10 Overrated Rock Albums Of The 80s

10. R.E.M - Green

In their three-decade, 15-album career, R.E.M barely put out a bad record, and Green is by no means a “bad” record. It does, however, represent a couple of important milestones for the band: their major label debut, their biggest release to date, and by a way their worst work of the ‘80s.

R.E.M evolved gracefully across the decade, stepping away from jangle pop to something more overtly political and hard edged on Document. Green tries to pull all of that together while adding some more bucolic elements, and sometimes it works, on “Orange Crush” and “Hairshirt”.

But then there’s “Stand”, the band’s second most annoying track (after “Shiny Happy People”) which is simultaneously goofy and impossibly catchy. “I Remember California” is a bizarre, out of character dirge, and “Pop Song 89” sees the usually witty band make a lame attempt at self referential humour.

There are no R.E.M albums without moments of magic, but while Green delivers the goods, it also spells the end of the hip, early days of the band. Their maturing years would produce great stuff, though many fans can’t help but pine for the olden days.