Alternative Rock Icons: What Are R.E.M.’s 5 Biggest Hits?

For a while, it seemed like R.E.M. would never emerge from their status as underground rock heroes into the mainstream. Once they made that jump, however, they routinely delivered songs that did very well on the pop charts.

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Interestingly, a few of their biggest hits stand apart from the rest of their catalog in terms of style and tone. Here are the five US pop hits of their illustrious career.

5. “Bang And Blame” – No. 19 in 1994

This song caught R.E.M. at the tail end of their dalliance with the pop charts. It would actually be the last of their songs to make it to the US Top 40. “Bang And Blame” came from the 1994 album Monster. On that record, the band purposely tried to bring back some clatter and noise into their sound. It was a direct reaction to the softer sounds that they’d delivered on their previous two albums. “Bang And Blame” actually spends some of its time in moodier, quieter verses. But it works itself up into quite a lather once the refrains come around.

4. “Shiny Happy People” – No. 10 in 1991

Hit singles often reach that status due to proximity. “Shiny Happy People” benefited from its placement as the song following the band’s biggest-ever hit (still to come on this list). You’ll probably locate more than a few R.E.M. fans who don’t care much for the song at all. After all, its bubblegum pop style can get grating after repeated listens. It’s almost as if they achieved their goal of creating a mindless earworm too well. On the bright side, the vocal chemistry between Michael Stipe and special guest Kate Pierson can’t be denied.

3. “The One I Love” – No. 9 in 1987

By the time they made Document in 1987, R.E.M. had garnered a ton of press attention without any hit singles. In other words, they stood on the precipice, and they just needed the right song to give them a little push. “The One I Love”, with its moody guitar churn and compact lyrical approach, was just such a song. It ranks high on the list of big pop hits that are much darker than what most people realize. The narrator slyly admits, as the song progresses, that he’s just using the person to whom he’s dedicating the song before he throws them away.

2. “Stand” – No. 6 in 1989

Here we are for the second time on this list with a song that’s inspired by throwaway pop songs of the late 60s and early 70s. And, as was the case with “Shiny Happy People”, R.E.M. perhaps honored their influence with a bit too much reverence. Had “Stand” been an album track, it wouldn’t have received as much scrutiny. Nonetheless, this one has some charms that stand up well over repeated listens. The wobbly guitar solo and chiming organ give some cool throwback vibes, while the lyrics make some subtle points about sticking behind what you believe.

1. “Losing My Religion” – No. 4 in 1991

Peter Buck was learning to play the mandolin and stumbled upon the hook for this, the band’s biggest ever pop hit. It actually sounds odd to say that, considering the song’s depth and its melancholy nature. “Losing My Religion” captivates via the acoustic surge of the rhythm (helped out by guest guitarist Peter Holsapple). The title phrase might have confused people into thinking that Michael Stipe was singing about spiritual concerns. But the phrase actually refers to someone losing control. The narrator can relate to that, since he feels his entire world slipping away.

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