10 Best Rock Ballads Of The 90's
9. Everybody Hurts - R.E.M.
At the beginning of the decade, no one could have predicted that the best material R.E.M. would ever create was actually on the horizon. Though the band had been on a hot streak with albums like Out of Time and Green, nothing could top the perfection of the band's early period, right? Then Automatic for the People was unleashed on the world.
The whole album is draped in a disillusioned haze brought about by entering your 30s. Right in the middle of the record, "Everybody Hurts" enters into your eardrums and fills your soul with all the feels. R.E.M. had always been about much more than just the standard love song, with this tune being no exception. The initial happy tune is undercut by Michael Stipe's lyrics, which deal with people struggling with suicidal thoughts.
Instead of the typical brooding nature of other 90's rockers, Stipe uses this song as an opportunity to help those going through depression, showing them that it does get better. Even as years pass, this song still has this incredible power that will help you overcome even your darkest days. In an era when most lyricists cried about their problems, this was a tune that recognized sadness and pleaded for happiness.