. ▁Buck ▁and ▁St ipe ▁were ▁soon ▁joined ▁by ▁Bill ▁Ber ry ▁and ▁Mike ▁M ills , ▁and ▁named ▁themselves ▁R . E . M ., ▁a ▁name ▁St ipe ▁selected ▁at ▁random ▁from ▁a ▁dictionary . ▁St ipe ▁was ▁the ▁young est ▁member ▁of ▁the ▁band . ▁ ▁All ▁four ▁members ▁of ▁R . E . M . ▁dropped ▁out ▁of ▁school ▁in ▁ 1 9 8 0 ▁to ▁focus ▁on ▁the ▁band . ▁St ipe ▁was ▁the ▁last ▁to ▁do ▁so . ▁The ▁band ▁issued ▁its ▁debut ▁single , ▁" Radio ▁Free ▁Europe ", ▁on ▁H ib - T one , ▁which ▁was ▁a ▁college ▁radio ▁success . ▁The ▁band ▁signed ▁to ▁I . R . S . ▁Records ▁for ▁the ▁release ▁of ▁the ▁Chron ic ▁Town ▁EP ▁one ▁year ▁later . ▁R . E . M . ▁released ▁its ▁debut ▁album ▁Mur m ur ▁in ▁ 1 9 8 3 , ▁which ▁was ▁acc laimed ▁by ▁critics . ▁St ipe ' s ▁vocals ▁and ▁lyr ics ▁received ▁particular ▁attention ▁from ▁listen ers . ▁Mur m ur ▁went ▁on ▁to ▁win ▁the ▁Rol ling ▁Stone ▁Crit ics ▁Pol l ▁Album ▁of ▁the ▁Year ▁over ▁Michael ▁Jackson ' s ▁Th r iller . ▁Their ▁second ▁album , ▁Re ck oning , ▁followed ▁in ▁ 1 9 8 4 . ▁ ▁In ▁ 1 9 8 5 , ▁R . E . M . ▁tra ve led ▁to ▁England ▁to ▁record ▁their ▁third ▁album ▁F ables ▁of ▁the ▁Re const ruction , ▁a