Formed in 1980 in Athens, Georgia, R.E.M. have since come to be recognized as legends of alternative rock. Hitting their commercial peak during the late 1980s and the early 1990s, the band scored numerous global hits including ‘The One I Love’, ‘Losing My Religion’, ‘Shiny Happy People’ and ‘Everybody Hurts’. They officially broke up in 2011, but reunited onstage for one very special performance earlier this month to celebrate their long-awaited induction into the Songwriters Hall of Fame.
Marking R.E.M.’s first live performance since 2007 to feature all four founding members (Bill Berry, Peter Buck, Mike Mills and Michael Stipe), the Songwriters Hall of Fame audience was treated to a stripped-back, acoustic version of the band’s evergreen 1991 hit ‘Losing My Religion’. It was a sublime rendition too, with Stipe’s vocals sounding as fresh and piercing as they did back in the 1990s, and the drums and guitars playing off each other well to give the song its distinctive rhythm.
Many of the group’s long-time fans, meanwhile, have taken to the video’s comments section to share their delight at seeing this legendary band play together again, even just for one song. “Such beautiful poetry,” said one fan, referring to the lyrics, whilst another described the event as “like a miracle.” Others described how much it meant to them to hear ‘Losing My Religion’ being played live again after all these years, whilst some made a hopeful plea for the band to start touring again.
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For a taster of how the band sounded live during their heyday, their performance of ‘Losing My Religion’ at Glastonbury Festival in 1999 is well worth 5 minutes of your time. As soon as the song’s iconic mandolin riff is played, a huge cheer sweeps over the crowd, whilst a heavily made-up Michael Stipe cuts a distinctive figure as he lets rip with his vocals. It’s little wonder that the video is one of the group’s most popular, having received nearly 5 million views since its upload in 2020.
Given their status as pioneers of the genre, R.E.M.’s brief reunion at the Songwriters Hall of Fame is surely one of the most iconic moments in the history of alternative rock. Perhaps, as some fans have suggested, the group will even go on to undertake a full-scale tour as a result of this performance. If they don’t, however, seeing such a legendary band perform together one more time is still an incredible experience, and one that those lucky fans who were in the audience that night will no doubt treasure for years to come.
If you would like to stay updated with R.E.M., you can visit their [Facebook page](https://www.facebook.com/REMhq/) or their [official website](https://remhq.com/) for more incredible music and updates.