Originally Posted by Rickenbacker

Can't knock Document either. Easily their most polished and developed album at the time.

But more importantly, R.E.M. is worth mentioning for their ability to make fantastic albums years after their "prime". Look at Automatic for the People, Monster, or the unbelievably underrated New Adventures in Hi-Fi. Very few artists make songs the quality of which is comparable to something like "Leave" or "E-Bow the Letter" 15 years after their debut single.