The original members of R.E.M. performed together for the first time in 17 years at the Songwriters Hall of Fame on Thursday.
Frontman Michael Stipe reunited with his former bandmates Peter Buck, Mike Mills and Bill Berry at the Songwriters Hall of Fame Induction and Awards Gala at the New York Marriott Marquis Hotel on Thursday.
While they had earlier joked that it would take “a comet” to get them to perform together again, the band celebrated their induction with a surprise acoustic rendition of one of their biggest songs, Losing My Religion.
“We are R.E.M. And this is what we did,” Stipe said before singing their 1991 hit.
Berry left the group in 1997, two years after suffering a brain aneurysm while performing on stage. He last played with the trio in 2007 when they were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. The remaining trio called it quits in 2011.
During Thursday’s ceremony, Jason Isbell inducted the group into the Hall of Fame and performed a cover of their song, It’s the End of the World as We Know It (And I Feel Fine).
In a speech, Stipe said, “Writing songs and having a catalogue of work that we’re all proud of that is out there for the rest of the world for all time is hands-down the most important aspect of what we did.
“Second to that is that we managed to do so all those decades and remain friends. And not just friends, dear friends.”
This year’s inductees also included Timbaland, Hillary Lindsey, Steely Dan and Dean Pitchford. In addition, SZA was honoured with the Hal David Starlight Award, while Diane Warren received the Johnny Mercer Award.
