In a surprising twist that reverberated through the halls of the Songwriters Hall Of Fame, the members of R.E.M. graced the stage together for the first time in 17 years, sparking a wave of nostalgia and excitement.

Despite their firm stance against a formal reunion, as stated in a recent CBS interview, the event in New York saw Michael Stipe, Peter Buck, Mike Mills, and Bill Berry reunite for a historic performance.

The iconic alternative rock band, which officially disbanded in 2011, had previously left the public sphere with a clear message: no more tours or new recordings.

However, their induction into yet another Hall of Fame, following their Rock & Roll Hall of Fame induction in 2007, provided a perfect backdrop for this unexpected reunion.

The ceremony, enriched by Jason Isbell’s rendition of “It’s the End of the World As We Know It (And I Feel Fine)”, set the stage for R.E.M. to perform a stripped-down version of “Losing My Religion”.

What made this event particularly poignant was the presence of drummer Berry, who left the band in 1997 following a health scare. Seeing all four members together after such a long hiatus, and under such harmonious circumstances, was a powerful reminder of the chemistry that once propelled R.E.M. to the heights of musical acclaim.

During their recent CBS interview, R.E.M. claimed they would not play together again, adding that they were proud of all they had achieved in their career (as per Rolling Stone).

“At that point, there wasn’t anything we could agree on really, musically: what kind of music, how to record it, are we gonna go on tour,” Buck said. “We could barely agree on where to go to dinner. And now we can just agree on where to go to dinner.”

“We’re also here to tell the tale and we’re sitting at the same table together with deep admiration and lifelong friendship,” Stipe added. “A lot of people that do this can’t claim that.”

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