R.E.M.’s legacy: 6 ways the band changed American music

After 31 years and 15 albums, R.E.M., the band behind iconic songs like “Everybody Hurts,” “Stand,” ‘The One I Love,” “Losing My Religion,” and “It’s the End of the World as We Know It,” announced it would “call it a day.” The band secured a spot in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2007, and is widely considered one of the greatest rock acts of the last three decades. Here’s what the group will be remembered for.