Michael Stipe attended Tribeca Film Festival 2024 as a storyteller on June 12. A new TikTok video from the red-carpet event showed him naming ‘the best and worst advancements in music.’ The singer shared:
“The worst is streaming. It’s really bad for the environment. The best, uh… [Pause] I’m really bad with this kind of things. I really like Billie Eilish.”
The R.E.M. Singer Loves Billie Eilish
Stipe mentioned his love for Billie Eilish during a 2019 interview with Vulture as well. The ex-R.E.M. vocalist said he was ‘not drawn’ to today’s rock music but noted:
“I listen to ambient music a lot. I like Nils Frahm. I like Billie Eilish. I like some pop music but only in cars that are taking me places that’s less than 15 minutes. I really like Sia.”
Stipe’s Solo Career Plans
Michael Stipe focused on his solo career after R.E.M. disbanded in 2011 and confirmed they had no plans to ever reunite. He released several tracks over the years including a cover of The Velvet Underground’s ‘Sunday Morning’ for 2021’s ‘I’ll Be Your Mirror: A Tribute to The Velvet Underground & Nico.’
The singer also announced his debut solo album under Electric Lady Studios last year. He told New York Times that the record was moving forward slowly due to family emergencies, house moves, and a bout with Covid, though. The release date is yet to be revealed.