Best R.E.M. Songs

The Top Ten
1 Losing My Religion

Winner of MTV's Euro song of 1991. Incredible video as well. All about being under scrutiny with a task at hand. People/person there, watching. Then no one. Religious symbolism integrated perfectly as well. I have never seen a music video made as well

This is my favourite song of all time. I don't care if it is the best R.E.M. Song. I know that it is, and I also know that it will always be the best thing that has ever musically happened to me.

This song introduced me to rock music. Before I heard it I only listened to what they played on the radio.. And its still one of the best songs I've every heard

2 Everybody Hurts

It just a good song and it is true... The Best of REM... Sometimes it is just a reminder that everyone at some point in time is in the same position as you. The Human factor. A beautiful song both the music and the lyrics.

I love this song - it is simply one of the best songs out there from any band, not just REM. It reminds you that life is hard for everyone, and sometimes we need to remember that.

This song is timeless, universal and has impacted so man lives. A song that can do that has to be #1 even if it wasn't the most successful commercially. It's deeper than just money and music

3 It's the End of the World as We Know It

Me and my friends like this song because it's in Chicken Little (unpopular opinion) and we were singing this in school when the fire alarm went off!

Even if you don't know all the lyrics, you should still love it. But, you love it more if you know all the lyrics.

Amazing Song first brought my eyes to R.E.M. It should be higher but I am glad if any song is beating it it's losing my religion

4 Man on the Moon

I'm glad "The One I Love" is near the top, it's great. But Man on the Moon is by far my favorite. It was hearing this and "It's the End of the World As We Know It" on the radio that got me into the band, and now I own their Greatest Hits record from the IRS years, which has some fantastic lesser known songs on their. If you haven't already heard it, give "So. Central Rain" a listen. It has that same fire as "The One I Love", with the same delicate swagger as "Losing My Religion".

What can I say? I love those yeah-yeah-yeah-yeah. I love that "Hey baby"? I love the chorus that many band would have killed for. I love the guitar solos. I love the quiet part. And I love that repetition of the chorus at the end. EVERYTHING about this song is completely mind-blowing.

This is such a motivational songs. Beautiful songs like this come from deep within the heart. Maybe not as good as loosing my religion, but I'm voting this up because I think it should be second.

5 The One I Love

Love this song, first listened to it on a record player in my basement with my mom. When my brother went into basic training for the army, he wrote me a letter how it was his favorite song to sing. This song is so special to me

Incredible vocals mixed with a cutting edge deep guitar riff with an awesome drum beat.

I remember this popular song. Indeed this should go higher in the list.

6 Shiny Happy People

It's such a fun song and always puts you in a good mood. Never understood why fans hate it so much.

One of the saddest songs by R.E.M.
Lots of people don't seem to get the message.

It should be higher regarding to the melody and the sarcastic lyric.

7 Orange Crush

Orange Crush is the best REM song at least one of my favorites. It came at the time of the first Gulf was and made me think of my husband at the time overseas and now it reminds me of my son who is in the Army and been to Iraq.

I figured that someone would have made this list by now. Anyways, this is my favorite on the list for now (at least until it gets fleshed out).
Edit: I made this comment on another list that got merged with this one.

Infectious beat, fabulous harmonies, critical commentary on the morality of American foreign policy... superb!

8 Radio Free Europe

How on the earth this song can be on this position.
Even rolling stone magazine has put this song in their greatest songs list
Greatest REM songs are as follows-

1)Losing My Religion
2)RADIO FREE Europe
3)It's The End Of The World
4)Everybody Hurts
5)Man On The Moon

Anything of Murmur deserves the utmost respect - but Laughing, Sitting Still, We walk, Pilgramige and Perfect Circle are better!

College bar 1985, cute girl to dance with, really? A better song than this? I think not.

9 Nightswimming

This wonderful unique song brings back my childhood - carelessness, innocence, this feeling of security, warmth, lightheartedness, secrets, unconditional trusting,...This song offers the unique chance to bring back this time, its impressions and all the memories when needing them. Just love it!

I already knew the top 5 or so on this list before I really became an R.E.M. fan, but man, this song is what made me a fan. Nightswimming always puts a few tears in my eyes.

The vocals that stipe brings to this song are incredible such a joy to listen to time and time again.

10 Drive

I lived in Athens, GA from '89-'99. It was common to see members of the band, esp. Stipe, out and about downtown or in a bar. I also used to eat at Weaver D's Soul Food, where the owner's catch phrase was "automatic for the people." Good times.

I adore this song, superb guitar riff and a edgy lyrics from Stipe. A very memorable opener to Automatic For The People

I found this song here last night and started listening to it. It is now my favorite REM song

The Contenders
11 Fall on Me

Encapsulates REM's musical style and political activity.

Great song it's better than losing my religion.

Great romantic R.E.M. from their hey day

12 Stand

This one should be in the top ten. Its really catchy with unique lyrics and almost has a message

This should really be in the top ten. Pure brilliance!

Super catchy song. Shocked it isn't in the top 5.

13 South Central Rain
14 What's the Frequency, Kenneth?

Great track based on a unique, bizarre, jarring, and hilarious popular culture event. The music is catchy rock and contains a fun message about the media.

One of the few times, REM changed pace enough to just plain rock. A slight departure from their usual mood and tempo, but one of their best.

Why isn't this in the top ten why is everybody hurts in the top ten oh my god people.

15 Superman

A classic of alternative cool. Paradramtic and textured in tone, mood and ambiance. A yearning between youth and adulthood and all of the grey abysses between.

Underrated song. Should be in top 10

Should be top ten, at worst top 20.

16 The Great Beyond

This is so incredible, the lyrics. The message. The just all around incredble is one of the things that keeps me going in life!

This is my favorite song ever. Very imaginative and incridible.
How can you push an elephant up the stairs? So Amazing!

Beautiful lyrics and song! Just listen

17 Find the River

Joint with Man on the Moon, this song gets my vote for being largely unknown outside of R.E. M's own fanbase. What a gorgeous song with such fantastic imagery.

Can listen to this over and over and over for ever, the words, the music, the voice. There's something haunting about it! Love it.

Somewhat overlooked, but it really is such a nice song. Of course, REM is amazing so they have lots of nice songs, but this one is really special

18 Driver 8

Very catchy Riff, just a flat out awesome song, this should be in the top 5 at least.

So so good - the various guitar sections are all such a joy to listen to and play! The lyrics capture that olde time American feel

I agree that this should be in the top 5 at least. One of their best.

19 Imitation of Life

I want the greatest song, the greatest song since bread came sliced to at least be in the top ten... This was the absolute last song by REM that got any radio play whatsoever, and happens to be one of the best.

Not their best song, but highly underrated and deserves to be in the top 5 at least! You have to admit that Losing my Religion is the only true number 1 though.

This has been my favorite song of all time since its release. Sure, I was a teenager then, but it still painfully applies to adulthood.

20 Let Me In

The back story to this is sadder than the song itself. The day before Kurt Cobain died he was supposed to be picked up to go to Atlanta for a recording session with Stipe. As the story goes Michael Stipe sent a limo to pick him up. The Driver waited for him and knocked on the door and no one answered. Hence the title let me in.

21 Try Not to Breathe

I'm amazed at how many great songs are on this list. I voted for this one because I think it's too good for 57th place. It's a beautiful song that hits me in the feels. Probably my favorite song from Automatic.

Probably the best song on Automatic. Makes me feel like I'm floating on air.

Yeah, this is my favorite R.E.M. song. Haunting lyrics, "I need you to rememberr..."

22 Country Feedback

One of the best R.E.M. song, my favorite one, associating great music with incredible lyrics, simply fantastic.

I love the guitar solo on the version from R.E.M. 's Road Movie sound track.

Not just REM's best, one of the best songs ever written.

23 Turn You Inside-Out

The guitar, the vocals, the drums, everything is amazing.

24 The Sidewinder Sleeps Tonite

Remember this one from my teenage years. Never really understood what it meant, but loved it just the same.

I am shocked this song is so low! I was expecting it to be in the top twenty!

One of the most joyful songs I've ever heard!

25 Me in Honey

There are plenty of great tracks to vote for, buy I feel like this one should be higher. It's just simply great to listen to.

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