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And I don’t expect anyone can bring about a revolution in the way that Bob Dylan did – and really didn’t – in the 1960s.
~Michael Stipe

Super casual music listeners. That’s most of the people in the world. And you have to understand, that’s why Top 40 radio exists. It’s not there for people who seek out music and who love music.
~Michael Stipe

Eddie Vedder inducts REM Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Inductions 2007:

R.E.M. – Find The River – Live 2003:

From Wikipedia:

Birth name	John Michael Stipe
Born	January 4, 1960 (age 53) Decatur, Georgia, United States
Genres	Alternative rock, college rock,jangle pop
Occupations	Musician, lyricist, producer, visual artist
Instruments	Vocals, guitar
Years active	1980–present
Associated acts	R.E.M. Automatic Baby

John Michael Stipe (born January 4, 1960) is an American singer, lyricist and visual artist. He was the lead vocalist of the alternative rock band R.E.M. from their formation in 1980 until their dissolution in 2011.

Stipe is noted and occasionally parodied for the “mumbling” style of his early career as well as his social and political activism. He was in charge of R.E.M.’s visual image; often selecting album artwork and directing many of the band’s music videos. Outside of the music industry, he runs his own film production companies: C-00 and Single Cell Pictures.

R.E.M. – Man On The Moon (Live 2010):

Album of the day:

Reckoning (1984):

 

…Reckoning is clear, which doesn’t necessarily mean that the songs themselves are straightforward. Michael Stipe continues to sing powerful melodies without enunciating, but the band has a propulsive kick that makes the music vital and alive. And, if anything, the songwriting is more direct and memorable than before…
~Stephen Thomas Erlewine (allmuisc.com)

Other January 04:

• Nels Cline (born January 4, 1956 in Los Angeles) is an American guitarist and composer.

  He first came to prominence in the 1980s playing jazz, often in collaboration with his identical twin brother Alex Cline, a drummer. Since then, Nels has worked with a wide range of musicians in punk and alternative rock, notably Mike Watt, Thurston Moore andWilco (the latter as a full-time member since 2004). He also leads the groups the Nels Cline Singers and Nels Cline Trio.

  Cline was named the 82nd greatest guitarist of all time by Rolling Stone magazine in November 2011, and the 43rd greatest guitarist of all time by Spin magazine in May 2012.

  –

• Patty Loveless (born Patty Lee Ramey, January 4, 1957), is an American country music singer.

  Since her emergence on the country music scene in late 1986 with her first (self-titled) album, Loveless has been one of the most popular female singers of the Neotraditional country movement, although she has also recorded albums in the Country pop and Bluegrass genres.
  –

• Arthur Lee Conley (January 4, 1946 – November 17, 2003) was an American soul singer, best known for the 1967 hit “Sweet Soul Music”.

-Egil