#165 R.E.M., 'Murmur' (1983)

Previously #197

‘Murmur’ was the debut album of R.E.M., one of alternative music’s biggest artists of the ‘90s. The music was new and unique sounding. The guitars bright and jangly, Michael Stipe’s voice different to everything else around at the time. Peter Buck initially met Stipe in a record store in which he worked. They bonded over a shared taste in music and would soon after meet Billy Berry and Mike Mills, all of whom were students at the University of Georgia. The latter two had been playing music together since high school.

The album opens with their first single, ‘Radio Free Europe,’ with which they saw immediate success. The song reached #78 on the Billboard charts, which is a decent start for a brand new alternative band. The album itself would reach #36. ‘Pilgrimage’ foreshadows the band’s later sound, but for the most part, this album doesn’t sound much like what their sound would become during their peak. The songs, however, are solid and melodic. Completely enjoyable. In fact, it’s one of alternative music’s most important albums of the ‘80s. It had a relatively slow start, only selling 200,000 copies by the end of the year (I saw only, but how many bands would kill to sell that many?). Rolling Stone named it as their #1 album of 1983, beating out the likes of Michael Jackson, The Police and U2. It’s consistently been named as one of the best albums of the ‘80s and it’s easy to hear why. R.E.M. would have no idea as to the heights their career would soar, and on this record they delivered a collection of great songs setting their career in motion. Other highlights include ‘Talk About Passion,’ ‘Perfect Circle’ and ‘Sitting Still.’

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