Murmur released

I.R.S. first paired R.E.M. with producer Stephen Hague to record their debut album. Hague’s emphasis on technical perfection left the band unsatisfied, and the band members asked the label to let them record with Easter again. I.R.S. agreed to a “tryout” session, allowing the band to return to North Carolina and record the song “Pilgrimage” with Easter and producing partner Don Dixon . After hearing the track, I.R.S. permitted the group to record the entire album with Dixon and Easter. Because of their bad experience with Hague, the band recorded the album via a process of negation, refusing to incorporate rock music clichés such as guitar solos or then-popular synthesizers , in order to give its music a timeless feel. The completed album, Murmur , was greeted with critical acclaim upon its release in 1983, with Rolling Stone listing the album as its record of the year. The album reached number 36 on the Billboard album chart. A re-recorded version of “Radio Free Europe” was the album’s lead single and reached number 78 on the Billboard singles chart in 1983. Despite the acclaim awarded the album, Murmur sold only about 200,000 copies, which I.R.S.’s Jay Boberg felt was below expectations.