"Document" is the fifth studio album by American rock band R.E.M., released on August 31, 1987, by I.R.S. Records. It was the first album produced by Scott Litt.
Following the style of their previous album, Lifes Rich Pageant, Document features more prominent lyrics and a harder rock sound compared to earlier releases. The album marked R.E.M.'s greatest success up to that point, achieving their first top 10 hit with "The One I Love" and reaching number 10 on the Billboard 200.
Document was R.E.M.'s first album co-produced by both the band and Scott Litt, marking the beginning of a collaboration that would continue with Green, Out of Time, Automatic for the People, Monster, and New Adventures in Hi-Fi. This partnership, combined with the album's clear production and powerful rock riffs, helped the band achieve mainstream success and built on the groundwork laid by Don Gehman, who had produced their previous album, Lifes Rich Pageant. Document not only launched "The One I Love," R.E.M.'s first Top 10 hit on the Billboard Hot 100 at number 9, but also earned them their first platinum album.
The track "Strange" was originally recorded by the post-punk band Wire on their debut album, Pink Flag.
R.E.M. expanded their instrumentation on Document, adding a dulcimer to "King of Birds" and a saxophone to "Fireplace." Steve Berlin contributed the saxophone due to his prior collaboration with producer Scott Litt. This experimentation led to the band's use of the mandolin on their subsequent albums, Green and Out of Time. Additionally, the band began swapping instruments in both concert and studio settings to explore new sounds and avoid stagnation.
