, los demas temas acompañan muy bien, en ningún momento se hace pesado

Calm