R.E.M. released a total of 15 studio albums.
The sequence began with Murmur in 1983 and ended with Collapse into Now in 2011. Across those 15 albums, R.E.M. moved from the jangly, underground-influenced sound of its early I.R.S. Records years to major-label alternative rock, pop experimentation, electronic textures, and later reflections on the band's career.
The number refers specifically to full-length studio albums. It does not include Chronic Town, which is an extended play; Dead Letter Office or Eponymous, which are compilations; or live releases such as R.E.M. Live. Soundtrack and remix projects are also counted separately in standard discographies.
The band's catalog is often divided into periods around Bill Berry's departure. The first ten studio albums feature Berry, from Murmur through New Adventures in Hi-Fi. The final five—Up, Reveal, Around the Sun, Accelerate, and Collapse into Now—were made after his retirement. R.E.M. announced its breakup in 2011, the year its fifteenth and final studio album appeared.