Mina Tavakoli reviews “The Name of This Band is R.E.M,” a book by Peter Ames Carlin that serves as the bands biography. She brings her take on R.E.M.’s legacy though, arguing that their shift to mainstream led to a decline in their cultural relevance.
A shared and sane decision to quit came in 2011. There was no infinite farewell tour, no enduring drama—just a merciful, dignified exit signaled by a couple paragraphs on the band’s website. But public mourning came with a greater-than-usual procession of dark clouds. “R.E.M.’s break-up is classy, and a decade late—but who cares?” The New Yorker said with a shrug. “The cynicism isn’t surprising, given the way R.E.M.’s image has decayed in the 21st century,” hedged The Atlantic. My high school English teacher—at that hour wearing a T-shirt featuring the art for Automatic for the People—slammed his laptop shut after reading the band’s retirement announcement to a silent classroom. “Finally,” he said, frowning into the distance.