Early REM was so unique and great

Early R.E.M. (which I would define as everything up to Document) was so good; I'm hard pressed to think of a band that was more original in its time. They sometimes get classified as post-punk or neo-60s revival, but they don't really fit neatly into those or any other category and truly had a vibe that was completely their own.

They basically invented alternative rock in the early 80s, years before anybody else was doing anything similar. And they were "indie" when that actually meant being outside the mainstream music industry machine, as opposed to just the aesthetic label that it is now (a label which REM played a huge role in defining). If you like their later arena rock (which I also like), but have never done a deep dive into their early stuff, it's well worth it.