R.E.M. call it quits!

I'm mildly surprised by R.E.M.'s announcement that they're calling it quits. Although their latest album Collapse Into Now was not their greatest by far, I didn't see this coming. But maybe it's a good thing. Mike Mills says the following in a statement: "During our last tour, and while making Collapse Into Now and putting together this greatest hits retrospective, we started asking ourselves, 'what next'?"

Excellent point. R.E.M. have been recording artists for 30 years, and that should be more than enough for most bands. They will be missed, but never forgotten, as their legacy is so rich in musical gems. To read the full statement from the three band members, go here.

To listen to one of their many classics, "It's The End Of The World As We Know It (And I Feel Fine)" (a fitting song today) from the 1987 album Document, go here.