R.E.M is splitting up. Were they a part of your musical life in any way, and how sad or indifferent are you about this?

While I’m not going to loose my religion or anything about it… a couple of their songs will always conjure up certain memories for me. And yes, their sound.

I love R.E.M. How do I feel about it? It’s the End of the World.

I like their music but they came a little late to be part of my musical background. I already haven’t heard anything new from them in many years, so I guess I’m fairly indifferent about it.

I never heard of them.

I love R.E.M. Great band with a unique sound. Have seen them in concert and they were brilliant. They have been in the business and working together for a long time though and I can understand why after so many years they might say, enough. I am happy for the great music they provided and hope they individually will continue to produce great music. I hope the change will be the inspiration for their own individual evolution as musicians. Best of luck to them as far as I am concerned.

R.E.M, boy am I in love with them. Pure geniuses at work. Was listening to ‘em on my way back from classes. Their music is magical, simply beautiful.
I really don’t want to talk about it.

“That’s me in the corner….......” not giving a shit, good band though.

I liked their songs, and bought some of their CDs, but I can’t listen to them over and over. Their stuff would wear on me. I won’t miss them.

@ucme Awesome. GA!

Automatic For The People is a remarkably listenable album. Many CDs are had to get thru, because the music doesn’t sound very different from one song to the next. I really like Counting Crows, but an entire album can be torturous to sit thru.
AFTP wasn’t like that. Each song had its own feel.
That said, it has been a while since REM put out something worthy. So, I guess I am of two minds here. Thanks for the good stuff you left, but I don’t think I will miss any future projects you would have made.

@Ayesha Shiny happy people lurving ;¬}

I’m a pre- Out of Time kind of guy. And, I let go of my fervent fandom sometime after 1999 or so. I did get to see them in ‘98 and ‘99 so that was cool.

If you like “You are the Everything,” check out the cover version by Redbird. It really took me back in a good way.

Was a huge fan of them of when I was in high school (Chronic Town, Murmur, Reckoning, Fables, Lifes Rich Pageant). Had some mixed feelings when Document then Green came out, but was still a big fan. They lost me with Out of Time for awhile, but eventually came back and found that and Automatic to be ok, but a completely different thing. I haven’t liked a single thing they have done since then (with the exception of “E-Bow the Letter”).

It’s that “Everybody Hurts” song that’s so powerful that’s been a big part of my life…

They were a big part of my life – one of the first bands I became aware of. But, to be honest, it’s about time. What a great run they had.

@zensky, you said “I will miss them and their unique sound and intelligent lyrics and compositions.”

That pretty much sums it up for me, too.

I think they’re fairly generic, though some musicians I know think they’re insufferably generic. Some of their songs have moved me a lot (“Lightning Crashes”, “Everybody Hurts”).

However I have nearly zero attachment to band identity, or the current status of who is playing with whom and what they name their bands. That R.E.M. was still “together” and active was news to me when I saw this question.

Seems to me that if they have talent and something inspired to express, they will do so separately, and they’re the ones to make that choice. Of course, it will be more difficult for fans to track them if they split up, unless they choose conspicuous and media-hyped partners.

(Non-REM tantrum: I’m in favor of more attention for non-media-hyped artists, though. Media hype has too much of a limiting affect on what people are exposed to. Best-selling and most-played-on-radio and chosen-for-Hollywood-soundtrack do not indicate quality to me.)

Lightning Crashes was not their song, though it was a good one.

The song everybody hurts was my grandmothers favorite song, and when she was living with my parents and me when I was a kid and she was dying of lung cancer, she would listen to it over and over…. :/ This is actuallly how I started listening to them . they’ve got quite a discograhy

Actually, I couldn’t stand them.

It’ll be okay @augustlan, everybody hurts sometimes, but it’ll get better. =0)

I think it sucks too, I love REM.

@Zaku Ummm… Lightning Crashes is by Live.

I sort of liked the song Orange Crush when it came out, but then steadily lost interest in them from like the late-80s on. I really hated that song Shiny Happy People, and (sorry to those that like it) but Everybody Hurts is frequently a song I’ll mention when people discuss lamest songs of all time. That along with songs like “More Than Words” by Extreme or “After the Rain” by Nelson.

While I was never really huge into them, I think I’ll miss them. A lot of R.E.M. songs found their way onto my iPod, and those same ones have some sentimental value, too. I wish them all well, and I’m sure there’ll be a reunion somewhere down the line.

I’m sorry. Who are they? Thus you understand how I feel or what I’m gonna do.

Don’t really care, honestly.

Best song of theirs, IMO.

@Jude – Definitely from their best years. Murmur & Reckoning are their 2 best albums.

I’m indifferent. I can’t recall any of their songs.

LOL at “Lightning Crashes”. You can see I don’t particularly follow music by band identity.
BTW, I had no idea there was a band named “Live”.
:-)

Completely indifferent. I’m familiar with a few of their hits (losing my religion and end of the world as we know it and I feel fiiiiiiine) but I was never a fan. Honestly I always thought the guys voice was a little annoying – too nasally.

I can’t really say I’ll miss them because honestly, I thought they broke up ages ago. My favorites of their songs live in my itunes so I feel the same about them as I ever have.

I thought they broke up ages ago.

Me too!

@ucme :)