Stereogum — Indie rock supergroup Filthy Friends -- spearheaded by Sleater-Kinney's Corin Tucker and former R.E.M. guitarist Peter Buck -- have finally solidified plans to release their debut album, Invitation, due out in late August. more info

Stereogum — We haven't heard from Fischerspooner since 2009's Entertainment, but today they've announced that they have a new album called SIR that'll be out later this year. The album was entirely co-written and co-produced by R.E.M.'s Michael Stipe, and they'v... more info

Uncut — Starring REM, Prince, Nick Cave, Patti Smith, Robert Plant, Townes Van Zandt, the Red Hot Chili Peppers, Sinead O’Connor, Morrissey, U2, Pixies and The Wedding Present! Starring REM, Prince, Nick Cave, Patti Smith, Robert Plant, Townes Van Zan... more info

Idolator — Beautiful. The post ‘The Voice’ Winner Chris Blue Sings R.E.M.’s “Everybody Hurts” With Usher: Watch appeared first on idolator. more info

Stereogum — Erstwhile R.E.M. frontman and prodigious beard grower Michael Stipe hasn't been making much music lately, but he's debuting his first solo composition at Moogfest in Durham, North Carolina this weekend. Stipe is openly queer, and North Carolina isn't... more info

Stereogum — The hallmark of Michael Stipe's post-R.E.M. life has been a gargantuan beard that makes him look like a weary deep sea fisherman. So when Stipe and former R.E.M. bandmate Mike Mills went on BBC show The First Time With..., host Matt Everitt couldn't ... more info

Popdose — Radio City with Jon Grayson and Rob Ross are totally on the 1! This week finds Rob Ross reading the classic David Fricke “Faces” piece in Musician magazine from September, 1982 introducing us to R.E.M. on a national scale; Jon and Rob’s take on... more info

Popdose — The Blood Rush Hour simply knocked us all out with 2014’s And Then… The Unthinkable Happened, with its incredible mixture of ’70’s influenced power pop, rock, prog-pop and symphonic pop – melding all the best elements of Queen, Yes, E.L.O./... more info

Uncut — Starring U2, The Beastie Boys, REM, Guns N'Roses, The Sugarcubes, Tom Waits, The Fall and The Justified Ancients Of Mu Mu Starring U2, The Beastie Boys, REM, Guns N'Roses, The Sugarcubes, Tom Waits, The Fall and The Justified Ancients Of Mu Mu ... more info

Stereogum — Dave Grohl's mom, Virginia Hanlon Grohl, published a new collection of interviews with the mothers of musicians called From Cradle To Stage: Stories From The Mothers Who Rocked And Raised Rock Stars. The mothers of Dr. Dre, Michael Stipe, HAIM, Zac B... more info