Watch R.E.M. Reunite After 17 Years At Songwriters Hall Of Fame Induction

R.E.M. reunited for their first performance in 17 years last night at the 2024 Songwriters Hall Of Fame Induction & Awards Gala. The band was inducted into the SHOF along with Steely Dan, Timbaland, Hillary Lindsey and Dean Pitchford at the event held Thursday at the Marriott Marquis Hotel in New York City.

Michael Stipe, Peter Buck, Mike Mills and Bill Berry formed R.E.M. in Athens, Georgia in 1980. Berry left the group in 1997 after surviving a double brain aneurysm while performing with the band in Switzerland two years prior. The remaining trio disbanded R.E.M. in 2011. The original four members performed together in 2007 when they were inducted into the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame.

During the band’s first interview in 30 years, conducted by CBS correspondent Anthony Mason and published ahead of their SOHF induction, the band was asked about what it would take to get them “back together one more time.”

“A comet,” Mills matter-of-factly stated, implying there was little chance of a reunion.

In newly available, previously-unaired portion of the interview, Mason asked if they planned to reunite at the SOHF ceremony.

“I don’t think we should announce it,” Stipe said. “Because we could really [fuck] it up.”

The band made clear to Mason that last’s night reunion was a one-off performance and fans should not expect them to appear together again anytime soon.

“I just don’t know what I’d be trying to accomplish if we got back together,” Buck said.

“All the reasons you don’t want to do it are still in place,” Mills said. “We are lucky enough to have — I don’t really love the word — a legacy that we can leave in place and not mess up and you don’t get that opportunity but one time and once once you change that you can’t go back.”

“We did it,” Stipe added. “We we had our day in the sun.”

Mills, Stipe, Buck and Berry performed their hit “Losing My Religion” last night in New York City. The song appeared on their seventh album, 1991’s Out Of Time.

Presenter Jason Isbell paid tribute to R.E.M. by leading the evening’s house band in a performance of “It’s the End of the World as We Know It (And I Feel Fine).”

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kO4SQPp6hX8