Losing My Religion

"Losing My Religion" is a song by American alternative rock band R.E.M., released on February 19, 1991 by Warner Bros. as the first single from their seventh album, Out of Time (1991). It developed from a mandolin riff improvised by the guitarist, Peter Buck. The lyrics, written by the singer, Michael Stipe, concern disillusionment and unrequited love.

"Losing My Religion" is R.E.M.'s highest-charting hit in the United States, reaching No. 4 on the Billboard Hot 100 and expanding their popularity. Its music video, directed by Tarsem Singh, features religious imagery. At the 1992 Grammy Awards, "Losing My Religion" won Best Short Form Music Video and Best Pop Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal. Its video won awards for Video of the Year, Best Group Video, Breakthrough Video, Best Art Direction, Best Direction, and Best Editing at the 1991 MTV Video Music Awards. It was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame in 2017, and Rolling Stone ranked it at number 112 in its 2024 list of the "500 Greatest Songs of All Time". In 2020, "Losing My Religion" became the first R.E.M. video to reach one billion views on YouTube.

Recording

The R.E.M. guitarist, Peter Buck, wrote the main riff and chorus for "Losing My Religion" on a mandolin. He had recently bought it and was learning how to play, recording as he practiced while watching television. Buck said that "when I listened back to it the next day, there was a bunch of stuff that was really just me learning how to play mandolin, and then there's what became 'Losing My Religion', and then a whole bunch more of me learning to play the mandolin".<ref name="black 177">Black, p. 177.</ref> He said he likely would not have written the chord progression in the same way had he not played it on mandolin.<ref name="5gs">Template:Cite web</ref>

In July 1990, R.E.M. recorded a demo version with the working title "Sugar Cane" in a studio in Athens, Georgia, featuring banjo and Hammond organ.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Mike Mills wrote a bassline inspired by the Fleetwood Mac bassist John McVie.<ref name="black 177" /> The final version was recorded in September at Bearsville Studio A in Woodstock, New York.<ref name="black 177" />

Finding the song lacked midrange between the bass and mandolin, R.E.M. enlisted the touring guitarist Peter Holsapple on acoustic guitar.<ref name="Guitar School">Mettler, Mike. "R.E.M.: Radio Songs". Guitar School. September 1991.</ref> Buck said, "It was really cool: Peter and I would be in our little booth, sweating away, and Bill and Mike would be out there in the other room going at it. It just had a really magical feel."<ref name="Guitar School" /> Michael Stipe recorded his vocals in a single take.<ref name="buckley205">Buckley, p. 205.</ref> The strings, arranged by Mark Bingham, were performed by members of the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra at Soundscape Studios in Atlanta, Georgia, in October 1990.<ref>Black, p. 178.</ref>

Composition and lyrics

"Losing My Religion" is based on Buck's mandolin part. Buck said, "The verses are the kinds of things R.E.M. uses a lot, going from one minor to another, kind [of] like those 'Driver 8' chords. You can't really say anything bad about E minor, A minor, D, and G ... We are trying to get away from those kind of songs, but like I said before, those are some good chords."<ref name="Guitar School" /> He felt "Losing My Religion" was the most "typical" R.E.M. song on the album.<ref name="Guitar School" /> The song is in natural minor.<ref>Stephenson, Ken (2002). What to Listen for in Rock: A Stylistic Analysis, p. 89. Template:ISBN.</ref>

The title phrase is an expression from the Southern United States that means "losing one's temper or civility" or "feeling frustrated and desperate".<ref name=Sloane2008>Robert Sloane. Tensions Between Popular Music: R.E.M. as Artists-Intellectuals Template:Webarchive. Chapter 4 in A Companion to Media Studies, Angharad N. Valdivia (ed.), John Wiley & Sons, 2008.</ref> Stipe said the song was about romantic expression and unrequited love.<ref>Holden, Stephen. "The Pop Life". The New York Times. March 13, 1991. Retrieved on January 13, 2008.</ref><ref>Snow, Mat. "R.E.M." Q. October 1992.</ref> The lines "That's me in the corner / That's me in the spotlight" were originally "That's me in the corner / That's me in the kitchen", describing a person at a social event too shy to approach the person they like.<ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref> Stipe compared the theme to "Every Breath You Take" (1983) by the Police, saying, "It's just a classic obsession pop song. I've always felt the best kinds of songs are the ones where anybody can listen to it, put themselves in it and say, 'Yeah, that's me.'"<ref name="black180">Black, p. 180.</ref>

Music video

File:Tarsem Singh at WonderCon 2011.jpg

The music video was directed by Tarsem Singh.

The music video for "Losing My Religion" was directed by the Indian filmmaker Tarsem Singh. Unlike previous R.E.M. videos, Stipe agreed to lip-sync the lyrics.<ref>Buckley, p. 206.</ref> The video begins inside a dark room where water drips from an open window. Recreating a scene from the Andrei Tarkovsky film The Sacrifice, Buck, Berry, and Mills run across the room while Stipe remains seated as a pitcher of milk drops from the windowsill and shatters.

The video originated as a combination of ideas envisioned by Stipe and Singh. Stipe wanted a straightforward performance video, akin to Sinéad O'Connor's "Nothing Compares 2 U". Singh wanted to create a video in the style of a certain type of Indian filmmaking, where everything would be "melodramatic and very dreamlike", according to Stipe.<ref>Fricke, David. "The Rolling Stone Interview: Michael Stipe". Rolling Stone. March 5, 1992. Retrieved on May 19, 2008.</ref> Singh said the video was modeled after the Gabriel García Márquez short story "A Very Old Man with Enormous Wings", in which an angel crashes into a town and the villagers have varied reactions to him.<ref>Ducker, Eric. "The Making of R.E.M.'s Iconic 'Losing My Religion' Video Template:Webarchive". Rolling Stone. March 11, 2016. Retrieved on February 15, 2016.</ref> He also drew inspiration from the Italian painter Caravaggio, and the video uses religious imagery such as Saint Sebastian, the Biblical episode of the Incredulity of Thomas, and Hindu deities, portrayed in a series of tableaux.<ref>Buckley, pp. 206–07.</ref> The actor Wade Dominguez appears in the video.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

The "Losing My Religion" video was nominated in nine categories at the 1991 MTV Video Music Awards and won for Video of the Year, Best Group Video, Breakthrough Video, Best Art Direction, Best Direction, and Best Editing.<ref>"Video Music Awards | Past VMAs | 1991 Template:Webarchive". MTV.com. Retrieved on January 21, 2008.</ref> It ranked second in the music video category of the 1991 Pazz & Jop poll.<ref name="pazz jop" /> In September 2020, "Losing My Religion" became the first R.E.M. video to reach one billion views on YouTube.<ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref>

Release and promotion

File:Peter Buck playing Losing My Religion.jpg

Buck performing "Losing My Religion" on mandolin

"Losing My Religion" was released on February 19, 1991, in the United States as the lead single from R.E.M.'s album Out of Time.<ref name="black180" /> Their record label, Warner Bros., was wary of the choice of lead single. Steven Baker, then the vice president of product management., said there were "long, drawn-out discussions" about releasing such an "unconventional track" as the single until the label agreed.<ref name="Browne-1991" />

R.E.M. did not tour to promote Out of Time, but visited radio stations, gave press interviews and made television appearances.<ref name="Browne-1991" /> On November 10, 1991, R.E.M. performed "Losing My Religion" with members of the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra to celebrate the tenth anniversary of MTV. It was recorded at the Madison Morgan Cultural Centre in Madison, Georgia, about 20 miles south of Athens.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Warner Bros. worked to establish "Losing My Religion" at campus, modern rock, and album-oriented rock radio stations before promoting it to American Top 40 stations, where it became a success. According to one program director, "Losing My Religion" was "a hard record to program; you can't play L.L. Cool J behind it. But it's a real pop record—you can dance to it." He said it "crosses the boundaries of just being an alternative record".<ref name="Browne-1991">Template:Cite magazine</ref>

"Losing My Religion" became R.E.M.'s biggest hit in the US, reaching No. 4 on the Billboard Hot 100.<ref name="charts">Buckley, p. 358.</ref> It stayed on the chart for 21 weeks.<ref>"Losing My Religion". Rolling Stone. December 9, 2004. Retrieved on January 15, 2008.</ref> It topped the Billboard Album Rock Tracks chart for three weeks and the Modern Rock Tracks chart for eight weeks, the best performance of any R.E.M. song on either chart. It reached number 19 on the UK singles chart, No. 16 in Canada and No. 11 in Australia.<ref name="charts" />

With "Losing My Religion", R.E.M. crossed over into mainstream pop culture.<ref name="Rolling Stone Australia-2021">Template:Cite web</ref> Asked if he was worried the success might alienate older fans, Buck told Rolling Stone, "The people that changed their minds because of 'Losing My Religion' can just kiss my ass."<ref>Giles, Jeff. "No. 1 With an Attitude"Template:Dead linkTemplate:Cbignore. Rolling Stone. June 27, 1991. Retrieved on January 13, 2008.</ref> Mills said R.E.M. understood they had a worldwide hit when they heard it on local radio in the jungle of Paraguay.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Years later,Template:When? Mills said: "Without 'Losing My Religion', Out of Time would have sold two or three million [copies], instead of the ten [million copies] or so it did. But the phenomenon that is a worldwide hit is an odd thing to behold. Basically that record was a hit in almost every civilised country in the world."<ref name="buckley205" />

Reception

Caren Myers from Melody Maker named the song "Single of the Week", writing that it "occupies a smaller, more intimate space, delicately picking a path with mandolins and acoustic guitars, soothed by the mournful sweep of a string section. Deceptive echoes of 'World Leader Pretend' dissolve on second listen as the song wraps itself around the impossibility of communication with glancing but painful accuracy. Stipe's writing is getting sparser and more intense, riddled with oblique insights but unwilling to point out where. This is R.E.M. at their most tender and unsettling, Stipe's careworn voice filled with inexplicable sadness, but as warm and familiar as ever."<ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref> A reviewer from Music & Media wrote: "Hearing such a beautiful song with a striking mandolin arrangement, provides an ample religious substitute."<ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref> Terry Staunton from NME found that it "is likely to be read as self-reflection on R.E.M.'s position in the worldwide musical scheme of things, doubt and discomfort at the prospect of unwanted disciples".<ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref>

Parry Gettelman from Orlando Sentinel wrote that R.E.M. had returned to its "trademark jangle", and that "Stipe touches again on what seems to be ambivalence about his role as a pop star, and about the need to communicate with an audience".<ref>Gettelman, Parry (March 22, 1991). "R.E.M.". Orlando Sentinel.</ref> David Fricke from Rolling Stone felt that "there is melancholy in the air: in the doleful strings and teardrop mandolin".<ref>Fricke, David (December 12, 1991-December 26, 1991). "The year in records". Rolling Stone. Issue 619/620.</ref> Celia Farber from Spin praised it as "a gorgeous, gorgeous song" and said "I actually get a hot/cold flash and have to play the song about 30 more times" when she hears the opening lyrics.<ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref>

"Losing My Religion" placed second in the Village Voice Pazz & Jop annual critics' poll, behind Nirvana's "Smells Like Teen Spirit".<ref name="pazz jop">Christgau, Robert. "The 1991 Pazz & Jop Critics Poll". Village Voice. March 3, 1992. Retrieved on January 20, 2008.</ref> At the 1992 Grammy Awards, it earned several nominations, including Record of the Year and Song of the Year,<ref>Pareles, Jon. "Grammy Short List: Many For a Few". The New York Times. January 9, 1992. Retrieved on January 20, 2008.</ref> and won for Best Pop Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocals and Best Short Form Music Video.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> In 2007, VH1 named it the ninth-best song of the 90s,<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> and in 2009, Blender ranked it No. 79 on its list of the "500 Greatest Songs Since You Were Born".<ref>Blender Staff. "The 500 Greatest Songs Since You Were Born". Blender.com. April 1, 2009. Retrieved on April 15, 2009.</ref> The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame included it in its 2004 list of "500 Songs that Shaped Rock and Roll".<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> In 2004, Rolling Stone listed "Losing My Religion" at No. 169 on its list of the "500 Greatest Songs of All Time", writing that "never before had Michael Stipe sounded so vulnerable, yearning, and articulate".<ref name="Rolling Stone Australia-2021" /> It ranked it at No. 112 in its updated 2024 list.<ref name="5gs" />

Personnel

Personnel adapted from Out of Time liner notes,<ref>Template:Cite AV media notes</ref> except where noted

R.E.M.

• Bill Berry – drums, percussion
• Peter Buck – mandolin, electric guitar
• Mike Mills – bass guitar, backing vocals, string synthesizer and arrangement
• Michael Stipe – lead vocals

Additional musician

• Peter Holsapple – acoustic guitar

Strings

• Mark Bingham – string arrangements
• David Arenz – violin
• Ellie Arenz – violin
• David Braitberg – violin
• Andrew Cox – cello
• Reid Harris – viola
• Ralph Jones – double bass
• Dave Kempers – violin
• Elizabeth Murphy – cello
• Paul Murphy – viola
• Jay Weigel – orchestral liaison

Track listing

All songs were written by Bill Berry, Peter Buck, Mike Mills, and Michael Stipe except where noted.

7-inch

1. "Losing My Religion" – 4:29
2. "Rotary Eleven" – 2:32

12-inch and compact disc

1. "Losing My Religion" – 4:29
2. "Rotary Eleven" – 2:32
3. "After Hours" (Lou Reed) (Live)¹ – 2:08

UK "Collector's Edition" CD one

1. "Losing My Religion" – 4:29
2. "Stand" (Live)¹ – 3:21
3. "Turn You Inside-Out" (Live)¹ – 4:23
4. "World Leader Pretend" (Live)¹ – 4:24

UK "Collector's Edition" CD two

1. "Losing My Religion" – 4:29
2. "Fretless" – 4:51
3. "Losing My Religion" (Live acoustic version/Rockline) – 4:38
4. "Rotary Eleven" – 2:32

Template:Refbegin Notes

• 1. Taken from the live performance video, Tourfilm.

Charts

Weekly charts

Template:Single chartTemplate:Single chartTemplate:Single chartTemplate:Single chartTemplate:Single chartTemplate:Single chartTemplate:Single chartTemplate:Single chartTemplate:Single chartTemplate:Single chartTemplate:Single chartTemplate:Single chartTemplate:Single chartTemplate:Single chartTemplate:Single chartTemplate:Single chartTemplate:Single chartTemplate:Single chart

Chart (1991–1992)	Peak position
Denmark (IFPI)<ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref>	9
Europe (European Hot 100 Singles)<ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref>	14
Europe (European Hit Radio)<ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref>	8
Italy (Musica e dischi)<ref name="ITA">Template:Cite magazine</ref>	8
Luxembourg (Radio Luxembourg)<ref>Radio Luxembourg Singles. March 31, 1991.</ref>	5
UK Airplay (Music Week)<ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref>	8
US Cash Box Top 100<ref> Template:Cite book</ref>	6

Template:Single chart

Chart (2008)	Peak position

Chart (2013)	Peak position
Slovenia (SloTop50)<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>	14

Template:Single chart

Chart (2015)	Peak position

Chart (2017)	Peak position
Slovenia (SloTop50)<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>	46

2025 weekly chart performance for "Losing My Religion"

Chart (2025)	Peak position
Israel International Airplay (Media Forest)<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>	13
Portugal (AFP)<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>	171

Year-end charts

Chart (1991)	Position
Australia (ARIA)<ref>Template:Cite book</ref>	54
Austria (Ö3 Austria Top 40)<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>	24
Belgium (Ultratop)<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>	12
Canada Top Singles (RPM)<ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref>	28
Europe (European Hot 100 Singles)<ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref>	22
Europe (European Hit Radio)<ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref>	54
Netherlands (Dutch Top 40)<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>	7
Netherlands (Single Top 100)<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>	4
Sweden (Topplistan)<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>	20
US Billboard Hot 100<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>	33
US Album Rock Tracks (Billboard)<ref name="usrockye">Template:Cite magazine</ref>	6
US Modern Rock Tracks (Billboard)<ref name="usrockye"/>	9
US Cash Box Top 100<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>	39

Release history

Release dates and formats for "Losing My Religion"

Region	Date	Format(s)	Label(s)	Template:Abbr
Europe	February 19, 1991	Template:Hlist	Warner Bros.	<ref name="AUS"/>
United States		Template:Hlist		<ref name="black180"/>
United Kingdom	February 25, 1991	Template:Hlist		<ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref>
Australia	March 11, 1991	Template:Hlist		<ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref>
	March 18, 1991	CD		<ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref>
	April 1, 1991	12-inch vinyl		<ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref>

Covers

Italian metal band Graveworm covered the song on their 2003 album Engraved in Black. Finn Hudson (Cory Monteith) covered the song in the 2010 Glee episode "Grilled Cheesus".<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> The song reached number 60 in the US on the Billboard Hot 100 and number 47 on the Canadian Hot 100.<ref name="USGlee">Template:Cite magazine</ref><ref name="CanGlee">Template:Cite magazine</ref> Tori Amos recorded a cover version which appeared in the film Higher Learning. Italian band Lacuna Coil covered the song on their 2012 album Dark Adrenaline. American heavy metal band Trivium covered the song on their 2013 album Vengeance Falls.<ref>Template:Citation</ref> Canadian singer-songwriter Dan Mangan covered the song on his 2020 album Thief.<ref>Alex Hudson, "Dan Mangan Releases Covers Album 'Thief'". Exclaim!, November 20, 2020.</ref> Hootie & the Blowfish covered the song for the 2020 reissue of their 2019 album Imperfect Circle. In a 2020 interview, guitarist Mark Bryan emphasized how influential R.E.M. had been in the band's development.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Bibliography

• Black, Johnny. Reveal: The Story of R.E.M. Backbeat Books, 2004. Template:ISBN
• Buckley, David. R.E.M.: Fiction: An Alternative Biography. Virgin, 2002. Template:ISBN