Tuesday's List: Ranking R.E.M.'s Studio Albums

It looks as if I'm about to begin yet another weekly feature on this blog: lists of things...usually of my favorites in some category of the arts...in today's case a list of the American alternative rock group R.E.M.'s studio albums as I rank them according to personal preference.  This includes not only their regular LPs but also their initial EP titled Chronic Town...and excludes Eponymous which is mostly rejected studio outtakes.  R.E.M., for most of their history (they supposedly called it quits in 2011), had four members: lyricist and lead singer Michael Stipe, bassist Mike Mills, lead guitarist Peter Buck, and drummer Bill Berry (who retired due to health issues in 1997).  I first heard an R.E.M. song while watching MTV back in the early 1980s when they actually showed music videos...the haunting, beautiful South Central Rain (I'm Sorry) was my introduction to this talented and important band.  Well, here goes my list, from most favorite to least favorite...each album (in capitals) is followed by the year of its release...and then I list, in order of liking, my three favorite songs on it...

1 OUT OF TIME (1991)
    Half a World Away
    Endgame
    Low
2 AUTOMATIC FOR THE PEOPLE (1992)
    Find the River
    Man on the Moon
    Drive
3 GREEN (1988)
    The Wrong Child
    Pop Song '89
    Turn You Inside Out
4 MONSTER (1994)
    Let Me In
    I Took Your Name
    What's the Frequency Kenneth
5 UP (1998)
    Suspicion
    Walk Unafraid
    At My Most Beautiful
6 CHRONIC TOWN (1982)
    Stumble
    Wolves, Lower
    1,000,000
7 REVEAL (2001)
    Imitation of Life
    The Lifting
    I've Been High
8 MURMUR (1983)
    Pilgrimage
    We Walk
    9-9
9 NEW ADVENTURES IN HI-FI (1996)
    E-Bow the Letter
    Electrolite
    Undertow
10 FABLES OF THE RECONSTRUCTION (1985)
    Maps and Legends
    Can't Get There From Here
    Driver 8
11 COLLAPSE INTO NOW (2011)
    Walk It Back
    Blue
    Every Day is Yours to Win
12 ACCELERATE (2008)
    Man-Sized Wreath
    Supernatural Superserious
    I'm Gonna DJ
13 DOCUMENT (1987)
    Strange
    Finest Worksong
    Welcome to the Occupation
14 LIFE'S RICH PAGEANT (1986)
    Cuyahoga
    What If We Give It Away?
    Fall On Me
15 AROUND THE SUN (2004)
    Electron Blue
    Aftermath
    The Ascent of Man
16 RECKONING (1984)
    South Central Rain (I'm Sorry)
    Harborcoat
    Camera