The four members of R.E.M. – Michael Stipe, Mike Mills, Peter Buck and Bill Berry – were inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame Thursday night in New York, where they surprised the audience by performing together.

After being inducted by Jason Isbell, who performed the classic “It’s the End of the World as We Know It,” the band took the stage for a stripped back performance of their 1991 hit “Losing My Religion.” 

“Writing songs and having a catalog of work that we’re all proud of — that is out there for the rest of the world for the rest of time —is hands-down the most important aspect of what we did as a band,” Stipe said in his speech on behalf of the band. “Second to that is that we managed to do so all those decades and remain friends, and not just friends, but dear friends, friends for life.”

He continued, “For us to be honored alongside these other unbelievably talented and influential people tonight by the Songwriters Hall of Fame as group … it truly means the world to us that you’ve recognized us tonight.”

The last time all four members of R.E.M. performed together was in 1995. During that tour, Berry suffered a double brain aneurysm and left the group in 1997. The remaining three members continued on, and last performed together 15 years ago. They broke up in 2011.

Other artists inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame on Thursday include Steely Dan’s Donald Fagen and the late Walter Becker, Timbaland, Hillary Lindsey and Dean Pitchford, while Diane Warren received the Johnny Mercer Award and SZA was honored with the Hal David Starlight Award.

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