R.E.M. was an American rock band formed in Athens, Georgia, in 1980 by Michael Stipe, Peter Buck, Mike Mills, and Bill Berry. Emerging from the University of Georgia scene, they became one of the defining bands of alternative rock, shaping the sound and ethos of a generation. The group's name refers to rapid eye movement, the dream-state sleep phase, a fitting metaphor for their evocative, often enigmatic music.
Their journey began with a live debut on April 5, 1980, at a friend's birthday party in an abandoned church in Athens. After issuing their first single, "Radio Free Europe" / "Sitting Still," locally in 1981, they signed with I.R.S. Records in 1982 and released the debut EP Chronic Town. Their debut album Murmur followed on April 12, 1983, earning widespread acclaim and even being named album of the year by Rolling Stone. The band's classic run includes Reckoning, Fables of the Reconstruction, Lifes Rich Pageant, Document, Green, Out of Time, Automatic for the People, and Monster. Bill Berry left in 1997, and R.E.M. announced their breakup in 2011, closing a chapter on one of rock's most influential acts.