R.E.M. Reunites in Athens to Perform 'Pretty Persuasion'

R.E.M. reunited for a special performance on February 27 at the 40 Watt Club in Athens, Georgia, joining actor Michael Shannon and musician Jason Narducy during their tribute tour for R.E.M.'s 1985 album, 'Fables of the Reconstruction'. The band played their 1984 song 'Pretty Persuasion', marking the first time all four original members—Michael Stipe, Peter Buck, Mike Mills, and Bill Berry—performed together since 2024. Throughout the show, Buck, Mills, and Berry participated in various songs, while Shannon and Narducy covered several R.E.M. hits. This reunion follows their induction into the Songwriters Hall of Fame, where they last performed together, emphasizing that the band does not plan a full-fledged reunion. Stipe has previously stated that a full reunion would feel inauthentic and profit-driven. The tour will continue into the UK later this year.