R.E.M. breaks up

It’s the end of R.E.M. as we know it.

The ‘80s supergroup made the announcement on its website Wednesday. The group – whose founding members are Michael Stipe, Mike Mills, Peter Buck and Bill Berry – had been together for 31 years.

“To our Fans and Friends: As R.E.M., and as lifelong friends and co-conspirators, we have decided to call it a day as a band. We walk away with a great sense of gratitude, of finality, and of astonishment at all we have accomplished. To anyone who ever felt touched by our music, our deepest thanks for listening,” the band wrote on the website.

R.E.M. released their first single Radio Free Europe in 1981 and followed it up with The One I Love from the album Document in 1987.

Losing My Religion, It’s the End of The World as We Know It, Man on the Moon and Orange Crush soon followed, garnering huge radio play.

“A wise man once said – ‘The skill in attending a party is knowing when it’s time to leave.’ We built something extraordinary together. We did this thing. And now we’re going to walk away from it,” Stipe wrote.

“I hope our fans realize this wasn’t an easy decision; but all things must end, and we wanted to do it right, to do it our way.

“We have to thank all the people who helped us be R.E.M. for these 31 years; our deepest gratitude to those who allowed us to do this. It’s been amazing.”

Earlier this year, R.E.M. released its latest studio album Collapse Into Now.

Berry left the band in 1997.

With files from The Canadian Press

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