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

Song · R.E.M.

“Pretty Persuasion” by R.E.M.

From the album Reckoning (1984)

“Pretty Persuasion” by R.E.M. appears on 35 radio countdowns from 9 stations between 1984 and 2021. It was first released in 1984 on the album Reckoning. Its best result is #50 on the WFNX Top 101 Songs of the Decade (December 1989). In the combined RockLists rankings it is the #158 alternative song of 1984 and #510 alternative song of all time.

35countdowns
9stations
#50best position
0#1 finishes
0top 10 finishes
1984–2021years charted

Watch

R.E.M. - Pretty Persuasion (Live on THE OLD GREY WHISTLE TEST)

Video from YouTube (REMVEVO). Pressing play loads YouTube's player. Watch on YouTube

"Pretty Persuasion" comes from Reckoning, the album R.E.M. released on I.R.S. Records in 1984, and it's the band's jangle at full gallop. Peter Buck's guitar rings and chimes, Mike Mills's bass and Bill Berry's drums push it forward with real urgency, and Michael Stipe's voice rides over the top, half plea and half mystery, never quite giving the game away. All four are credited as writers, and Don Dixon and Mitch Easter produced it.

Radio got it as a promo-only release, and it climbed to 44 on Billboard's rock chart. Its bigger legacy is its reputation: R.E.M. biographer Tony Fletcher notes that it is often considered the archetypal R.E.M. anthem, and it's hard to argue with that.

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
1984 71 91X San Diego, CA / Tijuana 91X Top 91 Songs of 1984 91

All-time and decade countdowns

Year#StationCountdownof
– 178 WLIR / WDRE WLIR Top 200 Songs of the 1980s 200
1989 177 91X 91X Top 191 Songs of the 1980s (1989) 191
1989 50 WFNX WFNX Top 101 Songs of the Decade (December 1989) 101
1989 155 WOXY 97X WOXY Modern Rock 500 (1989) 500
1991 147 WOXY 97X WOXY Modern Rock 500 (1991) 500
1994 175 WOXY 97X WOXY Modern Rock 500 (1994) 500
1996 209 WOXY 97X WOXY Modern Rock 500 (1996) 498
1999 213 91X 91X Fat 500 Songs of All-Time (July 1999) 500
1999 233 WOXY 97X WOXY Modern Rock 500 (1999) 500
1999 1097 CD101 CD101 Top 2000 Songs of All-Time (December 1999) 2000
2000 263 WOXY 97X WOXY Modern Rock 500 (2000) 500
2000 1099 CD101 CD101 Top 2001 Songs of All-Time (December 2000) 2001
2001 264 WOXY 97X WOXY Modern Rock 500 (2001) 498
2001 1105 CD101 CD101 Top 2002 Songs of All-Time (December 2001) 2002
2001 1243 WFPK WFPK 2001 Greatest Songs of All Time 2000
2002 267 WOXY 97X WOXY Modern Rock 500 (2002) 500
2002 1104 CD101 CD101 Top 2003 Songs of All-Time (December 2002) 2003
2002 541 Fred (XM 44) Fred XM Top 2002 Songs of All-Time (July 2002) 2002
2003 207 WOXY 97X WOXY Modern Rock 500 (2003) 500
2003 1089 CD101 CD101 Top 2004 Songs of All-Time (December 2003) 2004
2003 569 Fred (XM 44) Fred XM Top 2044 Songs of All-Time (July 2003) 2044
2004 1089 CD101 CD101 Top 2005 Songs of All-Time (December 2004) 2005
2005 200 WOXY 97X WOXY Modern Rock 500 (2005) 500
2005 1089 CD101 CD101 Top 2006 Songs of All-Time (December 2005) 1994
2006 152 WOXY 97X WOXY Modern Rock 500 (2006) 499
2007 778 CD101 CD101 Top 2008 Songs of All-Time (December 2007) 2008
2008 693 CD101 CD101 Top 2009 Songs of All-Time (December 2008) 2009
2009 664 CD101 CD101 Top 2010 Songs of All-Time (December 2009) 2010
2009 826 WYEP WYEP 913 Essential Songs 913
2010 643 CD101 CD101 Top 2011 Songs of All-Time (December 2010) 2011
2011 664 CD101 CD101 Top 2012 Songs of All-Time (December 2011) 2011
2013 683 CD101 CD101 Top 2013 Songs of All-Time (December 2013) 2012
2014 698 CD101 CD101 Top 2014 Songs of All-Time (2014) 2013
2021 844 90.9 The Bridge 90.9 The Bridge Top 909 Songs of the '80s 909

Also listed as: Pretty Persusasion.

Charting alongside it in 1984

Best songs of 1984 →
  1. 1Two TribesFrankie Goes to Hollywood
  2. 2Pride (In the Name of Love)U2
  3. 3RelaxFrankie Goes to Hollywood
  4. 4The Wild BoysDuran Duran
  5. 5The Killing MoonEcho and the Bunnymen
  6. 6TendernessGeneral Public

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