R.E.M.'s 'Monster' at 25

Twenty-five years ago, R.E.M was practically the biggest band on the planet. “What could they possibly do next?” was the question on everyone’s minds after the Athens, Georgia quartet’s career-defining double-shot of Out Of Time and Automatic For The People, and the answer, for many, was perplexing. Throwing glam-rock, psychedelia, punk, avant-garde, and a dash of pop sensibility into a blender, the band hit “crush” and the result was Monster, the most polarizing album of their careers.

It was also one of their best.

Let’s discuss.