R.E.M. has decided to unplug their instruments for good, concluding a career spanning some 30 years and having achieved record sales that topped the 30 million mark. The band made the announcement via a statement on their website yesterday and dished out praise and thanks to all their loyal fans for the years of support.

Quite aptly, lead singer Michael Stipe chose words that reflect the intelligence so often associated with one of the greatest rock bands of all time:

A wise man once said: ‘the skill in attending a party is knowing when it’s time to leave.’ We built something extraordinary together. Now we’re going to walk away from it,” he continued as each member of the band gave their opinion on the reasons behind the decision to part musical ways.

From the R.E.M. statement:

To our Fans and Friends: As R.E.M., and as lifelong friends and co-conspirators, we have decided to call it a day as a band. We walk away with a great sense of gratitude, of finality, and of astonishment at all we have accomplished. To anyone who ever felt touched by our music, our deepest thanks for listening.

They rose to fame with albums such as “Automatic for the People” and “Out of Time,” and following drummer Bill Berry’s 1997 retirement after suffering a brain aneurysm, Stipe, bassist Mike Mills and guitarist Peter Buck agreed to honour his wish and carry on without him.

The band has sold about 20 million records since 1991 and at least another 10 million in the years before that.

[Source: Bloomberg]