In which city was the band R.E.M. formed?

R.E.M. was formed in Athens, Georgia, in 1980. The band's founding members were vocalist Michael Stipe, guitarist Peter Buck, bassist Mike Mills, and drummer Bill Berry, who met through the music community around the University of Georgia.

The group first performed publicly at a birthday party in an Athens church on April 5, 1980. Their early shows helped establish Athens as a major American college-rock center, and their debut single, “Radio Free Europe,” attracted attention after its release in 1981. R.E.M.'s sound blended jangling guitars, melodic bass, unconventional vocals, and influences from folk rock and post-punk.

Athens is in the northeastern part of Georgia and is distinct from Atlanta, the state's much larger capital city. R.E.M. later achieved international success with albums such as Murmur, Document, Out of Time, and Automatic for the People. The band announced its breakup in 2011 after more than three decades together.