Around the Sun

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Around the Sun
Studio album by R.E.M.
Released October 4, 2004 (2004-10-04)
Recorded Early 2003 – early 2004
Genre Alternative rock
Length 55:21
Label Warner Bros.
Producer Pat McCarthy, R.E.M.
R.E.M. chronology
Perfect Square
(2004)		 Around the Sun
(2004)		 iTunes Originals – R.E.M.
(2004)
Singles from Around the Sun
  1. "Leaving New York"
    Released: September 27, 2004 (2004-09-27)
  2. "Aftermath"
    Released: November 29, 2004 (2004-11-29)
  3. "Electron Blue"
    Released: February 28, 2005 (2005-02-28)
  4. "Wanderlust"
    Released: July 11, 2005 (2005-07-11)
Professional ratings
Review scores
Source Rating
Allmusic 2/5 stars [1]
BBC Unfavorable[2]
Blender Magazine 2/5 stars [3]
Robert Christgau (2-star Honorable Mention)[4]
Entertainment Weekly B−[5]
NME 6/10[6]
Pitchfork Media 5.2/10[7]
PopMatters Unfavorable[8]
Rolling Stone 3/5 stars [9]
Spin [10]
Village Voice Favorable[11]
Wiki letter w.svg This table needs to be expanded using prose. See the guideline for more information.

Around the Sun is the 13th studio album by the American alternative rock band R.E.M., released in 2004.

Contents

[edit] Description

"The Outsiders" features a guest appearance by rapper Q-Tip. When performed live, Michael Stipe carries out the rap, as he does on a later b-side release of the song.

"Final Straw" is a politically-charged song. The version on the album is a remix of the original version, which was made available as a free download on March 25, 2003 from the band's website. The song was written as a protest of the American government's actions in the Iraq War.

Around the Sun is also the first R.E.M. album to contain a title track.

[edit] Commercial performance

Around the Sun generally received lukewarm reviews, and despite hitting #1 in the UK, it became their first studio album to miss the U.S. Top 10 (reaching #13 with 7 weeks in the Billboard 200) since 1988's Green and is still awaiting a gold record. As of March 2007, Around the Sun has sold 2 million copies worldwide and 232,000 units in the U.S.[12] This is less than R.E.M. had previously sold in the first week of an album's release while in their early to mid-1990s commercial peak.

Lead single "Leaving New York" became a UK Top 5 hit, with additional singles "Aftermath," "Electron Blue" and "Wanderlust" becoming minor hits there as well. Around the Sun did not have any singles success in the United States, however. It's the band's first studio album to fail to have a song chart on the Hot 100 since Fables of the Reconstruction in 1985.

After the release of their following album, Accelerate, guitarist Peter Buck said that for him Around the Sun "... just wasn't really listenable, because it sounds like what it is, a bunch of people that are so bored with the material that they can't stand it anymore." [13] The album's songs have also been largely excluded from the band's live setlists after the release of Accelerate.

[edit] Reissue

In 2005, Warner Brothers Records issued an expanded two-disc edition of Around the Sun which includes a CD, a DVD-Audio disc containing a 5.1-channel surround sound mix of the album done by Elliot Scheiner, and the original CD booklet with expanded liner notes.

A remix of the song "Final Straw" appeared earlier in 2004 on the compilation album Future Soundtrack for America.

[edit] Track listing

All songs written by Peter Buck, Mike Mills and Michael Stipe.

  1. "Leaving New York" – 4:49
  2. "Electron Blue" – 4:12
  3. "The Outsiders" (feat. Q-Tip) – 4:14
  4. "Make It All Okay" – 3:43
  5. "Final Straw" – 4:06
  6. "I Wanted to Be Wrong" – 4:34
  7. "Wanderlust" – 3:04
  8. "Boy in the Well" – 5:22
  9. "Aftermath" – 3:52
  10. "High Speed Train" – 5:03
  11. "The Worst Joke Ever" – 3:37
  12. "The Ascent of Man" – 4:07
  13. "Around the Sun" – 4:29

[edit] Personnel

R.E.M.
Additional personnel
  • Chris Bilheimer: Packaging
  • Oswald "Wiz" Bowe: Assistant Engineer
  • Jimmy Briggs: Assistant Engineer
  • DeWitt Burton: Technical Assistance
  • Jamie Candiloro: Engineer, Mixing, Musician
  • Alex Dixon: Assistant
  • Bertis Downs: Advisor
  • Thomas Roman Dozol: Photography, Cover Photo
  • Bryan Gallant: Assistant
  • Ted Jensen: Mastering
  • Patrick McCarthy: Producer, Mixing
  • Scott McCaughey: Musician
  • Kirk McNally: Assistant Engineer
  • Q-Tip: Musician
  • Bill Rieflin: Musician
  • Hahn Rowe: Musician
  • Ken Stringfellow: Musician
  • Javier Valverde: Assistant Engineer
  • Bob Whittaker: Technical Assistance

[edit] Certifications

Region Certification Sales/shipments
Australia (ARIA)[14] Gold 35,000^
Austria (IFPI Austria)[15] Gold 10,000x
Denmark (IFPI Denmark)[16] Gold 20,000[17]
Germany (BVMI)[18] Gold 100,000^
Sweden (GLF)[19] Gold 30,000^
Switzerland (IFPI Switzerland)[20] Platinum 40,000x
United Kingdom (BPI)[21] Gold 210,000[22]
Summaries
Europe (IFPI)[23] Platinum 1,000,000*

*sales figures based on certification alone
^shipments figures based on certification alone
xunspecified figures based on certification alone

[edit] Charts

[edit] Chart positions

Chart (2004) Peak
position
Australian ARIA Albums Chart[24] 6
Austrian Albums Chart[25] 1
Belgian Albums Chart (Flanders) [26] 5
Belgian Albums Chart (Wallonia)[27] 5
Canadian Albums Chart[28] 7
Danish Albums Chart [29] 2
Dutch Albums Chart[30] 7
Finnish Albums Chart[31] 3
French SNEP Albums Chart[32] 9
German Media Control Albums Chart[33] 1
Italian Albums Chart[34] 1
Japanese Oricon Albums Chart[35] 28
New Zealand Albums Chart[36] 12
Norwegian VG-lista Albums Chart[37] 1
Portuguese Albums Chart[38] 11
Swedish Albums Chart[39] 1
Swiss Albums Chart[40] 1
UK Albums Chart[41] 1
U.S. Billboard 200 [28] 13

[edit] Year-end charts

Chart (2004) Position
Austrian Albums Chart[42] 37
Belgian Albums Chart (Flanders)[43] 47
Belgian Albums Chart (Wallonia)[44] 71
Dutch Albums Chart[45] 83
Italian Albums Chart[46] 23
Swedish Albums Chart[47] 19
Swiss Albums Chart[48] 17
UK Albums Chart[49] 83

[edit] References

  1. ^ Stephen Thomas Erlewine. "Around the Sun". Allmusic. http://www.allmusic.com/album/r709938. Retrieved 2012-01-14. 
  2. ^ "Music - Review of REM - Around The Sun". BBC. http://www.bbc.co.uk/music/release/6j3n/. Retrieved 2012-01-14. 
  3. ^ [1][dead link]
  4. ^ Christgau, Robert. "Around the Sun". Robert Christgau. http://www.robertchristgau.com/get_album.php?id=12542. 
  5. ^ Reviewed by Doug Brod (2004-10-08). "Around the Sun Review | Music Reviews and News". EW.com. http://www.ew.com/ew/article/0,,703514,00.html. Retrieved 2012-01-14. 
  6. ^ "NME Album Reviews - REM : Around The Sun". Nme.Com. 2004-12-03. http://www.nme.com/reviews/rem/7595. Retrieved 2012-01-14. 
  7. ^ Deusner, Stephen M. (2004-10-04). "R.E.M.: Around the Sun | Album Reviews | Pitchfork". Pitchforkmedia.com. http://www.pitchforkmedia.com/reviews/albums/6752-around-the-sun/. Retrieved 2012-01-14. 
  8. ^ Metivier, Michael. "R.E.M.: Around the Sun < PopMatters". Popmatters.com. http://popmatters.com/music/reviews/r/rem-around.shtml. Retrieved 2012-01-14. 
  9. ^ By Barry Walters (2004-10-10). "Around the Sun | Album Reviews". Rolling Stone. http://www.rollingstone.com/music/albumreviews/around-the-sun-20041010. Retrieved 2012-01-14. 
  10. ^ Hermes, Will. "R.E.M., 'Around the Sun' (Warner Bros.)". SPIN.com. http://www.spin.com/reviews/rem-around-sun-warner-bros. Retrieved 2012-01-14. 
  11. ^ Franklin Bruno (2004-10-19). "Boys in the Well - Page 1 - Music - New York". Village Voice. http://www.villagevoice.com/music/0443,bruno,57831,22.html. Retrieved 2012-01-14. 
  12. ^ Gundersen, Edna (2007-03-11). "R.E.M.: A 25-year rockin' role". USA Today. http://www.usatoday.com/life/music/news/2007-03-07-REM-rock-hall_N.htm. 
  13. ^ Harrison, Shane. Atlanta Journal-Constitution. Jun 16, 2008.
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  21. ^ "British album certifications – R.E.M. – Around the Sun". British Phonographic Industry. http://www.bpi.co.uk/certifiedawards/search.aspx.  Enter Around the Sun in the field Search. Select Title in the field Search by. Select album in the field By Format. Click Go
  22. ^ "Complete UK Year-End Album Charts". http://chartheaven.9.forumer.com/a/complete-uk-yearend-album-charts_post21-15.html. Retrieved 2011-09-12. 
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  26. ^ "ultratop.be R.E.M. - Around the Sun" (in Dutch) (ASP). Hung Medien. Ultratop. http://www.ultratop.be/nl/showitem.asp?interpret=R.E.M.&titel=Around+The+Sun&cat=a. Retrieved 2012-01-25. 
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  28. ^ a b "allmusic ((( Around the Sun > Charts & Awards > Billboard Albums )))". allmusic.com. http://www.allmusic.com/album/reveal-r709938/charts-awards. Retrieved 2012-01-25. 
  29. ^ "danishcharts.com R.E.M. - Around the Sun" (ASP). danishcharts.com. http://danishcharts.com/showitem.asp?interpret=R.E.M.&titel=Around+The+Sun&cat=a. Retrieved 2012-01-11. 
  30. ^ "dutchcharts.nl R.E.M. - Around the Sun" (ASP). Hung Medien. MegaCharts. http://dutchcharts.nl/showitem.asp?interpret=R.E.M.&titel=Around+The+Sun&cat=a. Retrieved 2012-01-25. 
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  32. ^ "lescharts.com R.E.M. - Around the Sun" (in French) (ASP). Hung Medien. Syndicat National de l'Édition Phonographique. http://lescharts.com/showitem.asp?interpret=R.E.M.&titel=Around+The+Sun&cat=a. Retrieved 2012-01-25. 
  33. ^ "Album Search: R.E.M. - Around the Sun" (in German). Media Control. http://www.charts.de/album.asp?artist=R.E.M.&title=Around+The+Sun&cat=a&country=de. Retrieved 2012-01-25. 
  34. ^ "italiancharts.com R.E.M. - Around the Sun" (ASP). Hung Medien. Recording Industry Association of New Zealand. http://italiancharts.com/showitem.asp?interpret=R.E.M.&titel=Around+The+Sun&cat=a. Retrieved 2012-01-25. 
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  37. ^ "norwegiancharts.com R.E.M. - Around the Sun" (ASP). Hung Medien. VG-lista. http://norwegiancharts.com/showitem.asp?interpret=R.E.M.&titel=Around+The+Sun&cat=a. Retrieved 2012-01-25. 
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  40. ^ "R.E.M. - Around the Sun - hitparade.ch" (in German) (ASP). Hung Medien. Swiss Music Charts. http://hitparade.ch/showitem.asp?interpret=R.E.M.&titel=Around+The+Sun&cat=a. Retrieved 2012-01-25. 
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  44. ^ "Rapports annuels 2004" (in French). Ultratop. Hung Medien. http://www.ultratop.be/fr/annual.asp?year=2004&cat=a. Retrieved 2012-01-25. 
  45. ^ "JAAROVERZICHTEN - ALBUM 2004". http://dutchcharts.nl/jaaroverzichten.asp?year=2004&cat=a. Retrieved 2012-01-25. 
  46. ^ "Hit Parade Italia - Gli album più venduti del 2004" (in Italian). hitparadeitalia.it. http://www.hitparadeitalia.it/hp_yenda/lpe2004.htm. Retrieved 2012-01-25. 
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  48. ^ "Hitparade.ch - Schweizer Jahreshitparade 2004". Hung Medien. http://hitparade.ch/year.asp?key=2004. Retrieved 2012-01-25. 
  49. ^ "The Official UK Albums Chart - Year-End - 2004". http://www.ukchartsplus.co.uk/ChartsPlusYE2004.pdf. Retrieved 2012-01-25. 

[edit] External links

R.E.M.
Personnel
Managers
Studio albums
Compilations
EPs
Other albums
Singles
"Radio Free Europe" • "Talk About the Passion" • "So. Central Rain (I'm Sorry)" • "(Don't Go Back To) Rockville" • "Cant Get There from Here" • "Driver 8" • "Wendell Gee" • "Fall on Me" • "Superman" • "The One I Love" • "It's the End of the World as We Know It (And I Feel Fine)" • "Finest Worksong" • "Orange Crush" • "Stand" • "Pop Song 89" • "Get Up" • "Losing My Religion" • "Shiny Happy People" • "Near Wild Heaven" • "Radio Song" • "Drive" • "Man on the Moon" • "The Sidewinder Sleeps Tonite" • "Everybody Hurts" • "Nightswimming" • "Find the River" • "What's the Frequency, Kenneth?" • "Bang and Blame" • "Strange Currencies" • "Crush with Eyeliner" • "Tongue" • "E-Bow the Letter" • "Bittersweet Me" • "Electrolite" • "How the West Was Won and Where It Got Us" • "Daysleeper" • "Lotus" • "At My Most Beautiful" • "Suspicion" • "The Great Beyond" • "Imitation of Life" • "All the Way to Reno (You're Gonna Be a Star)" • "I'll Take the Rain" • "Bad Day" • "Animal" • "Leaving New York" • "Aftermath" • "Electron Blue" • "Wanderlust" • "#9 Dream" • "Supernatural Superserious" • "Hollow Man" • "Man-Sized Wreath" • "Until the Day Is Done" • "Mine Smell Like Honey" • "Überlin" • "Oh My Heart" • "We All Go Back to Where We Belong"
Other songs
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