Stereogum — Michael Stipe has kept busy since R.E.M. broke up three years ago, but he took some time to reflect on his former band’s three-decade-long career in a new interview on CBS This Morning. The interview is interspersed with a quick rundown of the band... more info

LargeHeartedBoy — Vinyl reissues are the highlight of this week's new music, including an R.E.M. 12-disc 7" singles box set and three Beatles compilations (1, 1962-1966, 1967-1970). New releases include Cracker's Berkeley To Bakersfield and The Smashing Pumpkins' Monu... more info

Mercury News, California — Ice-T, Hollies, Afghan Whigs, Joni Mitchell, Ry Cooder collections from Rhino should also prove popular this holiday season. more info

The Telegraph — Best box sets from 2014 , from REM, Donna Summer and Bob Dylan more info

Stereogum — R.E.M. are about to release 7IN – 83-88, a vinyl box set compiling their 7″ singles from their I.R.S. Records era. The set includes 11 singles including three discs previously available only in the U.K. Here’s the tracklist: “Radio Free Europ... more info

Stereogum — MTV will be releasing REMTV, a six-disc retrospective chronicling R.E.M.’s legacy on the channel, later this month. One of the discs is the documentary R.E.M. By MTV, and today the band shared a five-minute clip from the film that discusses the suc... more info

Stereogum — Swedish folk duo First Aid Kit have already covered Jack White and R.E.M. this year. Now they’re covering another tune from the modern American songbook — a song about America, in fact. The Söderberg sisters recorded Simon & Garfunkel’s “Ame... more info

Stereogum — First Aid Kit covered R.E.M.’s Up track “Walk Unafraid” for the soundtrack to Reese Witherspoon’s new backpacking movie Wild. Whereas the original broods and jangles in equal measure, First Aid Kit’s version takes a dark-tinged chamber-folk... more info

Stereogum — R.E.M., Neutral Milk Hotel, and of Montreal are donating to the restoration of the St. Mary’s Church steeple in Athens, Georgia. The steeple was once attached to the church in which R.E.M. played their first show in 1980. The church is no longer a ... more info

LargeHeartedBoy — Big Shiny Robot and Fresh Air interviewed Amy Poehler about her new memoir Yes, Please. R.E.M frontman Michael Stipe discussed coming out at the Guardian. Tin House interviewed author Rene Steinke. Paste recommended music videos for Halloween. Blake ... more info