10 Albums That Defined The 80s
7. R.E.M. - Murmur (1983)
Seemingly out of nowhere, these four misfits out of Athens, Georgia came out with the indie album that would define alternative rock in the next few decades. It's almost an anomaly that R.E.M. got as popular as they did, but thank the musical gods that it happened.
Michael Stipe's vocal melodies have the emotional urgency that hits you right in the stomach, even if you can't understand what he's saying half the time. Right alongside Stipe is Peter Buck's chiming guitar, which updates the guitar sound of the Byrds while still sounding fresh. On songs like "Laughing" and "Radio Free Europe," the band show that they can write great choruses without having to sacrifice their hipster cred.
As the years went on, R.E.M. would continue to experiment with great album after great album. This record is just them hitting the ground running with killer hooks and pop smarts. It's the sound from the world's biggest anti-rock stars as they stake their claim for indie rock's throne. With almost 40 years in retrospect, they succeeded with flying colors.