I welcome back author, film producer, and fellow Substacker Matt Berenson for a full ranking of the entire REM discography. Get ready for us to get ninth circle nerd on an American institution.
"Losing My Religion," "Near Wild Heaven," and the last four songs on "Out of Time" are all classic REM. And there's a live version of Radio Song without KRS-One that I like a lot. It's definitely a top ten REM album, which makes it better than almost any other band's best album. But better than "Reckoning"? No. And "Automatic for the People" is no one's ninth best album. If Automatic and Green swapped places on your list, we'd be more in alignment. But when you hear each album definitely affects ranking. "Reckoning" was my gateway album, and "Green" was the first I was disappointed by, even though I liked most of it.
Indeed! Also, finally got a chance to listen, and this was great! Love the way you both fought your corner, so to speak. FWIW, I love the cover of 'Strange.' It's one of my faves on Document. Testament to the band that 3 people can all enjoy this band so much, yet prefer wildly different corners of their discography.
"Losing My Religion," "Near Wild Heaven," and the last four songs on "Out of Time" are all classic REM. And there's a live version of Radio Song without KRS-One that I like a lot. It's definitely a top ten REM album, which makes it better than almost any other band's best album. But better than "Reckoning"? No. And "Automatic for the People" is no one's ninth best album. If Automatic and Green swapped places on your list, we'd be more in alignment. But when you hear each album definitely affects ranking. "Reckoning" was my gateway album, and "Green" was the first I was disappointed by, even though I liked most of it.
I like the Reckoning-era sound over AFTP. What can I say?
You're right though; ranking the bottom 5 is MUCH easier than the top 5.
'Reckoning' is the sound of REM in my head. Swoon.
Indeed! Also, finally got a chance to listen, and this was great! Love the way you both fought your corner, so to speak. FWIW, I love the cover of 'Strange.' It's one of my faves on Document. Testament to the band that 3 people can all enjoy this band so much, yet prefer wildly different corners of their discography.
1. Document
2. Life's Rich Pageant
3. Out Of Time
4. Reckoning
5. Green
6. Fables of the Reconstruction
7. Monster
8. Murmur
9. Automatic For The People
10. Up
11. New Adventures in Hi-Fi
12. Accelerate
13. Collapse Into Now
14. Reveal
15. Around The Sun
*Green (and Eponymous) were my on-ramp to the band, so this is ranked higher than it might've been otherwise.
*'Airportman' does a lot of heavy lifting on Up. Like at least 2 spots worth.
*Out Of Time being criminally underrated is a hill I will die on.
*Picks 12-15 could be interchangeable, really.
These are close to mine. Off the top of my head:
Document
Lifes Rich Pageant
Reckoning
Murmur
New Adventures in Hi-Fi
Out of Time
Automatic for the People
Fables of the Reconstruction
Green
Accelerate
Monster
Collapse into Now
Up
Reveal
Around the Sun