#67 Automatic for the People by R.E.M.
The 100 Greatest Albums of All Time
- 2025 Album Rank
- 67
- 2011 Album Rank
- 48
- Total Points
- 906
- Year Released
- 1992
- Billboard 200 Chart Peak
- 2
- Weeks at #1
- N/A
- RIAA Sales Certification
- 4,000,000 (Multi Platinum)
- Buy Album
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Automatic for the People Album Details
Released on October 5, 1992, Automatic for the People marked a creative peak for R.E.M., showcasing a darker, more reflective side of the band. Moving away from the jangly alternative rock of their earlier years, the album embraces lush arrangements, somber themes, and a deep sense of melancholy. Mortality, memory, and loss are central subjects, expressed through haunting melodies and introspective lyrics that struck a chord with listeners worldwide.
Featuring songs like "Everybody Hurts", "Man on the Moon", and "Nightswimming", the album fuses acoustic instrumentation with string sections. Michael Stipe's emotive vocals and poetic lyrics, combined with Peter Buck's delicate guitar work and Mike Mills' melodic bass and backing vocals, create a timeless soundscape. Automatic for the People is often considered one of R.E.M.'s finest albums, balancing their alternative roots with an elegant maturity.
Other R.E.M. albums on the chart: Out of Time
Interesting Facts about Automatic for the People
- The album was released on October 5, 1992, and quickly became a critical and commercial success worldwide.
- Initially, R.E.M. had intended to make a louder, rock-oriented album but shifted toward a more introspective and acoustic sound during recording.
- The string arrangements on several songs were composed and conducted by >John Paul Jones, bassist and keyboardist of Led Zeppelin.
- "Everybody Hurts" was specifically aimed at teenagers and young people struggling with depression and loneliness.
- The album's title, Automatic for the People, was inspired by the slogan of a diner called Weaver D's Delicious Fine Foods in Athens, Georgia, where the band originated.
- "Man on the Moon" is a tribute to comedian >Andy Kaufman and became one of R.E.M.'s signature songs.
- Despite its subdued tone, the album spawned several hit singles and sold over 18 million copies worldwide.
- The cover photo is a close-up of a star ornament on a Miami motel sign, giving the album its distinctive, somewhat mysterious look.
- Automatic for the People received four Grammy nominations, including Album of the Year.
Automatic for the People Track List
- Drive - Reached #28 on Billboard's Hot 100 chart
- Try Not to Breathe
- The Sidewinder Sleeps Tonite
- Everybody Hurts - Reached #29 on Billboard's Hot 100 chart
- New Orleans Instrumental No. 1
- Sweetness Follows
- Monty Got a Raw Deal
- Ignoreland
- Star Me Kitten
- Man on the Moon
- Nightswimming
- Find the River
