“Radio Song” by R.E.M.

"Radio Song" kicks off R.E.M.'s seventh album, Out of Time, from 1991, and it's the band at their most playful: a funky, strutting track with Michael Stipe sharing the microphone with KRS-One of Boogie Down Productions. Stipe was a fan and invited him in, and KRS-One adds backing vocals, delivers the closing rap and shows up all over the video.

All four members wrote it, and the band produced it with Scott Litt, who also plays electronic instruments. Bill Berry lays down a loose, rolling groove on drums and percussion, Peter Buck's guitar scratches and chimes, Mike Mills plays organ, Peter Holsapple sits in on bass, and Kidd Jordan wails on alto, tenor and baritone saxophone.

Stipe once said he hoped listeners had enough of a sense of humor to see that he was mocking everybody, himself included, and the song wears that wink openly. It went out as the album's fourth single, after "Near Wild Heaven", a funk-tinged detour that shows how far the band were willing to stretch.

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