Album · R.E.M.
New Adventures in Hi‐Fi by R.E.M.
New Adventures in Hi‐Fi is an album by R.E.M., released in 1996. 4 songs from it have charted on rock radio countdowns, with 25 countdown appearances in total. The biggest is “Bittersweet Me”, on 8 lists with a best position of #47.
New Adventures in Hi-Fi, R.E.M.'s tenth album, reached American shops on September 10, 1996, a day after Europe and Australia got it, and it was pieced together on the road. With Scott Litt producing alongside the band, they cut much of it at soundchecks on the Monster tour, in arenas and amphitheatres across the country in 1995, then finished up at Studio X in 1996.
You can hear the miles on it: long, restless songs, road dust and amp hum, Michael Stipe's voice drifting over Peter Buck's guitars, Mike Mills' bass and Bill Berry's drums. "E-Bow the Letter" hovers like a fever dream and "Bittersweet Me" hits harder, while "Electrolite" glows softly. It was Berry's last album with the band, and the last with manager Jefferson Holt and Litt. The members have called it the sound of R.E.M. at their peak, and in the years since it has built a cult following as their last great record.
Written with AI assistance from RockLists chart data, MusicBrainz and Wikipedia.
Songs from New Adventures in Hi‐Fi on radio countdowns
| # | Song | Strength | Lists | Best | #1s | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Bittersweet Me | 8 | #47 | – | 1996–2022 | |
| 2 | E-Bow the Letter | 8 | #71 | – | 1996–2021 | |
| 3 | New Test Leper | 7 | #1501 | – | 1999–2005 | |
| 4 | Electrolite | 2 | #310 | – | 2002–2021 |
Only songs that appear on at least one countdown are listed. Release data from MusicBrainz.