Critic Score
Based on 6 reviews
1983 Ratings: #3 / 208
User Score
1983 Ratings: #30
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Critic Reviews

100
AllMusic

R.E.M. may have made albums as good as Murmur in the years following its release, but they never again made anything that sounded quite like it.

100
Slant Magazine

At the time, most of the folksy songs on Murmur didn’t fit within pop radio’s limitations—these were songs to be listened to, not just danced to.

100
Q Magazine
80
Sputnikmusic
The band's debut album contains a series of similar sounding, yet musically differing songs, most of which are appealing from a technical standpoint and an entertaining standpoint.
80
Rolling Stone

Murmur is a darker record than Chronic Town, but this band’s darkness is shot through with flashes of bright light.

Doofy
94

One of the all time great debuts by any band ever.

R.E.M. laid waste to the indie scene of the '80s unleashing a hail of...pleasant jangly guitars and melodic vocal harmonies.

Boff.

rise165
84

Relisten Oct 3, 2025: 78 ---> 84 While it's true that I still don't see this as absolutely mind blowing, I'm coming back to realize that I underrated this quite a bit. Yeah it still isn't as good as Automatic, but I'm not surprised as this was released like 10 years earlier, and also was something super original and innovative. I never realized just how insanely influential this album was on indie rock as a whole. Not to mention, there were a handful of tracks from ... read more

Scientificman
84

I Don’t Like REM. Part 1.

Edit: 47 < 84

I don’t like REM. I know there is songs I like but i’m taking a massive risk with this next deep dive i’m doing. Murmur is one of the six easiest words to say in the English language but the album Murmur is an easy listen that might satisfy fans of this sound but leaves me feeling a bit underwhelmed by the lack of immediately good ideas and songs on this project. There are things I like about REM, one of those things being ... read more

More popular reviews
Nathan_VDB
85

They may actually have set the bar too high for themselves with this debut

GrainOfSalt
83

One of the best things to come out of Athens, GA

As a current Athens resident, I thought it high time to review THE college band, R.E.M. Despite the label, these guys move so far beyond simple college rock songs. They offer up a collection of songs that mix singer-songwriter lyrics with rock that feels like a mixture of pop, indie rock, and alternative rock in general. It's impressive, because this type of sound truly feels ahead of its time. With a 1983 release date, a lot of these songs ... read more

YuroGhost
79

R.E.M. a banda traz em MUmur moladrama pop de um jeito certeiro, que de longe é impactante. Porém, para os não acostumados, fica a sensação de quase vazio.

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Track List

1Radio Free Europe
4:04
91
2Pilgrimage
4:29
87
3Laughing
3:58
89
4Talk About the Passion
3:23
86
5Moral Kiosk
3:31
86
6Perfect Circle
3:32
86
7Catapult
3:55
83
8Sitting Still
3:18
86
99-9
3:04
83
10Shaking Through
4:29
85
11We Walk
3:00
81
12West of the Fields
3:17
80
Total Length: 44 minutes

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