As expected, 2011 brought music fans a mind-numbing indulgence of overrated pop tarts, overhyped DJs, overplayed Top 40 radio, and a barrage of other pseudo-talents who are "over" in all sorts of other ways. No, don't throw out your AM/FM or unsubscribe from Spotify just yet... there was plenty of great music bubbling beneath the unsavory surface this year. In the spirit of old-school, tried and true musicianship, we're giving a shout-out to some of the real musical talents of 2011, from the breakout upstarts to the reliable staples.
No. 11 - 13: R.E.M.
A lot of great bands called it quits in 2011, but none with the same level of accomplishment, integrity, and influence as Athens, GA's original alternative rock heroes: R.E.M. Over the course of three decades and an astonishing fifteen studio albums, Michael Stipe, Peter Buck and Mike Mills (plus original drummer Bill Berry, who left the band in the mid-'90s) performed music both intimate and bombastic... raw and meticulous... independent and mainstream. No other indie rock group in history jumped onto a major label with as much creative control— Sonic Youth, Nirvana, Death Cab For Cutie, The Decemberists, and countless others looked to R.E.M. as a model of artistic credibility.
Their cultural impact can't be overstated, but R.E.M. didn't merely bow out gracefully this year—their final studio album Collapse Into Now was released in March to rave reviews. Featuring vocal contributions from Patti Smith, Peaches, and Eddie Vedder, the album was the perfect culmination of their various sonic modes: the plucky folk of Green and Out Of Time... the aggressive power chord rock of Lifes Rich Pageant, Monster, and Accelerate... and the expansive experimentalism of Up and New Adventures In Hi-Fi. To boot, their 2-CD career spanning collection Part Lies Part Heart Part Truth Part Garbage 1982-2011 contained three all new songs that ranked amongst their best in several years.
R.E.M. were a true rock n' roll original, the likes of which we'll likely never hear again. Sad as I still am to see them go, I find it extremely commendable that, after everything they've accomplished together, they managed to walk away amicably, filled with pride and without regrets.
"Discoverer"
"Oh My Heart"
"We All Go Back To Where We Belong"
Stop by ology.com/musictomorrow afternoon, when we'll be sharing more of our picks for Musicians of the Year.
Who were some of your favorite music writers, composers, bands, and artists in 2011? Let us know in the comments section below.
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