R.E.M. songs were primarily written by the band's core members: Peter Buck, Mike Mills, Michael Stipe, and for earlier works, Bill Berry. While their extensive discography spans many albums and singles, the following table details the songwriting credits for a selection of their recorded tracks.
R.E.M. Songwriting Insights
The main songwriting unit for R.E.M. for much of their career consisted of the four original members: guitarist Peter Buck, bassist Mike Mills, drummer Bill Berry, and vocalist Michael Stipe. This collaborative approach was central to their creative process, with instrumental compositions often developed by Buck, Mills, and Berry, and Stipe providing the lyrics and vocal melodies. After Bill Berry's departure in 1997, the songwriting credits for new material typically listed Buck, Mills, and Stipe.
It's also common for bands to perform or record songs written by other artists, known as covers, in which case the original songwriter receives the credit. An example of this within R.E.M.'s catalog is their live rendition of "After Hours," which was originally penned by Lou Reed.
Songwriting Credits for Selected R.E.M. Tracks
Below are the specific songwriting credits for a few of R.E.M.'s recorded songs, illustrating the various contributions from the band members and other artists.
| Song | Songwriter(s) |
|---|---|
| "Adagio" | Peter Buck, Mike Mills, Michael Stipe |
| "After Hours" (live) | Lou Reed |
| "Aftermath" | Peter Buck, Mike Mills, Michael Stipe |
| "Ages of You" | Bill Berry, Peter Buck, Mike Mills, Michael Stipe |
