R.E.M. Announce the Band is Done

To our Fans and Friends: As R.E.M., and as life-long 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 any who ever felt touched by our music, our deepest thanks for listening. R.E.M. (Source)

It's the end of an era, and for some, the end of the world as we know it...R.E.M. called it quits today after 31 years together as a band. The reason was not any dramatic, just, as Mike Mills put it on their website, "The time just feels right."

A hat-tip to you boys, I know you certainly added much to my adolescent ears and music tastes (not to mention my taste buds...gotta love that Weaver D's!). You also taught an entire generation that there was music to be had beyond what we were being fed on regular FM radio, music that was tremendous, that could (and did!) change your outlook, your beliefs, as well as your life. God-speed gents, you done good.

You can read more comments by the band about the breakup here.