Automatic for the People

Last updated
Automatic for the People
R.E.M. - Automatic for the People.jpg
Studio album by
R.E.M.
ReleasedOctober 5, 1992 (1992-10-05) [1]
RecordedJune 1991 – July 1992
Studio
Genre
Length48:52
Label Warner Bros.
Producer
R.E.M. chronology
The Best of R.E.M.
(1991)		Automatic for the People
(1992)		 The Automatic Box
(1993)
Singles from Automatic for the People
  1. "Drive"
    Released: September 21, 1992 [7]
  2. "Man on the Moon"
    Released: November 9, 1992 [8]
  3. "The Sidewinder Sleeps Tonite"
    Released: February 1, 1993 [9]
  4. "Everybody Hurts"
    Released: April 5, 1993 [10]
  5. "Nightswimming"
    Released: July 12, 1993 [11]
  6. "Find the River"
    Released: November 29, 1993 [12]

Automatic for the People is the eighth studio album by the American alternative rock band R.E.M., released on October 5, 1992, in the United Kingdom and Europe, and on the following day in the United States, by Warner Bros. Records. R.E.M. began production on the album while their previous album, Out of Time (1991), was still ascending charts and achieving global success. Aided by strings arranged by John Paul Jones and conducted by George Hanson, Automatic for the People features ruminations on mortality, loss, mourning, and nostalgia.

Contents

Upon release, the album received widespread acclaim from critics, reached number two on the US Billboard 200, and yielded six singles. Rolling Stone reviewer Paul Evans concluded of the album, "This is the members of R.E.M. delving deeper than ever; grown sadder and wiser, the Athens subversives reveal a darker vision that shimmers with new, complex beauty." [13] Automatic for the People has sold more than 18 million copies worldwide. [14]

Background and recording

What would become Automatic for the People had its origins in the mixing sessions for R.E.M.'s previous album Out of Time , held at Paisley Park Studios in December 1990. There, demos for "Drive", "Try Not to Breathe", and "Nightswimming" were recorded. [15] After finishing promotional duties for Out of Time, the members of R.E.M. began formal work on their next album. Starting the first week of June 1991, [16] guitarist Peter Buck, bassist Mike Mills, and drummer Bill Berry met several times a week in a rehearsal studio to work on new material. Once a month they would take a week-long break. The musicians would often trade instruments: Buck would play mandolin, Mills would play piano or organ, and Berry would play bass. Buck explained that writing without drums was productive for the band members. [17] The band, intent on delivering an album of harder-rocking material after Out of Time, made an effort to write some faster rock songs during rehearsals, but came up with less than a half-dozen prospective songs in that vein. [18]

The musicians recorded the demos in their standard band configuration. [17] According to Buck, the musicians recorded about 30 songs. Lead singer Michael Stipe was not present at these sessions; instead, the band gave him the finished demos at the start of 1992. [19] Stipe described the music to Rolling Stone early that year as "[v]ery mid-tempo, pretty fucking weird [...] More acoustic, more organ-based, less drums". [20] In February, R.E.M. recorded another set of demos at Daniel Lanois' Kingsway Studios in New Orleans. [21]

The group decided to create finished recordings with co-producer Scott Litt at Bearsville Studios in Woodstock, New York, starting on March 30. [22] The band recorded overdubs in Miami and New York City. String arrangements were recorded in Atlanta. [23] After recording sessions were completed in July, the album was mixed at Bad Animals Studio in Seattle. [16] "The countermelody I sing on 'Try Not to Breathe' is one of my favorites because everybody else left," Mills explained in 2023. "I'm in the studio and looking in the control room — I know there's something that's going to be good in this spot of the song. I try all these different things and I'm not finding it. And then I hit the right thing and I locked eyes with Scott McCaughey from 40 feet away. We just both knew that was the direction. It was very thrilling to have that moment." [24] Seattle-based McCaughey spent time with the band while they were at Bad Animals Studio. [25]

Music and lyrics

Despite R.E.M.'s initial desire to make an album of rocking, guitar-dominated songs after Out of Time, music critic David Fricke noted that instead Automatic for the People "seems to move at an even more agonized crawl" than the band's previous release. [18] Peter Buck took the lead in suggesting the new direction for the album. [23] The album dealt with themes of loss and mourning inspired by "that sense of [...] turning 30", according to Buck. "The world that we'd been involved in had disappeared, the world of Hüsker Dü and The Replacements, all that had gone [...] We were just in a different place and that worked its way out musically and lyrically." [26] "Sweetness Follows", "Drive", and "Monty Got a Raw Deal" in particular expressed much darker themes than any of the band's previous material and "Try Not to Breathe" is about Stipe's grandmother dying. [27]

The songs "Drive", "The Sidewinder Sleeps Tonite", "Everybody Hurts", and "Nightswimming" feature string arrangements by former Led Zeppelin bassist John Paul Jones. Of the fourteen classical musicians, eleven were members of the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra, [28] which had also been used on Out of Time. Fricke stated that "ballads, in fact, define the record", and noted that the album featured only three "rockers": "Ignoreland", "The Sidewinder Sleeps Tonite", and "Man on the Moon". [18]

"It pretty much went according to plan," Litt reported. "Compared to Monster , it was a walk in the park. Out of Time had an orchestral arrangement—so, when we did Automatic, judging where Michael was going with the words, we wanted to scale it down and make it more intimate." [29]

"Song by song [...] the whole album is referencing the 1970s," recalls Stipe. "Everybody Hurts" was inspired by Nazareth's cover of "Love Hurts". "Drive" was an homage to David Essex and "Rock On", especially that song's early glam rock production style. [30]

Packaging

The album name refers to the motto of Athens, Georgia-based eatery Weaver D's Delicious Fine Foods. [31] The photograph on the front cover is not related to the restaurant; rather, it shows a star ornament (a so-called "Sputnik star" that was common in the 1960s [32] ) that was part of the sign for the Sinbad Motel on Biscayne Boulevard in Miami, [33] near Criteria Studios, where the bulk of the album was recorded. The motel is still there, but the star is not since it was damaged in a hurricane. The slanted support where it was once attached is still present. [34] "The album was going to be called Star at one point, hence the object on the cover that Michael had photographed and really dug," Scott Litt told Mojo . "It helps to have some kind of focus in the studio, so the photo was stuck up." [29] The star photograph is placed over an embossed image, which is also included inside the album's booklet distorted on a white background.

The interior jacket shows a two–three story circular platform that was the sign for the old Bon Aire Motel on the former Motel Row on Miami Beach. The Bon Aire and other motel row establishments have mostly been demolished for new high-rise condominiums.

The back cover features a photograph of an old building with the track listing written over at the same angle from which the building is viewed. Other photographs, taken by Anton Corbijn, feature the band members on a beach.

The compact disc release was originally issued in a jewel case with a translucent yellow CD tray, traded out with a then-standard opaque black tray on later pressings; the cassette shell was also issued with the same color. The yellow was made to match the color of the CD. The band would later use a similar method for their 1994 album Monster, which was released with a metallic orange CD tray on early copies (though this matched the album cover).

Release

A live version of "Drive" recorded at this 11/19/1992 show appears on Alternative NRG. Invitation to Automatic For The People Show.jpg
A live version of "Drive" recorded at this 11/19/1992 show appears on Alternative NRG.

Automatic for the People was released in October 1992. In the United States, the album reached No. 2 on the Billboard 200 album charts. [35] The album reached No. 1 in the United Kingdom, where it topped the UK Albums Chart on four separate occasions. [36] Despite not having toured after the release of Out of Time, R.E.M. again declined to tour in support of this album. Automatic for the People has been certified four times platinum in the US (four million copies shipped), six times platinum in the United Kingdom (1.8 million shipped), and three times platinum in Australia (210,000 shipped). [37] The album has sold 3.52 million copies in the US, according to Nielsen SoundScan sales figures as of 2017. [38] In 1993, the album has sold 1.7 million copies in the US, according to Billboard 's lists of 1993's best-selling albums domestically. [39]

Automatic for the People yielded six singles over the course of 1992 and 1993: "Drive", "Man on the Moon", "The Sidewinder Sleeps Tonite", "Everybody Hurts", "Nightswimming" and "Find the River". Lead single "Drive" was the album's highest-charting domestic hit, reaching No. 28 on the Billboard Hot 100. Other singles charted higher overseas: "Everybody Hurts" charted in the top ten on the United Kingdom singles chart, Canada, and Australia. [37]

A live, harder, version of "Drive" appears on the Alternative NRG, recorded at Athens' 40 Watt Club on November 19, 1992, during an invitation-only concert supporting Greenpeace Action. A re-recorded, slower version of "Star Me Kitten", featuring William S. Burroughs, was released on Songs in the Key of X: Music from and Inspired by the X-Files in 1996.

The music videos from the album were included in the 1995 video release Parallel .

In 2005, Warner Bros. Records issued a two-disc edition of Automatic for the People which includes a CD, a DVD-Audio disc containing a 5.1-channel surround sound mix of the album done by Elliot Scheiner, and the original CD booklet with expanded liner notes.[ citation needed ]

A 25th anniversary edition was released on November 10, 2017, by Craft Recordings, featuring four discs of live recordings, demos, and the album remixed in Dolby Atmos, making Automatic for the People the first music release on this format. [40]

Critical reception and legacy

Professional ratings
Aggregate scores
SourceRating
Metacritic 96/100 [41]
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svg [42]
Chicago Tribune Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar half.svg [43]
Entertainment Weekly A [44]
The Independent Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svg [45]
Los Angeles Times Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar half.svg [46]
NME 10/10 [47]
Pitchfork 9.3/10 [48]
Q Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svg [49]
Rolling Stone Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svg [50]
Select 5/5 [51]

R.E.M. biographer David Buckley wrote, "Automatic for the People is regarded by Peter Buck and Mike Mills, and by most critics, as being the finest R.E.M. album ever recorded." [52] Rolling Stone gave the album five stars. Reviewer Paul Evans wrote, "Despite its difficult concerns, most of Automatic is musically irresistible." [50] Melody Maker reviewer Allan Jones commented, "It's almost impossible to write about the record without mentioning the recent grim rumours concerning Stipe's health", in reference to the rumors at the time that the singer was dying of AIDS or cancer. Jones concluded his review by noting, "Amazingly, initial reactions to Automatic for the People in this particular vicinity have been mixed. [...] Psshaw to them. Automatic for the People is R.E.M. at the very top of their form." [53] Ann Powers, reviewing the album for The New York Times , noted that only three of the songs on the album went beyond mid-tempo and said, "Only 'Man on the Moon' shines with a wit that balances R.E.M.'s somber tendencies." Powers finished her review by saying, "Even in the midst of such disenchantment, R.E.M. can't resist its own talent for creating beautiful and moving sounds. [...] Buck, Mills and Berry can still conjure melodies that fall like summer sunlight. And Stipe still possesses a gorgeous voice that cannot shake its own gift for meaning." [54] Guy Garcia, for Time , also noted the album's themes of "hopelessness, anger and loss". [55] Garcia added that the album proves "that a so-called alternative band can keep its edge after conquering the musical mainstream" and that it "manages to dodge predictability without ever sounding aimless or unfocussed." [55]

Automatic for the People placed third in the Village Voice Pazz & Jop year-end critics' poll. [56] The Village Voice's Robert Christgau later gave the album a three-star honorable mention rating, indicating "an enjoyable effort consumers attuned to its overriding aesthetic or individual vision may well treasure." [57] The album was nominated for Album of the Year at the Grammy Awards of 1994, but lost to Whitney Houston's The Bodyguard . [58] It was later ranked number 247 in Rolling Stone's 500 Greatest Albums of All Time, [59] 249 in a 2012 revised list, [60] and 96 in a 2020 reboot of the list. [61] Rolling Stone also ranked it at number 18 on its 100 Greatest Albums of the 90s list. It was also voted number 6 in Colin Larkin's All Time Top 1000 Albums 3rd Edition (2000). In 2006, British Hit Singles & Albums and NME organised a poll of which, 40,000 people worldwide voted for the 100 best albums ever and Automatic for the People was placed at number 37 on the list. [62] The album was also included in the book 1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die . [63]

"I'm not so crazy about 'The Sidewinder Sleeps Tonite'," Buck reflected in 2001, "but overall I think it sounds great." [64] Buck added in 2003, in regard to the song, "We included this song on Automatic in order to break the prevailing mood of the album. Given that lyrically the record dealt with mortality, the passage of time, suicide and family, we felt that a light spot was needed. In retrospect, the consensus among the band is that this might be a little too lightweight." [65]

According to the review aggregator Metacritic , the 25th anniversary re-release of Automatic for the People received "universal acclaim" based on a weighted average score of 96 out of 100 from 17 critic scores. [41] In 2017, Pitchfork called Automatic for the People a "nakedly emotional album consumed by the anxiety of aging, the inevitability of death, the loss of innocence, and the impossibility of holding on to the past"; [48] in 2022, they ranked this album the 63rd best of the 1990s. [66] According to Tom Ewing of Freaky Trigger , R.E.M.'s achievement on Automatic for the People "was to wear their craft on their sleeve, making everything Michael Stipe sang sound both homespun and hard-won – a distillate of a decade making music and a lifetime hearing it." [67]

Track listing

Original release

All songs written by Bill Berry, Peter Buck, Mike Mills and Michael Stipe

Side one – "Drive side"

  1. "Drive" – 4:31
  2. "Try Not to Breathe" – 3:50
  3. "The Sidewinder Sleeps Tonite" – 4:06
  4. "Everybody Hurts" – 5:17
  5. "New Orleans Instrumental No. 1" – 2:13
  6. "Sweetness Follows" – 4:19

Side two – "Ride side"

  1. "Monty Got a Raw Deal" – 3:17
  2. "Ignoreland" – 4:24
  3. "Star Me Kitten" – 3:15
  4. "Man on the Moon" – 5:13
  5. "Nightswimming" – 4:16
  6. "Find the River" – 3:50

Personnel

R.E.M.

Additional musicians

Production

Charts

Certifications and sales

RegionCertification Certified units/sales
Argentina (CAPIF) [109] Gold30,000^
Australia (ARIA) [110] 4× Platinum280,000^
Austria (IFPI Austria) [111] 2× Platinum100,000*
Canada (Music Canada) [112] 7× Platinum700,000^
France (SNEP) [113] Platinum300,000*
Germany (BVMI) [114] 5× Gold1,250,000^
Italy (FIMI) [115]
sales since 2009 		Gold25,000‡
Netherlands (NVPI) [116] 3× Platinum300,000^
New Zealand (RMNZ) [117] Platinum15,000^
Spain (PROMUSICAE) [118] 2× Platinum200,000^
Sweden (GLF) [119] 2× Platinum200,000^
Switzerland (IFPI Switzerland) [120] 2× Platinum100,000^
United Kingdom (BPI) [121] 7× Platinum2,270,332 [122]
United States (RIAA) [123] 4× Platinum3,520,000 [38]
Summaries
Worldwide—18,000,000 [14]

* Sales figures based on certification alone.
^ Shipments figures based on certification alone.
‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone.

See also

Related Research Articles

<i>Monster</i> (R.E.M. album) 1994 studio album by R.E.M.

Monster is the ninth studio album by American rock band R.E.M., released by Warner Bros. Records in the UK on September 26, 1994, and in the US the following day. It was produced by the band and Scott Litt and recorded at four studios. The album was an intentional shift from the style of their previous two albums, Out of Time (1991) and Automatic for the People (1992), by introducing loud, distorted guitar tones and simple lyrics.

<i>In Time: The Best of R.E.M. 1988–2003</i> 2003 compilation album by R.E.M.

In Time: The Best of R.E.M. 1988–2003 is the second official compilation album released by R.E.M. Issued in 2003, it includes tracks from their Warner Bros. Records era, from 1988's Green to 2001's Reveal, as well as two new recordings and two songs from movie soundtracks. The album was the tenth-best-selling album of 2003 in the UK, and the 50th-best-selling album of the 2000s in the UK.

<i>New Adventures in Hi-Fi</i> 1996 R.E.M. album

New Adventures in Hi-Fi is the tenth studio album by the American alternative rock band R.E.M. It was their fifth major-label release for Warner Bros. Records, released on September 9, 1996, in Europe and Australia, and the following day in the United States. New Adventures in Hi-Fi was the band's final album recorded with founding drummer Bill Berry, original manager Jefferson Holt, and long-time producer Scott Litt. The members of R.E.M. consider the recorded album representative of the band at their peak, and fans generally regard it as the band's last great record before a perceived artistic decline during the late 1990s and early 2000s. It has sold around seven million units, growing in cult status years after its release, with several retrospectives ranking it among the best of the band's recorded catalogue.

<i>Up</i> (R.E.M. album) Album by R.E.M.

Up is the eleventh studio album by American rock band R.E.M. It was released on October 26, 1998, through Warner Bros. Records. The album was the band's first without drummer and founding member Bill Berry, who retired from the band in October 1997. In his place, R.E.M. used session drummers such as Joey Waronker and Barrett Martin while also utilizing drum machines. The album was produced by Pat McCarthy, making it R.E.M.'s first album since Lifes Rich Pageant (1986) not to be produced by Scott Litt.

<i>Around the Sun</i> 2004 studio album by R.E.M.

Around the Sun is the thirteenth studio album by American alternative rock band R.E.M., released on October 5, 2004 on Warner Bros. Records. The album was supported by several singles and a world tour. It was commercially successful but received mixed reception and is often considered the weakest in the band's catalogue.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Nightswimming</span> 1993 single by R.E.M.

"Nightswimming" is a song by American alternative rock band R.E.M., released in July 1993 by Warner Bros. as the fifth single from the band's eighth album, Automatic for the People (1992). The song is a ballad featuring singer Michael Stipe accompanied only by bassist Mike Mills on piano, a string arrangement by former Led Zeppelin bassist John Paul Jones, and oboe by Deborah Workman in the latter part of the piece. Mills wrote the music and Stipe the lyrics of the song, but it is credited to the entire band. Stipe sings about a group of friends who go skinny dipping at night, which draws from similar experiences in the band's early days. The music video for the song was directed by Jem Cohen.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Everybody Hurts</span> 1993 single by R.E.M.

"Everybody Hurts" is a song by American rock band R.E.M. from their eighth studio album, Automatic for the People (1992), and released as a single in April 1993 by Warner Bros. Records. It peaked at number 29 on the US Billboard Hot 100, but fared much better on the US Cash Box Top 100, where it peaked at number 18. The song also reached the top 10 on the charts of Australia, Canada, France, Iceland, Ireland, the Netherlands, and the United Kingdom. Its music video was directed by Jake Scott and filmed in San Antonio, Texas. In 2003, Q ranked "Everybody Hurts" at number 31 on their list of the "1001 Best Songs Ever", and in 2005, Blender ranked the song at number 238 on their list of "Greatest Songs Since You Were Born".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">The Sidewinder Sleeps Tonite</span> 1993 single by R.E.M.

"The Sidewinder Sleeps Tonite" is a song by American alternative rock band R.E.M. It was influenced by the song "The Lion Sleeps Tonight", both in the title of the song and through the song's opening refrain. The band used "The Lion Sleeps Tonight" as the B-side to this song in the U.S. The song was released on R.E.M.'s 1992 album, Automatic for the People, and was later released as a single in February 1993, reaching number one in Iceland, number 13 in Ireland, number 17 in the United Kingdom, and number 29 in New Zealand. Its music video was directed by Kevin Kerslake.

<i>Parallel</i> (video) 1995 video by R.E.M.

Parallel is a video feature compiling all of R.E.M.'s Automatic for the People and Monster-era promotional videos, as well as several recorded for this release alone. It was released on video on May 30, 1995, and on DVD format on August 22, 2000, both on the Warner Brothers label.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">R.E.M. discography</span>

American alternative rock band R.E.M. has released fifteen studio albums, five live albums, fourteen compilation albums, one remix album, one soundtrack album, twelve video albums, seven extended plays, sixty-three singles, and seventy-seven music videos. Formed in 1980 by singer Michael Stipe, guitarist Peter Buck, bassist Mike Mills, and drummer Bill Berry, the band was pivotal in the development of the alternative rock genre. Their musical style inspired many other alternative rock bands and musicians, and the band became one of the first alternative rock acts to experience breakthrough commercial success. R.E.M. have sold more than ninety million albums worldwide, making them one of the best-selling music artists of all time.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Find the River</span> 1992 song by R.E.M.

"Find the River" is a song by American rock band R.E.M., released on November 29, 1993, by Warner Bros., as the sixth and final single from the band's eighth album, Automatic for the People (1992). The song reached number 54 on the UK Singles Charts in December 1993. It did not chart in the US. "Find the River" was one of only three R.E.M. singles released in the 1990s to not make the Top 40 in Britain. The song's music video was directed by Jodi Wille.

<i>In View: The Best of R.E.M. 1988–2003</i> 2003 video by R.E.M.

In View: The Best of R.E.M. 1988–2003 is a DVD featuring videos by the rock band R.E.M. from 1988 to 2003, released as a companion to the Warner Bros. compilation In Time: The Best of R.E.M. 1988-2003. All but two of the songs included on the audio CD made the DVD—the exceptions being "All the Right Friends" and "Animal".

<i>Accelerate</i> (R.E.M. album) 2008 album by R.E.M.

Accelerate is the fourteenth studio album by American alternative rock band R.E.M., released on March 31, 2008, in Europe, and on April 1 in North America. Produced with Jacknife Lee, Accelerate was intended as a departure from the 2004 album Around the Sun. R.E.M. previewed most of the album's tracks during a five-night residency at the Olympia Theatre in Dublin, Ireland, and recorded the album in a nine-week schedule.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">R.E.M.</span> American rock band

R.E.M. was an American alternative rock band formed in Athens, Georgia, in 1980 by drummer Bill Berry, guitarist Peter Buck, bassist Mike Mills, and lead vocalist Michael Stipe, who were students at the University of Georgia. One of the first alternative rock bands, R.E.M. was noted for Buck's ringing, arpeggiated guitar style; Stipe's distinctive vocal quality, unique stage presence, and obscure lyrics; Mills's melodic bass lines and backing vocals; and Berry's tight, economical drumming style. In the early 1990s, other alternative rock acts such as Nirvana, Pixies and Pavement viewed R.E.M. as a pioneer of the genre. After Berry left in 1997, the band continued with mixed critical and commercial success. The band broke up amicably in 2011, having sold more than 90 million albums worldwide and becoming one of the world's best-selling music acts.

<i>Live at the Olympia</i> (R.E.M. album) Live album by R.E.M.

Live at the Olympia is a live album by American alternative rock band R.E.M. It was recorded during the band's five-night residency at the Olympia Theatre, Dublin, between June 30 and July 5, 2007, and released on October 27, 2009. In this series of "working rehearsals" the songs on Accelerate were debuted, with many still works in progress. Every song from "Accelerate" appear on the album with the exception of "Hollow Man" and "Sing for the Submarine". The album is a two-CD release, and contains a total of 39 songs. In addition, a DVD with a documentary titled This Is Not a Show directed by Vincent Moon is included. A special edition box set containing the album on four LPs as well as the two CDs and the DVD is also available.

<i>Drive XV: A Tribute to Automatic for the People</i> 2007 compilation album by Various Artists

Drive XV: A Tribute to Automatic for the People is a digital compilation released in 2007 by the website Stereogum.com to celebrate the 15th anniversary of R.E.M.'s multi-platinum album Automatic for the People.

<i>Collapse into Now</i> 2011 studio album by R.E.M.

Collapse into Now is the fifteenth and final studio album by American alternative rock band R.E.M., released on March 7, 2011, on Warner Bros. Produced by Jacknife Lee, who previously worked with the band on Accelerate (2008), the album was preceded by the singles "It Happened Today", "Mine Smell Like Honey", "Überlin" and "Oh My Heart".

<i>Part Lies, Part Heart, Part Truth, Part Garbage 1982–2011</i> 2011 greatest hits album by R.E.M.

Part Lies, Part Heart, Part Truth, Part Garbage 1982–2011 is a 2011 greatest hits album from alternative rock band R.E.M. Intended as a coda on their career, this is the first compilation album that features both their early work on independent record label I.R.S. Records in addition to their 10 studio releases through Warner Bros. Records. The double-disc retrospective was released through Warner Bros. on November 11, 2011, and was compiled by the band members; the existence of the compilation was revealed simultaneously with the group's announcement that they were disbanding on September 21, 2011.

<i>Complete Rarities: Warner Bros. 1988–2011</i> 2014 compilation album by R.E.M.

Complete Rarities: Warner Bros. 1988–2011 is a 2014 compilation album featuring live songs, singles' b-sides and non-album tracks recorded by alternative rock band R.E.M. during their tenure on Warner Bros. Records. All material has been previously released either physically or in digital-only formats.

<i>R.E.M. at the BBC</i> 2018 live album

R.E.M. at the BBC is a 2018 live album box set by American alternative rock band R.E.M. released on October 19, 2018. The eight-disc compilation features sessions recorded between 1984 and 2008, including a bonus DVD of videos. Additionally, a two-disc best-of collection was released on the same day.

References

Notes

  1. ↑ "Stereogum Presents... Drive XV: A Tribute to Automatic For The People – Stereogum". Stereogum. Retrieved 22 March 2015.
  2. ↑ "R.E.M.'s legacy: 6 ways the band changed American music". The Week . September 22, 2011. Retrieved September 13, 2015.
  3. ↑ Mendelsohn, Jason and Eric Klinger (October 7, 2011). "R.E.M.'s 'Automatic for the People'". PopMatters . Retrieved September 13, 2015.
  4. ↑ "R.E.M. - Automatic for the People Album Reviews, Songs & More | AllMusic". AllMusic .
  5. ↑ "R.E.M.: Part Lies, Part Heart, Part Truth, Part Garbage: 1982–2011 Album Review – Pitchfork". pitchfork.com.
  6. ↑ Treble Staff (September 22, 2016). "10 Essential Chamber Pop Albums". Treble. Retrieved September 27, 2024.
  7. ↑ "New Releases: Singles" (PDF). Music Week . September 19, 1992. p. 19. Retrieved June 22, 2021.
  8. ↑ "New Releases: Singles" (PDF). Music Week . November 7, 1992. p. 19. Retrieved July 17, 2021.
  9. ↑ "New Releases: Singles" (PDF). Music Week . January 30, 1993. p. 23. Retrieved July 17, 2021.
  10. ↑ "New Releases: Singles" (PDF). Music Week . April 3, 1993. p. 17. Retrieved June 21, 2021.
  11. ↑ "New Releases: Singles". Music Week . July 10, 1993. p. 21.
  12. ↑ "Single Releases" (PDF). Music Week . November 27, 1993. p. 27. Retrieved June 24, 2021.
  13. ↑ Peacock, Tim (October 5, 2018). "'Automatic For The People': How R.E.M. Created A Soul-Searching Classic" . Retrieved June 17, 2019.
  14. 1 2 Goodman, William (October 6, 2017). "The Enduring Empathy & Beauty of R.E.M.'s 'Automatic for the People'". Billboard. Retrieved November 11, 2019.
  15. ↑ "R.E.M. Timeline - 1990/91 Concert Chronology". The R.E.M. Timeline. Retrieved 23 November 2017.
  16. 1 2 Robbins, Ira. "R.E.M." Pulse!. October 1992
  17. 1 2 Fletcher, p. 208
  18. 1 2 3 Fricke, David. "Living Up to Out of Time/Remote Control: Parts I and II". Melody Maker. October 3, 1992.
  19. ↑ Fletcher, p. 209
  20. ↑ Fricke, David. "The Rolling Stone Interview: Michael Stipe". Rolling Stone. March 5, 1992. Retrieved on March 12, 2009
  21. ↑ Black, p. 190
  22. ↑ Black, p. 191
  23. 1 2 Buckley, p. 216
  24. ↑ Ivie, Devon (2023-09-13). "The Most Heartfelt and Goofy of R.E.M., According to Mike Mills". Vulture. Retrieved 2024-01-27.
  25. ↑ "R.E.M.'S Prolific Scott McCaughey On THE NO ONES Band - AMFM Magazine.tv". 2021-11-22. Retrieved 2024-01-27.
  26. ↑ Buckley, p. 218
  27. 1 2 "Episode 125: R.E.M." Song Exploder. December 20, 2017.
  28. ↑ Duxbury, Janell R. (2001-02-05). Rockin' the Classics and Classicizin' the Rock:: A Selectively Annotated Discography: Second Supplement. Xlibris Corporation. p. 344. ISBN   978-1-4628-0736-9.
  29. 1 2 Mojo #21, August 1995
  30. ↑ Rick Rubin (April 26, 2022). "Broken Record Podcast: Michael Stipe". Puskin.fm (Podcast). Retrieved May 15, 2022.
  31. ↑ Thompson, Jim. "Weaver D's deemed 'American Classic' by James Beard Foundation". OnlineAthens. April 18, 2007. Retrieved on March 17, 2009.
  32. ↑ "Sputnik Signs | RoadsideArchitecture.com". www.roadarch.com. Retrieved 2024-04-13.
  33. ↑ Runtagh, Jordan (October 5, 2017). "R.E.M.'s Automatic for the People: 10 Things You Didn't Know". Rolling Stone . Retrieved January 18, 2020.
  34. ↑ "R.E.M. Automatic For The People "Star" Album Cover Location". feelnumb.comcom. 2009-09-04. Archived from the original on 2020-11-24. Retrieved 2016-09-21.
  35. ↑ "Automatic for the People > Charts & Awards > Billboard Albums". Allmusic. Retrieved on March 12, 2009.
  36. ↑ Buckley, p. 230
  37. 1 2 Buckley, p. 358
  38. 1 2 Rosen, Craig (2017-09-14). "R.E.M.'s Peter Buck Talks 'Automatic for the People' Before 25th Anniversary Reissue: 'I Didn't Expect It to Be a Huge Hit'". Billboard . Retrieved 2017-10-04.
  39. ↑ Billboard. Nielsen Business Media, Inc. 1994-01-15.
  40. ↑ "R.E.M.'s Peter Buck Talks 'Automatic for the People' Before 25th Anniversary Reissue: 'I Didn't Expect It to Be a Huge Hit'". Billboard.com. Retrieved 5 November 2021.
  41. 1 2 "Automatic for the People[25th Anniversary Deluxe Edition] by R.E.M. Reviews and Tracks". Metacritic . Retrieved November 9, 2019.
  42. ↑ Erlewine, Stephen Thomas. "Automatic for the People – R.E.M." AllMusic . Retrieved July 28, 2015.
  43. ↑ Kot, Greg (October 4, 1992). "The New 'Automatic' Rings Low-Key But Deep". Chicago Tribune . Retrieved November 3, 2015.
  44. ↑ Sandow, Greg (October 16, 1992). "Automatic for the People". Entertainment Weekly . Retrieved September 22, 2011.
  45. ↑ Gill, Andy (November 8, 2017). "Album reviews: The Corrs – Jupiter Calling, Sharon Jones & The Dap-Kings – Soul Of A Woman, REM – Automatic For The People". The Independent . Retrieved November 12, 2017.
  46. ↑ Cromelin, Richard (October 4, 1992). "Playfulness, Profundity From a Rusticated R.E.M." Los Angeles Times . Retrieved October 1, 2011.
  47. ↑ Fadele, Dele (October 3, 1992). "The Final Reckoning?". NME . p. 36.
  48. 1 2 Berman, Stuart (November 14, 2017). "R.E.M.: Automatic for the People". Pitchfork . Retrieved November 14, 2017.
  49. ↑ Sutcliffe, Phil (November 1992). "R.E.M.: Automatic For The People". Q . No. 74. p. 117. Archived from the original on January 22, 2000. Retrieved May 22, 2024.
  50. 1 2 Evans, Paul (October 29, 1992). "Automatic For The People". Rolling Stone . Archived from the original on May 23, 2023. Retrieved August 26, 2012.
  51. ↑ Cavanagh, David (November 1992). "Everybody Hurts". Select . No. 29. p. 83.
  52. ↑ Buckley, p. 217
  53. ↑ Jones, Allan (October 3, 1992). "From Hearse to Eternity". Melody Maker . p. 36.
  54. ↑ Powers, Ann (1992-10-11). "RECORDINGS VIEW; A Weary R.E.M. Seems Stuck in Midtempo". New York Times. Retrieved 2011-09-22.
  55. 1 2 Garcia, Guy (1992-11-23). "That Sinking Feeling". TIME. Archived from the original on August 12, 2010. Retrieved 2011-09-22.
  56. ↑ Christgau, Robert (March 2, 1993). "The 1992 Pazz & Jop Critics Poll". Village Voice. Retrieved March 16, 2009.
  57. ↑ Christgau, Robert (2000). "R.E.M.: Automatic for the People". Christgau's Consumer Guide: Albums of the '90s. Macmillan Publishers. ISBN   0-312-24560-2 . Retrieved November 3, 2015.
  58. ↑ "Sting Leads Grammy Nominations With Six". Reading Eagle . Reading Eagle Company. January 7, 1994. Retrieved May 12, 2013.
  59. ↑ Levy, Joe; Steven Van Zandt (2006) [2005]. "247 |Automatic for the People — R.E.M.". Rolling Stone's 500 Greatest Albums of All Time (3rd ed.). London: Turnaround. ISBN   1-932958-61-4. OCLC   70672814.
  60. ↑ "500 Greatest Albums of All Time Rolling Stone's definitive list of the 500 greatest albums of all time". Rolling Stone . 2012. Retrieved September 16, 2019.
  61. ↑ "The 500 Greatest Albums of All Time". Rolling Stone. 2020-09-22. Retrieved 2021-10-09.
  62. ↑ "Oasis album voted greatest of all time". The Times . June 1, 2006. Archived from the original on April 8, 2007. Retrieved May 12, 2013.
  63. ↑ Dimery, Robert; Lydon, Michael (7 February 2006). 1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die: Revised and Updated Edition. Universe. ISBN   0-7893-1371-5.
  64. ↑ Q October 2001
  65. ↑ Buck, Peter (2003). In Time: The Best of R.E.M. 1988–2003 (booklet). Warner Bros. Records.
  66. ↑ "The 150 Best Albums of the 1990s". Pitchfork Media. 2022-09-28. Retrieved 2022-09-30.
  67. ↑ Ewing, Tom (13 October 2019). "All one can do is die (CRASH TEST DUMMIES – "Mmm Mmm Mmm Mmm")". Freaky Trigger. Retrieved 26 February 2024.
  68. ↑ Beato, Rick; Mills, Mike (14 June 2024). "Mike Mills: The Story Of R.E.M." Youtube . Retrieved 15 June 2024. "I remember Peter [Buck] playing dulcimer. I remember seeing Peter putting the dulcimer on [Try Not to Breathe] that."
  69. ↑ "R.E.M. 'Find the River' and Discover a Sweet Release". 4 October 2022.
  70. ↑ "Australiancharts.com – R.E.M. – Automatic for the People". Hung Medien. Retrieved November 2, 2021.
  71. 1 2 "Austriancharts.at – R.E.M. – Automatic for the People" (in German). Hung Medien. Retrieved November 2, 2021.
  72. ↑ "Top RPM Albums: Issue 1891". RPM . Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved November 2, 2021.
  73. 1 2 3 "Dutchcharts.nl – R.E.M. – Automatic for the People" (in Dutch). Hung Medien. Retrieved November 2, 2021.
  74. 1 2 "Offiziellecharts.de – R.E.M. – Automatic for the People" (in German). GfK Entertainment Charts. Retrieved November 2, 2021.
  75. ↑ "Album Top 40 slágerlista – 1992. 46. hét" (in Hungarian). MAHASZ. Retrieved November 25, 2021.
  76. ↑ Oricon Album Chart Book: Complete Edition 1970-2005. Roppongi, Tokyo: Oricon Entertainment. 2006. ISBN   4-87131-077-9.
  77. ↑ "Charts.nz – R.E.M. – Automatic for the People". Hung Medien. Retrieved November 2, 2021.
  78. 1 2 "Norwegiancharts.com – R.E.M. – Automatic for the People". Hung Medien. Retrieved November 2, 2021.
  79. ↑ Salaverri, Fernando (September 2005). Sólo éxitos: año a año, 1959–2002 (1st ed.). Spain: Fundación Autor-SGAE. ISBN   84-8048-639-2.
  80. ↑ "Swedishcharts.com – R.E.M. – Automatic for the People". Hung Medien. Retrieved November 2, 2021.
  81. 1 2 "Swisscharts.com – R.E.M. – Automatic for the People". Hung Medien. Retrieved November 2, 2021.
  82. ↑ "Official Albums Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved November 2, 2021.
  83. 1 2 "R.E.M. Chart History (Billboard 200)". Billboard. Retrieved November 2, 2021.
  84. ↑ "Lescharts.com – R.E.M. – Automatic for the People". Hung Medien. Retrieved November 2, 2021.
  85. ↑ "Official Albums Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved November 2, 2021.
  86. ↑ "Ultratop.be – R.E.M. – Automatic for the People" (in Dutch). Hung Medien. Retrieved November 2, 2021.
  87. ↑ "Italiancharts.com – R.E.M. – Automatic for the People". Hung Medien. Retrieved November 2, 2021.
  88. ↑ "Spanishcharts.com – R.E.M. – Automatic for the People". Hung Medien. Retrieved November 2, 2021.
  89. ↑ "Official Albums Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved November 2, 2021.
  90. ↑ "R.E.M. Chart History (Top Alternative Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved November 2, 2021.
  91. ↑ "R.E.M. Chart History (Top Rock Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved November 2, 2021.
  92. ↑ "R.E.M. Chart History (Vinyl Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved November 2, 2021.
  93. ↑ "Dutch charts jaaroverzichten 1992" (in Dutch). Dutch Charts . Retrieved November 2, 2021.
  94. ↑ "Top Selling Albums of 1992". Recorded Music NZ . Retrieved November 16, 2021.
  95. ↑ "Complete UK Year-End Album Charts". Archived from the original on 2012-05-19. Retrieved 2011-09-24.
  96. ↑ "Billboard 200 Albums - Year-End". Billboard . Retrieved November 2, 2021.
  97. ↑ "ARIA End Of Year Charts – Top 50 Albums 1993". Australian Recording Industry Association. Retrieved 2011-08-29.
  98. ↑ "Austriancharts.at – Jahreshitparade 1993". Hung Medien. Retrieved 24 September 2011.
  99. ↑ "THE RPM Top 100 Albums of 1993". RPM . Library and Archives Canada. 17 July 2013. Retrieved November 2, 2021.
  100. ↑ "Dutch charts jaaroverzichten 1993" (in Dutch). Dutch Charts . Retrieved April 2, 2014.
  101. ↑ "Top Selling Albums of 1993 — The Official New Zealand Music Chart". Recorded Music New Zealand . Retrieved November 2, 2021.
  102. ↑ "LOS 50 TÍTULOS CON MAYORES VENTAS EN LAS LISTAS DE VENTAS DE AFYVE EN 1993" (PDF) (in Spanish). Anuarios SGAE. Archived from the original (PDF) on August 18, 2012. Retrieved May 21, 2022.
  103. ↑ "Hitparade.ch – Schweizer Jahreshitparade 1993". Swiss Music Charts. Hung Medien. Archived from the original on 2013-11-05. Retrieved 2011-09-24.
  104. ↑ "Top 100 Albums 1993" (PDF). Music Week . January 15, 1994. p. 25. Retrieved May 21, 2022– via World Radio History.
  105. ↑ "Billboard 200 Albums - Year-End". Billboard . Retrieved November 2, 2021.
  106. ↑ "Dutch charts jaaroverzichten 1994" (in Dutch). Dutch Charts . Retrieved April 2, 2014.
  107. ↑ "Jaaroverzichten 2021". Ultratop. Retrieved January 14, 2022.
  108. ↑ "Austriancharts.at – Bestenlisten – 90-er album" (in German). Hung Medien. Archived from the original on December 28, 2010. Retrieved October 10, 2013.
  109. ↑ "Discos de oro y platino" (in Spanish). Cámara Argentina de Productores de Fonogramas y Videogramas. Archived from the original on July 6, 2011. Retrieved November 12, 2019.
  110. ↑ "ARIA Charts – Accreditations – 2001 Albums" (PDF). Australian Recording Industry Association.
  111. ↑ "Austrian album certifications – R.E.M. – Automatic for the People" (in German). IFPI Austria.
  112. ↑ "Canadian album certifications – R.E.M. – Automatic for the People". Music Canada.
  113. ↑ "French album certifications – R.E.M. – Automatic for the People" (in French). InfoDisc.Select R.E.M. and click OK. 
  114. ↑ "Gold-/Platin-Datenbank (R.E.M.; 'Automatic for the People')" (in German). Bundesverband Musikindustrie.
  115. ↑ "Italian album certifications – R.E.M. – Automatic for the People" (in Italian). Federazione Industria Musicale Italiana.
  116. ↑ "Dutch album certifications – REM – Automatic for the People" (in Dutch). Nederlandse Vereniging van Producenten en Importeurs van beeld- en geluidsdragers.Enter Automatic for the People in the "Artiest of titel" box.
  117. ↑ "New Zealand album certifications – REM – Automatic for the People". Recorded Music NZ . Retrieved 2024-11-20.
  118. ↑ Solo Exitos 1959–2002 Ano A Ano: Certificados 1991–1995. Iberautor Promociones Culturales. 2005. ISBN   8480486392.
  119. ↑ "Guld- och Platinacertifikat − År 2000" (PDF) (in Swedish). IFPI Sweden. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2011-05-17.
  120. ↑ "The Official Swiss Charts and Music Community: Awards ('Automatic for the People')". IFPI Switzerland. Hung Medien.
  121. ↑ "British album certifications – R.E.M. – Automatic for the People". British Phonographic Industry.
  122. ↑ Harris, Bill (November 17, 2006). "Queen rules – in album sales". Jam! . Archived from the original on June 29, 2012. Retrieved March 12, 2021.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)
  123. ↑ "American album certifications – R.E.M. – Automatic for the People". Recording Industry Association of America.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.