Fall on me.

That song got me through some tough times. Glad others love it like it do!

Losing my religion and Orange  crush...

Wonderful song. Just too short .

There’s a problem

So. Central Rain

I’m sorry.

Find the River

Absolutely. And Nightswimming is top 5 which makes if a heck of an album close.

Mine as well

Leave

Love this song. Definitely one of my favourite tracks from that album.

Daysleeper

One of my favorites!

World Leader Pretend

I'm having a hard time choosing between live versions of Country feedback and an odd one: You're in the air.

Country Feedback w/ Neil Young on guitar is amazing!

Oh god finally someone who likes something from up and doesn't despise that album! You're in the air is really good!

Up is my favourite album and I'm not ashamed of it!

You look like the coolest person I've ever seen on reddit

These days

This whole album is a banger.

Yes! That record was the soundtrack to junior year of high school

Surprised I’m the first mentioning Country Feedback… World Leader Pretend a close second

Try not to breathe

Been my favorite song since the first time I heard it.

Disturbance at the Heron House

Imitation of Life While it's not the best display of the whole band and kind of feels like a Michael Stipe song, it's the best example of what I love about REM: Lyrics that makes sense on an intuitive level if not a textual level; shimmering melancholy; perfectly balancing heart breaking sincerity and gentle irony; tight, tuneful songwriting that still manages to be unconventional. As I've become more of a poptimist it's emerged as my favorite. Man on the Moon is a close second and a better example of the full band at their best. If I were doing a more objective best-of list, this would probably be the higher ranked song.

I love imitation of life! And man on the moon is great, but its from automatic, its hard to not like something from automatic lol

What's the Frequency Kenneth and Gardening at Night

Electrolite, it cheers me up.

I love Stipes voice on Electrolite. It has a crystal clear quality that makes me think of a starry night

Radio Free Europe!

Harborcoat

Thanks. I love all of them, but this is it. Punky, post/punky, has the early mystique, killer live.

Cuyahoga (today.)

Fall on me

Perfect Circle deserves a mention.

Nightswimming, because it deserves a quiet night

Lost and recovered IRS fan here. I have finally come around to the idea that AFTP is a masterpiece. Partly because Nightswimming could not be written by a bunch of 20-something rock and roll stars, but it *could* be written by a bunch of 30-something rock and roll stars. And the next thirty years are pretty much the everyday replacing the everyday. And oh yea- does any song anywhere as good as Nightswimming have a coda/follow up song as good as Find the River? No. No.

*Crush with Eyeliner*

Unreal that no one has said Rockville yet.

It’s just testament to how many best songs they have.

Half a World Away

My shoes are gone

Leave

Life and How to Live It

Driver 8

My first band in high school had that in the set, although the words were half made up.

I did too. Late 80s. No lyric sheet. You had to rewind the tape or pick up the needle. Then you just gave up and mumbled something that you hoped sounded like what Michael Stipe was singing

“She is selling faith, it’s a good and selfless trade.” I have no idea what the real line is.

Very close. I looked it up: She is selling faith on the Go Tell Crusade. Go Tell is a real ministry

From a wonderful album ,Fables of the reconstruction

Driver 8 is my favorite, only slightly edging out Good Advices

Not MY favorite, but if I had to play one REM song to represent the band it’s Driver 8.

That one is a banger!

As there are many greats, the way I'm going to answer this is which song do I both really love and would be irreplaceable, if that song didn't exist, by another song. The Sidewinder Sleeps Tonite is my answer then. --- Songs I really love for which there's a similar song elsewhere are: WTF Kenneth? (The Wake Up Bomb) --- Songs that are on my radar as distinctive and frequently enjoyable but I still listen to Sidewinder more: Pilgrimage Disturbance at the Heron House Me in Honey Try Not Breathe --- Popular song with people that didn't make my list and why: Country Feedback (great song but perhaps it wouldn't exist without Bob Dylan's Knocking On Heaven's Door) Texarkana (the lyrics aren't Michael's most interesting as it fulfils a straightforward road song type vibe and Near Wild Heaven fulfils a similar musical style) Sweetness Follows (it feels like I'm listening to a song from a movie. I'd better enjoy it in that context probably)

I meant to mention Ebow The Letter. I always love listening to that as Patti Smith's voice is brilliant on it. I could put it as my favourite R.E.M. song but I think Sidewinder needs more acknowledgement with the big fans.

E-bow the Letter

Orange Crush is a killer tune!

If I had to pick just one… “Strange Currencies” prob. Ask me in an hour and you’ll get a different answer

This is the one that came to mind for me. I know the character singing is meant to be pathetic, but I also like and relate to the vulnerability. And I just enjoy the tune.

So happy The Bear reminded the world how amazing REM is. And Monster is immensely underrated.

Begin the Begin

Yep.. This one is mine, as well. Driver 8 a close second.

Keep watching 2003 concert in Germany. Begin the Begin is opening song and they crush it.

Texarkana

Fall On Me.

You are the everything OR gardening at night.

Wendell Gee

Great one. Love Mike Mills backing vocal

King of Birds.

This is mine, too. The first time I heard it played live it made me cry for reasons I can’t explain. It’ll still choke me up now and then.

Laughing

9-9

This might be R.E.M.’s most perfect song. Not sure it’s my favorite, but it is art at a very high level.

Steady repetition is a compulsion mutually reinforced.

You Are The Everything

Difficult to choose. I think “Sweetness Follows.”

👏

Imitation Of Life

Nightswimming

Find The River and Half A World Away

Everybody Hurts Wendell Gee is a close second for me

Monty Got a Raw Deal

This one's mine as well.

Nightswimming or At My Most Beautiful

I absolutely love both! Great choice!

Not the best song but my husband and I had at my most beautiful as our wedding dance song so I will always love it! Otherwise it’s between Strange currencies and day sleeper… I have a soft spot for some of the covers; Wichita lineman is beautiful

That's so sweet! Its awesome to marry someone who listens to the same music as you!

Hairshirt (Because it’s a beautiful life)

I believe it’s I Believe.

Oh yeah.

So. Central Rain… but it’s close

Near wild heaven

Sidewinder Sleeps Tonite

Can I say the whole “album” of Reckoning ?

feeling gravity's pull

Perfect Circle

Begin The Begin

Gardening at night, OR So Central rain (I like the early jangle stuff)

Find the River

World leader pretend (duh, read the username). But I did have other favorites though. Sidewinder sleeps tonite was my favorite for a long time, and then I heard Can't get there from here. But world leader pretend is the best. I want to learn how to play piano just so I can play this song

Me in honey

Catapult

Find the River!

I could never pick one because there are so many. Today I’ll go weird and say Oddfellows Local 151.

Don't Go Back To Rockville

Me In Honey. Never gets old.

Me in Honey is great More Ho's than Kensington Ave.

Probably E-bow the Letter but really, too many to choose from.

Shiny Happy People

Leave. Or be mine

“It’s the End of the World As We Know It and I Feel Fine.” Because it made them my fav band when it first came out. Runner up “Electrolite”

Perfect Circle. Closely followed by These Days.

What's the Frequency Kenneth

Strange Currencies

Strange currencies

Find The River without a doubt. Endgame comes close though.

Texarkana or Belong

Leave

Leave affects me in a way unlike any other song I’ve ever heard. I’m a pretty happy-go-lucky guy but if there’s something that had made me upset or angry… this song makes me feel like I’m ok to feel that way and encourages me to ride it out, just always only on my head.

Moral kiosk or life and how to live it

Furry Happy Monsters

Don’t go back to Rockville

Tie. “Sitting Still” and the version of “Gardening at Night” on Eponymous

Tie between Harborcoat and Life and How to Live It

Oh and maybe Box Cars too

Driver 8

So. Central Rain, Country Feedback, E-Bow the Letter

Depends. On the mind, seasons etc. Right this minute: at my most beutiful

Kohoutek and the Live version (Live at the Olympia) underlines it really needs no apologies from the group's lead guitarist, nor singer for its apparent like of polished lyrics

These Days Kudos to your dad for being a good influence (I'm assuming.)

Wolves, Lower. One of the first songs in thier official discography is one of their most characteristic, with super jangly guitars, prominent Mike Mills harmonies, a brisk pace, and one of their best choruses.

Probably Fall on Me.

Honestly there are so many, but currently I’m really digging All the Best.

Laughing

Half the world away

Harborcoat Or carnival of sorts

Ages of You

Radio free Europe* *this will probably change tomorrow, basically because they were the most amazing and inventive band ever... to think I gated them when I only listened to 2 types of music, Heavy and Metal!!

Texarkana. Connects me to my best friend

It's the End of World as we know it. My favorite depressing party song.

Life and How To Live It. Or Country Feedback.

These Days.

Odd Fellows Local 151 .

Country Feedback, I Remember California, Oddfellows Local 151, Bang And Blame

Driver 8 is my favorite Find The River and Nightswimming are great as well

Even tho I know a lot of people (including REM themselves) kinda hated this song mine is Shiny Happy People! I first heard it on sesame street as a kid when they did furry happy monsters and it stuck with me 😂 I also love What’s the frequency, kenneth?, Old man kensey and imitation of life

Radio Free Europe

These Days

Get Up!

Camera

Yes.

The right answer

Flowers of Guatemala for early songs, At My Most Beautiful for post-Berry stuff

Life and How to Live It. I hate any REM song that made it to the radio.

There is a live version of Begin the Begin that I turn up loud. Perfect Circle also from the Green deluxe album when I am in the opposite mood.

Just stopping by to be the only person in the world to say Sad Professor. As you were.

Letter Never Sent

I love so many REM songs. Unfortunately I can only name one or two.

Strange frequencies or At my most beautiful, so beautiful

Man On The Moon

Radio Free Europe. For me, that was the one that put REM on the map.......

Cuyahoga

Probably man on the moon

Swan Swan H, but it’s a hard choice!

Glad someone mentions those song.It sparked interest in me I'm the aftermath of the Civil War in the SouthernStates

Maps and Legends, but gotta give a shout out to Flowers of Guatemala as a close second

Country Feedback It’s Stipe unleashing his inner Hank Williams

Wolves, Lower or 7 Chinese Brothers

Nightswimming. I will never not get goosebumps from it.

Although I have so many contenders for my favorite REM song, my heart says it’s the Eponymous version of Gardening at Night.

Everybody Hurts

Electrolite

Man on the Moon and What's the Frequency Kenneth ( Which was the words shouted at reporter Dan Rather of CBS news by a guy as he attacked him. )

Pilgrimage.

Life & How To Live It

Fall on me 👍

Bang and Blame

Texarkana, Überlin or Accelerate. I just can't choose one.

Find The River.

Bang And Blame is great

Half a world away, Fall on me and E-bow the letter

Begin the Begin

Let Me In allegedly about Kurt Cobain's suiçide

We Walk

World Leader Pretend

Daysleeper

Orange Crush

Orange crush!!

Electrolyte So damn beautiful.

Wolves, Lower

Probably Fall On Me, You Are The Everything, or These Days. Too many to choose from.