Michael Stipe

John Michael Stipe (born January 4, 1960) is an American singer, songwriter, and artist. He is best known as the lead singer and lyricist of the alternative rock band R.E.M. Stipe possesses a distinctive voice and has been noted for his 'mumbling' style in his early career, transitioning to a 'wailing, keening, arching vocal' style in the mid-1980s. He is also known for his involvement in R.E.M.'s visual aspect, selecting album artwork and directing music videos. Stipe owns and operates two film production studios, C-00 and Single Cell Pictures. In 2007, R.E.M. was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, and Stipe has influenced artists such as Kurt Cobain and Thom Yorke.