Accelerate is the fourteenth studio album by American alternative rock band R.E.M., released on March 31, 2008, in Europe, and on April 1 in North America.

The album was heralded as a return to form for the band, receiving a warm reception from music critics and achieving a 79/100 rating on Metacritic.

's previous record Around the Sun (2004) only sold 240,000 copies in the United States and was poorly received by critics.

'"[6] Buck and bassist Mike Mills began working on instrumental demos in winter 2007, assisted by touring members Bill Rieflin and Scott McCaughey.

[8] Mills suggested the band work out its new songs in a live setting before recording them, as it had done in its early years.

The tight recording schedule prevented Stipe from spending too much time working on his lyrics and vocal parts.

Stipe said his lyrics on Accelerate were inspired by the contemporary state of the nation, saying, "When the empire is going down the toilet, it's easy to write great, angry songs.

"[8] Described in sound as "ballyhooed hard rock",[1] Sputnikmusic proclaimed Accelerate "a ballsier return to [the band's] punk roots".

wanted to experiment with its distribution system, citing the change in the music industry since the release of Around the Sun.

The vinyl version consists of two 12 inch discs each running at 45 RPM, and contains the full album on CD.

's best and most cohesive album since [former drummer] Bill Berry left, and crucially echoes a time when they made their best music, if not necessarily their biggest-selling.

"[22] Q reviewer Keith Cameron wrote that unlike Around the Sun, "Accelerate is the sound of a band having enjoyed a good word with themselves—and us."

"[24] Time reviewer Josh Tyrangiel praised guitarist Buck's "resurgence" and "propulsive riffs," but also wrote, "R.E.M.

Reviewer John Mulvey stated, "Accelerate is a simple, pragmatic record built on an uncomfortable truth: sometimes, even the best bands have to retrace their steps, if only to remind themselves what they're really good at.