R.E.M. Reissuing 1994’s “Monster” with Unreleased Music

R.E.M. - Mike Mills, Michael Stipe, and Peter Buck - in concert in 2008
R.E.M. - Mike Mills, Michael Stipe, and Peter Buck - in concert in 2008. Photo by Erik Pendzich/Shutterstock (748241k)

R.E.M. is celebrating the 25th anniversary of their ninth studio album Monster with a special box set reissue. The collection, set to drop on November 1st, will feature a remastered version of the record as well as unreleased demos, live recordings and a new remix from the original producer Scott Litt.

The box set will also contain all of the music videos for the album’s songs as well as 1996’s concert film Road Movie.

In case you don’t want the whole package, the reissue will also be available as a 2-CD, 2-LP and as a standalone 180-gram 1-LP.

As part of the announcement, R.E.M. also shared a remixed version of album’s first single “What’s the Frequency, Kenneth?”

Released on September 1994, Monster followed the commercial success of R.E.M.’s previous two albums and topped US Billboard 200 and charts in several other countries. While the album was met with generally positive reviews as well, it was considered to be a bit of a letdown compared to group’s previous works.

Monster saw the band experiment with their music and adopting a new, heavier sound, which didn’t sit well with a part of their fan group. It is also considered one of the reasons why R.E.M.’s popularity began fading away in the second part of the ’90s.