I hear the jacknife lee will help produce REM's next album, they will be recording this spring.

REM's incredible shrinking legacy: The A.V. Club Blog

Before you get all good and pissed off (assuming you do disagree), read the user comments that follow it. The opinion doesn't go without a lot of contention from readers and other A.V. Club writers.

The last REM album I've listened to is New Adventures, so I'm right on the cusp. 

I think the article's writer has a pov, it just differs to mine.  REM has had many seasons through their career...and with each season they've had their detractors.  Each style change they've upset some fans of their previous work.  Yet they consistently retain quality.

Everyone has their favourite REM albums.  For me they were Green, Automatic for the People and Monster.  Monster really grates with some REM fans, but I loved how they weren't afraid to change directions and go for the guts with this one.

Of their more recent stuff, I love to chill to Up and Reveal - they have a certain moodiness that attracts me.

Throughout them all the quality remains.  I think people need to be careful not to confuse their personal changing tastes, or pining for earlier works with the issue of quality.

REM has timeless classics - Man on the Moon, Losing my Religion, Stand, Everybody Hurts, Orange Crush, Nightswimming, Shiny Happy People - I mean take your pick. 

They thoroughly deserve their place in the Hall of Fame.  If they're not your style any more, it may be a case of your ageing and tastes changing.  Maybe try country music - it might be more your style now...

Okay, I got pretty far down into the responses and even after that I wanted to  flog the original blogger...If I had to pick a least favorite REM CD it would be Up, but there are some gems on it and it's not like I never listen to it. I love Reveal, I think it is a great CD and I also enjoyed Around The Sun a lot too. I guess in the end you are either an REM fan or you are not. I have seen them a lot in concert and every show is great and they always mix up their playlists and play of lot of non-single "fan favorites" at least for this fan...I can think of another awesome band who has mellowed in their "autumn years" at that is Sonic Youth but they still know how to rock and REM still know how to do their thing and do it well...some of my faves include Lifes Rich Pageant, Automatic For The People and New Adventures in Hi-Fi. Monster does not great on me and although I do prefer the IRS era...Green is great too and other from the Warner Bros era as well.         

Shiny Happy People is a timeless classic? Gaaaaah.