Two monumental official releases in 2014 legitimized what bootleg collectors had known for years: the R.E.M. vaults were overflowing. The band released The Complete Rarities: I.R.S.: 1982–1987 and, in a surprise move, The Complete Rarities: Warner Bros.: 1988–2011 —a massive featuring B-sides, live sessions, and previously unreleased material. The tracklist reads like a Blogspot curator's dream, including the Iggy Pop cover "Funtime (Live)," the Suicide cover "Ghost Rider," the Syd Barrett cover "Dark Globe," an acoustic version of "Pop Song 89," and non-album tracks like "Memphis Train Blues".
Early, faster, and rawer versions of songs before they were polished by Mitch Easter.
On fan hubs like Murmurs.com and various Blogspot review sites, arguments raged over the band's legacy. Some argued that Reckoning and Automatic for the People were the peak, while others claimed the underrated Up (1998) and Reveal (2001) deserved a second look. There was consensus on "unlistenable garbage" like Collapse Into Now , while other fans called Out of Time "wildly undervalued". These discussions turned a simple discography into a living, breathing text to be argued over, linking fans across the globe through the simple interface of a comment section. rem discography blogspot exclusive
Beyond official B-sides, the Blogspot community was a haven for bootlegs and unheard demos. In the late 1990s and early 2000s, trading physical tapes and CD-Rs was the only way to hear raw studio outtakes. Blogs changed the game, digitizing these collections and offering them as direct downloads.
Wuxtry Records in Athens, Georgia, is the record store where Peter Buck worked and first met Michael Stipe. Early live tapes from local Athens venues like the Tyrone's O.C. or The 40 Watt Club capture a high-energy, post-punk band covering garage rock classics and playing proto-versions of their own hits. 4. The Warner Bros. Promo-Only Releases Two monumental official releases in 2014 legitimized what
Did you own any of these blogspot compilations? What is the rarest R.E.M. track in your digital library? Share your stories in the comments below!
create "fantasy" versions of albums. For example, they host an expanded version of Chronic Town (1982) The tracklist reads like a Blogspot curator's dream,
"Losing My Religion", "Shiny Happy People", "Country Feedback" Accolades: Earned the band three Grammy Awards. Automatic for the People (1992)
This article explores the allure of these "exclusive" blogspot collections and what makes them a necessary treasure trove for any serious R.E.M. collector. The Golden Age of Blogspot and R.E.M. Rarity Sharing
If the demo tapes were the raw rock, the R.E.M. At The BBC box set was the polished cathedral of live audio. One blog post highlighting an 8-CD/DVD set captured the band's 20-year relationship with the British broadcaster. This collection featured , including a rough 1984 Nottingham gig, the 1995 Milton Keynes Monster Tour, and the blistering 1999 Glastonbury headline set.
In 1988, R.E.M. signed a massive deal with Warner Bros. Records. Far from selling out, the band utilized their massive new budgets to experiment with mandolins, orchestral arrangements, and avant-garde song structures, creating the most commercially successful music of their career. Green (1988)