Name: Monster: 25th Anniversary Edition
Brand: R.E.M.

Bonus disc

Bonus disc: No

Catalogue number

CR00239

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Colour

Colour details

Discogs ID

Format multiplier

Download code

Download code: No

Rough Trade Exclusive

Rough Trade Exclusive: No

Extended format

Extended format: No

Format detail

Format Music US

Limited edition

Release date

2019-11-01

Signed copies

Signed copies: No

Supplier US

Unive­rsal

Tax rate US

Sales:8.875

UPC / Barcode

888072111493

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Total Cap

LPx2

CR00240

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888072111486

Artist

R.E.M.

Genre US

Rock-Pop

Label US

Craft Recordings

R.E.M. was an American rock band formed in 1980 by singer Michael Stipe, guitarist Peter Buck, bassist Mike Mills, and drummer Bill Berry. They gained early attention for their unique guitar style and distinct vocals. R.E.M. released their first single in 1981 and went on to achieve mainstream success with hits like "The One I Love". Known for their political and environmental concerns, they continued to evolve their sound throughout the years. In 2011, R.E.M. disbanded after a successful career spanning over three decades.

One of the pioneers of alternative rock, R.E.M.'s influence can be seen in subsequent acts such as Nirvana and Pavement. Their commercially successful albums "Out of Time" (1991) and "Automatic for the People" (1992) showcased a departure from their established sound. The band's versatility is evident in their more rock-oriented album "Monster" (1994). Despite some changes in musical style, R.E.M. continued to release music into the next decade with mixed critical and commercial success.

In recognition of their impact on the music industry, R.E.M. was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2007. Throughout their career, they remained dedicated to touring and promoting important causes while playing large arenas worldwide.

In the history of R.E.M., one of our most storied bands, the 1994 album Monster occupies a strange place. When R.E.M. made Monster, they were straight-up arena stars riding a career pinnacle. 1992’s Automatic For The People had sold 18 million copies, an absurd number for a band that had started out as a college-rock underground sensation a decade earlier, and figures as vaunted as Kurt Cobain and Thom Yorke considered Michael Stipe to be a mentor and a positive example. But when they could’ve gone on making pretty and life-affirming music forever, R.E.M. switched things up, abandoning the stately and folk-informed sounds of their previous albums and diving instead into revved-up, glam-influenced distorto-rock. The results were… divisive. Monster was not a flop. It debuted at #1, went quadruple platinum, and spun off five singles. A lot of critics loved it. But the album was still received as something of a letdown after Automatic For The People and Out Of Time. Monster sold a lot less than those previous albums, and a lot of critics and fans weren’t into the louder new sound. R.E.M. would never return to their previous all-conquering success. But Monster has aged awfully well. The sound is bright and engaged and layered, and it has hooks for days. (“Crush With Eyeliner” is a fucking banger.) It’s due for reappraisal, especially after the joyous vision of an ultra-stoned Andrew Garfield dancing to “What’s The Frequency, Kenneth” in this year’s perplexing neo-noir Under The Silver Lake.

Craft Recordings will release a grand 25th-anniversary reissue of Monster in a bunch of physical formats. (It’ll also be available digitally.) The deluxe version is a six-disc box set with five CDs and one Blu-Ray. That set will include the original album, a remixed version from R.E.M. producer Scott Litt, a CD of previously unreleased demos, and a live album that captures a 1995 performance in Chicago. The Blu-Ray will have the 90-minute documentary Road Movie and all six of the album’s music videos, and the set will also have a portfolio book with archival photos and liner notes from writer Matthew Perpetua.

Monster: 25th Anniversary Edition

Music US

Discover Monster: 25th Anniversary Edition by R.E.M. Vinyl, CD, and LP formats available. Craft Recordings presents a deluxe box set with remixed version, demos, live album, documentary, and more.