Shiny Happy People (3:44)

“Shiny Happy People” is a song by the band R.E.M…
The song appeared on their 1991 album Out of Time and was released as a single in the same year. The song features guest vocals by Kate Pierson of the B-52’s, who also has a prominent role in the song’s music video.
It peaked at #10 on the Billboard Hot 100, the fourth and, to date, last R.E.M. single to reach the top 10 on the chart. It also peaked at #6 on the UK Singles Chart, becoming the first R.E.M. song to reach the top ten in the UK and the only one to reach the top ten in both countries.

It was recorded during the autumn of 1990, and was first released as a single in May 1991 in the U.K. However, the single would not go on sale in the U.S.A. until four months later.

In 2005, Q magazine included the song in a list of “Ten Terrible Records by Great Artists”. In its 2006 “Song of the Summer” countdown, CBC Radio’s Freestyle named “Shiny Happy People” 1991’s “Song of the Summer”.In contrast, in 2006, the song received the number one position on AOL Music’s list of the “111 Wussiest Songs of All Time”. Blender magazine also ranked the song at #35 on its list of the “50 Worst Songs Ever”. Also, when talking about the ill-fated song in 1995 on Space Ghost Coast to Coast Stipe simply stated “I hate that song, Space Ghost.” Due to the band’s dislike of the song, it was one of their few Warner-released singles not included on their 2003 greatest hits album In Time. However, it was later included on their 2011 greatest hits album Part Lies, Part Heart, Part Truth, Part Garbage 1982–2011.