Automatic for the People

Automatic for the People is the critically-acclaimed album by R.E.M. released in 1992 by Warner Bros. Records. Mostly acoustic and typified by its dark lyrics (many of which ruminate on death and those departed), Automatic for the People was embraced as a masterpiece upon its release, and is, by common consent, generally considered to be R.E.M.'s best album, and one of the finest releases of the 1990's. The album received its name in reference to the motto of Georgia eatery's "Weaver D's Delicious Fine Foods".

Related Topics:
R.E.M. - 1992 - Warner Bros. Records - Georgia

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Arriving on the heels of the previous year's breakthrough smash Out of Time, Automatic for the People entered the US charts at #2, selling over four million copies there, and proving an equally impressive hit in the UK, where it spent several weeks at #1. As a consequence, R.E.M. were correctly lauded as purveyors of the new-fangled "alternative" scene, alongside new acts such as Nirvana and Pearl Jam.

Related Topics:
Out of Time - Nirvana - Pearl Jam

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Many of Automatic for the Peoples songs have proven to be very popular, namely: "Drive", "The Sidewinder Sleeps Tonite", "Everybody Hurts", "Nightswimming" and the Andy Kaufman tribute "Man On The Moon", which would become the title of the late comedian's 1999 biographical movie starring Jim Carrey.

Related Topics:
Everybody Hurts - Andy Kaufman - 1999 - Movie - Jim Carrey

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John Paul Jones, formerly the bassist for Led Zeppelin, scored the strings for "Drive", "The Sidewinder Sleeps Tonite", "Everybody Hurts" and "Nightswimming".

Related Topics:
John Paul Jones - Led Zeppelin

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Despite the band's enormous success, they declined to tour in support of Automatic for the People, having already vetoed a tour for Out of Time the previous year.

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It has subsequently been revealed that Kurt Cobain was likely listening to Automatic for the People before committing suicide on 5 April 1994.

Related Topics:
Kurt Cobain - 5 April - 1994

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In 1997 Automatic for the People was named the 18th greatest album of all time in a 'Music of the Millennium' poll conducted by HMV, Channel 4, The Guardian and Classic FM. In 1998 Q magazine readers placed it at number 3. And in 2002, the album was placed at #247 in the List of Rolling Stone's 500 Greatest Albums of All Time.

Related Topics:
1997 - HMV - Channel 4 - The Guardian - Classic FM - 1998 - ''Q'' magazine - 2002 - List of Rolling Stone's 500 Greatest Albums of All Time

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Approval of the album has remained so high that Automatic for the People has since become the yardstick against which all future R.E.M. albums are compared.

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In 2005, Warner Bros. Records issued an expanded two-disc edition of Automatic for the People which includes a CD and a DVD, as well as the original CD booklet with expanded liner notes.

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