The limited edition ten-inch orange vinyl benefits Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty
Following the announcement of Radio Free Europe 2025, a five-track benefit EP celebrating the 75th anniversary of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty (RFE/RL), R.E.M. celebrates the official arrival of their limited-edition ten-inch orange vinyl, available now exclusively at independent record stores and REMHQ.com. Proceeds from all vinyl and merch sales will go to RFE/RL, an editorially independent, nonpartisan, and nonprofit 501(c)(3) corporation.
Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty was established by the United States 75 years ago and currently broadcasts news and information in 27 languages to 23 countries where a free press is either banned by the government or under threat. Throughout the Cold War and continuing today, RFE/RL is often the only lifeline to the outside world for people living under extreme censorship.
Members of R.E.M. say this mission of promoting free expression has always resonated with the band.
“We love journalism, we love freedom of speech, and we love the world…. We have a song that I wrote when I was 20, it was our first ever single, and this is a good time to celebrate the actual Radio Free Europe… It’s important to democracy and it’s important in the fight against authoritarianism that they remain.” says Michael Stipe, lead singer and founding member of R.E.M. in a recent interview with CBS Mornings.
“Radio Free Europe’s journalists have been pissing off dictators for 75 years. You know you’re doing your job when you make the right enemies.” adds Mike Mills, bassist and founding member of R.E.M.
The release is led by the never-before-released 2025 remix of “Radio Free Europe” from longtime collaborator and Grammy-winning producer Jacknife Lee (U2, Snow Patrol, Taylor Swift, The Killers). Completing the package are Mitch Easter’s original 1981 recordings—the sought-after Hib-Tone single mix of “Radio Free Europe,” its flip-side “Sitting Still,” the “Wh. Tornado” demo, and Easter’s long-rumored, never-before-released 1981 remix “Radio Free Dub.”
