Which B-52s singer guests on R.E.M.'s 'Shiny Happy People'?

Which B-52s singer guests on R.E.M.'s “Shiny Happy People”? The answer is Kate Pierson.

“Shiny Happy People” is a 1991 R.E.M. single from the album Out of Time, and it features guest vocals by Kate Pierson, a founding singer and keyboardist of the Athens, Georgia band the B-52s. Pierson also appears in the song's colorful music video.

R.E.M. had already recorded the song when Pierson arrived. Rather than giving her detailed instructions, the band reportedly encouraged her to do whatever she wanted, allowing her bright, distinctive voice to become a central part of the performance.

The collaboration was especially fitting because both groups emerged from the Athens music scene. Pierson has described the track as an homage to the B-52s, while Michael Stipe called it a playful, bubblegum-style song. Released in May 1991, it reached No. 10 in the United States and became one of R.E.M.'s most recognizable pop singles.