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Cover of Monster by R.E.M.
Cover: Monster

Song · R.E.M.

“Bang And Blame” by R.E.M.

From the album Monster (1994)

“Bang And Blame” by R.E.M. appears on 25 radio countdowns from 15 stations between 1994 and 2023. It was first released in 1994 on the album Monster. Its best result is #16 on the 91X Top 91 Songs of 1994. In the combined RockLists rankings it is the #43 alternative song of 1994, #1,168 alternative song of all time and #358 of the '90s.

25countdowns
15stations
#16best position
0#1 finishes
0top 10 finishes
1994–2023years charted

Watch

R.E.M. - Bang And Blame (Official HD Music Video)

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"Bang and Blame" comes from Monster, R.E.M.'s ninth studio album from 1994, and it takes that record's loud, fuzzed-up swagger and turns it sullen and sultry. Peter Buck's guitar buzzes with menace through the verses before the chorus kicks the door in, Mike Mills and Bill Berry lock the groove down, and Michael Stipe croons like he's leaning in too close. Scott Litt produced with the band, and Rain Phoenix and Stipe's sister Lynda chip in on backing vocals.

Stipe has said it's about domestic violence, though some have heard it as a song about his relationship with the recently departed River Phoenix, to whom the whole album is dedicated. Following "What's the Frequency" as the second single, it was their last trip into the Hot 100's top 40, peaking at 19, their last number one on Modern Rock Tracks and their only chart-topper in Canada.

Written with AI assistance from RockLists chart data, MusicBrainz and Wikipedia.

RockLists rankings

Alternative & Modern Rock

Indie & Adult Alternative

All Rock Formats

Year-end countdowns

Year#StationCountdownof
1994 25 KROQ Los Angeles, CA KROQ Top 106.7 Songs of 1994 107
1994 16 91X San Diego, CA / Tijuana 91X Top 91 Songs of 1994 91
1994 81 Live 105 San Francisco, CA Live 105 Top 105.3 Songs of 1994 106
1994 38 Q101 Chicago, IL Q101 Top 101 Songs of 1994 101
1994 27 WHFS Washington, DC / Baltimore, MD WHFS Top 99.1 Songs of 1994 100
1995 29 Radio 104.1 Hartford-New Haven, CT WMRQ Top 104 Songs of 1995 104

All-time and decade countdowns

Year#StationCountdownof
1994 282 WOXY 97X WOXY Modern Rock 500 (1994) 500
1996 255 WOXY 97X WOXY Modern Rock 500 (1996) 498
1999 212 WHFS WHFS Top 500 Songs of the '90s (December 1999) 500
1999 904 107.7 The End The End Top 1077 Songs of All-Time (December 1999) 1077
1999 478 WOXY 97X WOXY Modern Rock 500 (1999) 500
1999 475 CD101 CD101 Top 2000 Songs of All-Time (December 1999) 2000
1999 244 CFNY 102.1 The Edge CFNY Top 1002 Songs of All-Time (November 1999) 1002
2000 476 CD101 CD101 Top 2001 Songs of All-Time (December 2000) 2001
2001 484 CD101 CD101 Top 2002 Songs of All-Time (December 2001) 2002
2002 484 CD101 CD101 Top 2003 Songs of All-Time (December 2002) 2003
2002 724 Fred (XM 44) Fred XM Top 2002 Songs of All-Time (July 2002) 2002
2003 484 CD101 CD101 Top 2004 Songs of All-Time (December 2003) 2004
2004 484 CD101 CD101 Top 2005 Songs of All-Time (December 2004) 2005
2005 487 CD101 CD101 Top 2006 Songs of All-Time (December 2005) 1994
2005 781 99X 99X Freedom of Choice 1000 (2005) 1000
2007 486 KROQ KROQ Top 500 Most Requested Songs of the '90s (Labor Day 2007) 500
2021 695 90.9 The Bridge 90.9 The Bridge Top 909 Songs of the '90s 908
2022 507 The Colorado Sound The Colorado Sound Top 900 Songs of the '90s 900
2023 451 The Current The Current's 893 Essential Songs of the '90s 893

Also listed as: Bang and Blame; Bang & Blame.

Charting alongside it in 1994

Best songs of 1994 →
  1. 1Black Hole SunSoundgarden
  2. 2CloserNine Inch Nails
  3. 3Self-EsteemThe Offspring
  4. 4Interstate Love SongStone Temple Pilots
  5. 5Come Out and PlayThe Offspring
  6. 6Basket CaseGreen Day

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