Automatic for the People
| R.E.M.
Automatic for the People
Automatic for the People is the eighth studio album by American alternative rock band R.E.M., released on October 5, 1992 by Warner Bros. Records. Upon release, it reached number two on the US albums chart and yielded six singles. The album has sold 18 million copies worldwide, and has received widespread acclaim by critics. -Wikipedia
Critic Reviews
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Pitchfork
This reissue of their multi-platinum smash, 25 years later, highlights a brooding, transitional album that still resonates.
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Drowned in Sound
Is Automatic for the People R.E.M.’s best album? It’s a best R.E.M. album, and feels like the culmination of something.
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SPIN
Among the cries for help, there are memorable melodies galore and even some good, pretentious fun.
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Consequence of Sound
It’s so rare that four white dudes selling 18 million units knew the limits of their powers.
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Rolling Stone
Automatic is musically irresistible.
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BBC
Turned them into one of the biggest bands on the planet.
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The Quietus
A masterpiece of nostalgia and loss that still retains its mysteries.
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The Jakarta Post
It’s rare that a re-released album, well-received in its day, still manages to surprise and leave a feeling of astonishment many years after its initial release.
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Glide Magazine
You can’t improve a great record by remastering it, but the folks at Dolby [have] gotten close.
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All Music
R.E.M. have never been as emotionally direct as they are on Automatic for the People, nor have they ever created music quite as rich and timeless, and while the record is not an easy listen, it is the most rewarding record in their oeuvre.
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The Line of Best Fit
Ubiquitous but oblique masterpiece.
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Pop Matters
The more "rocking" songs on Automatic for the People are few and far between but work well within the context of the album and are nice palette cleansers between the album's moodier tracks.
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The Guardian
The perfect mix of playful, angry melancholy.
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Paste Magazine
Irrepressible and inescapable.
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uDiscover Music
In both critical and artistic terms, ‘Automatic For The People’ arguably remains R.E.M’s high-water mark.
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Soundblab
Few band’s can lay claim to having actually been there ‘from the beginning’, but in case of alt-rock, R.E.M not only spearheaded the genre but also managed to outlast nearly every one of their first-wave contemporaries.
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American Songwriter
Not many albums still stop you in your tracks after 25 years of listening. This one does. It’s a pure masterpiece, from beginning to end.
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Under the Radar Mag
Worth the fuss.
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Classic Rock Review
Automatic For the People was yet another in a string of hit albums for R.E.M., reaching number two on the U.S. album charts and yielding six regular radio tracks. The album would perhaps be the high-water mark for this innovative band who were truly alternative long before alternative was cool.
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Louder Sound
A genuine classic.
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XS Noize
A truly respected, timeless band.
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NME
Iconic.
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The Fire Note
A masterpiece for all times!
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The Ringer
The 1992 album is the perfect synthesis of the band’s indie rock roots and its arena rock stardom, full of deeply personal music that connected with the masses.
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Sputnik Music
The creative apex of R.E.M.'s career - stunning.
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All About Jazz
One of the greatest rock and roll bands America's ever produced.
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Record Collector Mag
For a band with so, so many great records in their back catalogue (oh, for a Murmur in 2017), remember REM any way you want, but Automatic For The People is a good if ultimately maudlin one. Rest in peace.
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R.E.M. Reviews
Not really that bad of an album - in fact it's got some quite good material in spots - and to their credit, R.E.M. are still try new and different things.
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Flood Magazine
The twenty-fifth anniversary edition of Automatic for the People gives fans just enough to keep them happy, but doesn’t give away the full myth that went into making the album.
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Backseat Mafia
Yes, there may be cooler R.E.M. albums to listen to, but Automatic For The People is still their best.
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Treble Zine
Automatic for the People, proves that R.E.M. were setting out not to make a collection of filler to house a few singles, but to create a worthwhile album from beginning to end.
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Spectrum Culture
Automatic for the People is a triumph of Americana.
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Stereogum
Maybe nothing speaks to the influence this record’s had on the current crop of indie rockers more directly than the amazing number of high-caliber artists who expressed interest in contributing to the compilation.
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The Digital Bits
Automatic for the People easily ranks among the best of R.E.M.'s extensive catalog.
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Secret Meeting
Despite being a record packed full of beautiful moments, the pinnacle is Nightswimming.
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Adrian's Album Reviews
It's beautifully short and concise, and wonderfully evocative.
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Uncut
They’ve barely faltered.
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El Burrito Blog
Automatic For The People is one of those albums that took a while for me to appreciate and, looking back, I have no idea why.
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Rawckus Magazine
Automatic for the People, released in 1992, is one of those records famous for its emotional nudity. It doesn’t shy away from its darkness, but faces it with emotionally bared lyrics, artistic integrity, and catchy melodies.
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Sleeping Bag Studios
Full of incredible music & nostalgia for me.
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Mark's Record Reviews
Admittedly, this isn't the most creative set of melodies they've ever tossed down the elevator shaft of American culture; in truth, a lot of the time, it sounds like they're simply imitating other successful "adult" pop stars . . . Still, the songs stick in your brain a heck of a lot more than most sissy rock.
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Popdose
R.E.M. were my Beatles.
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Pennyblackmusic
‘Automatic for the People’ is an epic stirring album and one of the absolute high points of R.E.M.’s career.
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The Daily Beast
Remains as Hauntingly Beautiful as Ever.
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