R.E.M.s ninth album,Monster, was released at a time when the band were coming off the peak of their mainstream success, followingOut of Time(1991) andAutomaticForThe People(1992). Coming from a long break in touring (the band famously didnt tour with the two previous records), Monster represented an intentional shift in R.E.M.s sound, a return to rock with guitar laden, simple arrangements. It was released to strong reviews and significant global success – reaching #1 on Billboard.

When Monster was released in September 1994, the members of R.E.M. were at a crossroads in their career. Singer Michael Stipe, guitarist Peter Buck, bassist Mike Mills and drummer Bill Berry were decompressing from the massive commercial and critical success of 1991s Out of Time and 1992s Automatic for the People. In just a few years, the Athens, GA, four-piece had become one of the biggest, most recognizable bands in the world. It had also been six years since the group had toured. By the time that work

Celebrating Monster’s 25th anniversary, this 180-gram single disc edition offers the original album remastered. Highlights include the singles Whats The Frequency, Kenneth?, Crush with Eyeliner, Star 69, Strange Currencies, Tongue, and Bang and Blame.