Inside Story

R.E.M. is back—at least for a cause. The iconic Athens, Georgia band has dropped Radio Free Europe 2025, a five-track EP released in honor of World Press Freedom Day and the 75th anniversary of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty.

The EP, available now digitally and arriving on limited-edition orange vinyl this September, breathes new life into their 1981 debut single with a fresh remix from longtime collaborator Jacknife Lee. It also features the original 1981 mix, a version by producer Mitch Easter, the previously unreleased demo “Wh. Tornado,” and the classic B-side “Sitting Still.”

Though the band disbanded in 2011, R.E.M. remains vocally committed to advocacy. “Whether it’s music or a free press – censorship anywhere is a threat to the truth everywhere,” said frontman Michael Stipe. Bassist Mike Mills echoed the sentiment, celebrating Radio Free Europe’s legacy of “pissing off dictators for 75 years.”

Proceeds from the EP’s vinyl release will benefit RFE/RL, which provides independent news to regions plagued by media suppression. Radio Free Europe 2025 serves as both a sonic time capsule and a call to protect truth in a world increasingly threatened by disinformation and censorship.

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