I think it's about time for another REM revisit. I have playlist of the tournament we did a few years ago, those are fun to go through.

I haven’t heard Around the Sun in a long time. The first half to two thirds is very good but the album really loses steam as it goes on. I think between Reveal and this there’s one great album. They really did need a shakeup to their sound by the time Accelerate came around.

I love Around the Sun. I was shocked by how much that one resonated with me when I finally listened to it a few months ago.

yeah Around The Sun is a beautiful album. Its weird and can be a little...tiresome maybe? But its a very important one for me.

I can totally understand "tiresome" as a critique of the record, yeah. I disagree but I get that. Totally valid.

yeah, im not even in that group but i understand if someone thinks its too long.

Its a very special REM album for me. And i think it really captures a mood.

I’ve never listened to Around the Sun or Reveal.

Same. There are a few duds near the end, but it rebounds nicely with "Ascent of Man" and the title track. It's probably my second favorite post-Berry album behind Up.

Finished up with Accelerate and Collapse Into Now. While R.E.M. never had a bad period, they did finish up strong. I am sure this belongs in the unpopular opinions thread but I think Collapse Into Now is fantastic and belongs in the top half of their albums. They could have closed with It Happened Today and it would have been one of the all time great mic drops.

This is my personal top 5:

New Adventures in Hi-Fi
Collapse Into Now
Automatic for the People
Lifes Rich Pageant
Monster

So, I'm with you on Collapse.

I absolutely love Collapse and Accelerate. And Hi-Fi is a Masterpiece. I think Automatic and Monster round out my top five.

These dudes really had some great great music. I can't argue with any of their albums being top 5. Well, except Reveal. No one will ever convince me that's a top 5 record.

But otherwise...

I don't know if I can come up with a top 5. But my top 7, in chronological order, are Reckoning, Life's Rich Pageant, Green, Out of Time, Automatic for the People, Monster, and Up.

If I had to scratch 2 to come up with a top 5 I'd probably eliminate Out of Time and Up but I'm not certain.

I would say through that listening journey, my top 5 had to be:

New Adventures in HiFi
Automatic For the People
Collapse Into Now
Document
Up

I think Monster, Green, Life’s Rich Pageant, and Murmur are also worthy of this list.

I’m not very familiar with anything post-Up, but...

Up
New Adventures
Murmer
Automatic
Monster

Monster
LRP
HiFi
Automatic
Murmur

Murmur has grown on me the most over the last year.

I knew when they announced a Monster remix that we would get a version of Let Me In with the guitar cleaner. It allows the listener to focus on Stipe, which is kind of the whole point of the song anyway.

they've ruined let me in, where's the fuzz?