The 40 Best Songs by R.E.M.

While reviewing and cataloging all music, I was curious about certain groups and artists and how I feel about their music today. I decided to rank the songs of some of the greats and after kicking things off with the Beatles, Zeppelin, Nirvana, Fleetwood Mac, The Stones and CCR – next up is R.E.M.

Now this is a band with staying power. The burst onto the scene in the mid-80s, but they burst onto ‘my’ scene in 1988 with Stand. I had a friend who was really into R.E.M. and enjoyed Documents, Life’s Rich Pageant and Murmur. So I picked up a compilation of their earlier stuff via the album Eponymous. It turned out to be one of my favorite albums of all time.

With those two albums holding a big place in my heart, I was quick to buy their next three – Out of Time, Automatic for the People and Monster. They became a big part of my late high school/early university years. I remember playing a lot of What’s Your Frequency, Kenneth? during a New Year’s party my housemates and I held back when I was 20.

A few good ones that missed the Top 40 include Ignoreland (1992), Aftermath (2004), Leaving New York (2004) and Monty Got A Raw Deal (1992).

Here are my 40 favorite songs from R.E.M., one of the best classic rock bands of all time:

40. The Sidewinder Sleeps Tonight (1992)

39. Daysleeper (1998)

38. Belong  (1991)

37. Radio Song  (1991)

36. Sweetness Follows (1992)

35. Try Not To Breathe  (1992)

34. Can’t Get There From Here  (1985)

33. Bad Day (1986)

32. The Great Beyond  (1999)

31. Get Up  (1989)

30. Turn You Inside Out (1988)

29. Imitation Of Life  (2001)

28. Find the River (1992)

27. Bang and Blame  (1994)

26. Bittersweet Me (1996)

25. Pop Song ’89  (1988)

24. It’s the End of the World As We Know It (And I Feel Fine)  (1987)

23. Shiny Happy People  (1991)

22. Man On the Moon  (1992)

21. Talk About the Passion  (1983)

20. Gardening at Night (1982)

19. Orange Crush  (1988)

18. The One I Love  (1987)

17. Radio Free Europe  (1983)

16. Me In Honey  (1991)

15. Don’t Go Back To Rockville  (1984)

14. Drive  (1992)

13. Finest Worksong  (1988)

12. E-Bow the Letter  (1996)

11. Nightswimming  (1992)

10. Superman  (1986)

9. Crush With Eyeliner  (1994)

8. So. Central Rain (I’m Sorry)  (1984)

7. Driver 8  (1985)

6. Stand  (1988)

5. Losing My Religion  (1991)

4. Everybody Hurts  (1992)

3. Strange Currencies (1994)

2. Fall On Me  (1986)

1. What’s the Frequency, Kenneth?  (1994)

I put this full playlist on YouTube here.

The Top 40 songs by R.E.M.

1	What’s the Frequency, Kenneth?	–	R.E.M.	1994
2	Fall On Me	–	R.E.M.	1986
3	Strange Currencies	–	R.E.M.	1994
4	Everybody Hurts	–	R.E.M.	1992
5	Losing My Religion	–	R.E.M.	1991
6	Stand	–	R.E.M.	1988
7	Driver 8	–	R.E.M.	1985
8	So. Central Rain (I’m Sorry)	–	R.E.M.	1984
9	Crush With Eyeliner	–	R.E.M.	1994
10	Superman	–	R.E.M.	1986
11	Nightswimming	–	R.E.M.	1992
12	E-Bow the Letter	–	R.E.M.	1996
13	Finest Worksong	–	R.E.M.	1988
14	Drive	–	R.E.M.	1992
15	Don’t Go Back To Rockville	–	R.E.M.	1984
16	Me In Honey	–	R.E.M.	1991
17	Radio Free Europe	–	R.E.M.	1983
18	The One I Love	–	R.E.M.	1987
19	Orange Crush	–	R.E.M.	1988
20	Gardening at Night	–	R.E.M.	1982
21	Talk About the Passion	–	R.E.M.	1983
22	Man On the Moon	–	R.E.M.	1992
23	Shiny Happy People	–	R.E.M.	1991
24	It’s the End of the World As We Know It (And I Feel Fine)	–	R.E.M.	1987
25	Pop Song ’89	–	R.E.M.	1988
26	Bittersweet Me	–	R.E.M.	1996
27	Bang and Blame	–	R.E.M.	1994
28	Find the River	–	R.E.M.	1992
29	Imitation Of Life	–	R.E.M.	2001
30	Turn You Inside Out	–	R.E.M.	1988
31	Get Up	–	R.E.M.	1989
32	The Great Beyond	–	R.E.M.	1999
33	Bad Day	–	R.E.M.	2003
34	Can’t Get There From Here	–	R.E.M.	1985
35	Try Not To Breathe	–	R.E.M.	1992
36	Sweetness Follows	–	R.E.M.	1992
37	Radio Song	–	R.E.M.	1991
38	Belong	–	R.E.M.	1991
39	Daysleeper	–	R.E.M.	1998
40	The Sidewinder Sleeps Tonite	–	R.E.M.	1992