The next category of my ’30 Greatest Living American Songwriters’ list is Bands. The New York Times largely ignored bands when compiling their list — OutKast was the only exception — and I think that was a mistake.
I understand the temptation to include artists who write alone, but it’s not like The Times didn’t name some songwriting duos and trios on their list. So why not a group of people who write and perform their songs together?
Continuing a countdown of my favorite albums of 1996…
#3 – New Adventures in Hi-Fi – R.E.M.
I owned a lot of CDs back in the days before streaming, and for a select few of them I can recall the exact time and place they first came into my possession. One such album is R.E.M.’s New Adventures in Hi-Fi, the band’s final release as a quartet.
My soon-to-be-wife bought this CD for me while I was on a work trip to the Dominican Republic and surprised me with it when she picked me up at the airport. As a huge R.E.M. fan, I’d been anticipating the release for months and cursing the timing. But thanks to her thoughtfulness, I was able to hear it ASAP.
Continuing a countdown of my favorite albums of 1986…
#4 – Lifes Rich Pageant – R.E.M.
Few bands had as a good a run in the 80s as R.E.M. Lifes Rich Pageant was the band’s fourth album in as many years and every one was a masterpiece.
Following up the murky folk rock of Fables of the Reconstruction, Pageant found the band in full rock mode, putting the muscular sound of their live shows on record for the first time.
R.E.M. went from college rock indie pioneers to one of the most popular rock bands in the world, eventually selling more than 90 million albums globally. But they never managed to place a single atop the Billboard Hot 100.
The band did score a #1 in Canada with ‘Bang and Blame’ and another in Norway with ‘Supernatural Superserious.’ And in the Netherlands, ‘Losing My Religion’ made it to #1. But in the good old U.S. of A., four hits between 1987-1991 stalled out in the top ten.
Concluduing a countdown of my favorite albums of 1985…
#1 – Fables of the Reconstruction – R.E.M.
After making this list, I looked back to see my lineups for 1983 and 1984. To my surprise, the same band was on top of all three. R.E.M.’s debut Murmur claimed the #1 spot in ’83, and their sophomore effort Reckoning pulled off the feat for ’84.
So I guess it’s both no surprise and a testament to the greatness of R.E.M. that they pull off the trifecta and hit #1 yet again with 1985’s Fables of the Reconstruction.
Meet Me In Montauk 