Lifes Rich Pageant
by R.E.M.

Lifes Rich Pageant by R.E.M.
Year: 1986
Release date: 1986-07-28
Overall rank: 481st   Overall chart history
Average Rating: 
80/100 (from 767 votes)
  Ratings distribution   Average rating history
Accolades:
Award Top 10 albums of 1986 (8th)
Award Top 100 albums of the 1980s (72nd)
Award Top 500 albums of all time (481st)

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Product Details
Availability

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REM Lifes Rich Pageant Vinyl LP IRS Records IRS-5783 EX in Shrink
Condition: Used


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eBay
R.E.M. Lifes Rich Pageant RARE 2016 LIMITD REISSUE Vinyl LP USA STILL SEALED rem
Condition: New


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R.E.M. - Lifes Rich Pageant - I.R.S. Records 1986 CD
Condition: Like New


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R.E.M. bestography

Lifes Rich Pageant is ranked 5th best out of 36 albums by R.E.M. on BestEverAlbums.com.

The best album by R.E.M. is Automatic For The People which is ranked number 45 in the list of all-time albums with a total rank score of 19,164.

R.E.M. album bestography « Higher ranked (392nd)
Out Of Time
This album (481st)
Lifes Rich Pageant
Lower ranked (483rd) »
Green

(N.B. Bestographies include all albums by an artist (and their variations), but do not include albums ranked outside the top 100,000).

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Lifes Rich Pageant track list

  Track ratings The tracks on this album have an average rating of 82 out of 100 (all tracks have been rated).

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Track pick (1000 - 100 votes) Top-rated track as rated by BestEverAlbums.com members.

Lifes Rich Pageant rankings

Rankings summary
Overall rank: 481st | 1980s rank: 72nd | 1986 rank: 8th
Filter Filter
Sort Sort by
YearSourceChartRankRank Score
2026amirmishaliTop 32 Music Albums of 198620/322
2026BraddlesHendoTop 100 Greatest Music Albums8/10091
2026brent13Top 13 Music Albums of 198613/130
2026 flamingyesdeptTop 100 Music Albums of the 1980s49/10010
2026 TamthebamTop 100 Music Albums of 198613/1004
2026 RomanelliTop 51 Music Albums of 198611/514
2026 PurplepashTop 100 Music Albums of the 1980s86/1003
2026 ExTeaSeaTop 100 Music Albums of the 1980s13/10018
2026SiromynianTop 21 Music Albums of 19869/213
2026vdnoorfrTop 100 Greatest Music Albums4/10096
2026 zags7000Top 100 Music Albums of 198612/1004
2026 covecoveTop 50 Music Albums of 19865/505
2026Exist-en-cielTop 61 Music Albums of 198611/614
2026 RockyRaccoonTop 44 Music Albums of 198611/444
2026 LiedzeitMost listened to Albums by BEA members 202533/100 -
2026spewventuriTop 91 Music Albums of the 1980s82/912
2026 ExTeaSeaTop 101 - 200 Greatest Music Albums7/100 -
2026 ExTeaSeaTop 67 Music Albums of 19861/675
2026UntitledTop 25 Music Albums of 198620/251
2026 imacgillTop 100 Music Albums of 19865/1005
Total Charts: Help The total number of charts that this album has appeared in. 522
Total Rank Score: Help The total rank score. 3,508
You can include this album in your own chart from the My Charts page!

Lifes Rich Pageant collection

Lifes Rich Pageant ratings

Average Rating: 
80/100 (from 767 votes)
  Ratings distribution Help Average Rating = (n ÷ (n + m)) × av + (m ÷ (n + m)) × AV
where:
av = trimmed mean average rating an item has currently received.
n = number of ratings an item has currently received.
m = minimum number of ratings required for an item to appear in a 'top-rated' chart (currently 10).
AV = the site mean average rating.

Showing latest 5 ratings for this album.  | Show all 767 ratings for this album.

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RatingDate updatedMemberAlbum ratingsAvg. album rating
 
60/100
 
03/26/2026 21:12 melisandre  Ratings distribution  28479/100
 
75/100
 
03/18/2026 12:02 JamesMowbray  Ratings distribution  5,40469/100
 
80/100
 
03/13/2026 13:21 Exist-en-ciel  Ratings distribution  9,29370/100
 
95/100
 
02/28/2026 19:22 ExTeaSea  Ratings distribution  5,18783/100
 
75/100
 
02/25/2026 23:23 DaveH68  Ratings distribution  1,36376/100

Rating metrics: Help Outliers can be removed when calculating a mean average to dampen the effects of ratings outside the normal distribution. This figure is provided as the trimmed mean. A high standard deviation can be legitimate, but can sometimes indicate 'gaming' is occurring. Consider a simplified example* of an item receiving ratings of 100, 50, & 0. The mean average rating would be 50. However, ratings of 55, 50 & 45 could also result in the same average. The second average might be more trusted because there is more consensus around a particular rating (a lower deviation).
(*In practice, some albums can have several thousand ratings)

This album is rated in the top 2% of all albums on BestEverAlbums.com. This album has a Bayesian average rating of 79.6/100, a mean average of 78.7/100, and a trimmed mean (excluding outliers) of 79.7/100. The standard deviation for this album is 14.3.

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Lifes Rich Pageant comments

Showing latest 10 comments | Show all 47 comments |
Most Helpful First | Newest First | Positive Sentiment First | Longest Comments First
(Only showing comments with -2 votes or higher. You can alter this threshold from your profile page. Manage Profile)

Rating:  
90/100
From 03/24/2025 00:41 | #308167
Much better on re-listen. I'm just so much more used to this band and there's less pressure on them from me to blow me away like I was hoping they would. Really special.
Helpful?  (Log in to vote) | 0 votes (0 helpful | 0 unhelpful)
Rating:  
90/100
From 01/24/2024 20:29 | #301445
Starts as finishes as well as anything REM have ever done.

Actually scrub that, starts and ends as good as anything ever. Starting with Hyena though is a run of less spectacular material before the return to greatness of Swan and Superman.

A definite evolution from the more ‘college’ sound of their first 3 albums.
Helpful?  (Log in to vote) | +1 votes (1 helpful | 0 unhelpful)
Rating:  
85/100
From 01/09/2023 21:38 | #292663
Solid R.E.M. album showing college rock shifting from sound similar to jangle pop to something more original with punk flavour. A lot of beautiful lyrics from more rebellious ones on first couple tracks to more poetic ones like Swan Swan H which is one of my favorites here. I also really love Fall On Me, Cuyahoga, I Believe ane Begin The Begin.
Helpful?  (Log in to vote) | +2 votes (2 helpful | 0 unhelpful)
Rating:  
85/100
From 03/30/2022 18:03 | #283612
I Like this better than almost any other REM album.
Helpful?  (Log in to vote) | +1 votes (1 helpful | 0 unhelpful)
Rating:  
80/100
From 08/24/2021 22:35 | #272806
This is where they really found their sound. Undeniably R.E.M.
Helpful?  (Log in to vote) | +1 votes (1 helpful | 0 unhelpful)
Rating:  
70/100
From 06/18/2020 12:25 | #253803
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Helpful?  (Log in to vote) | -5 votes (0 helpful | 5 unhelpful)
Rating:  
100/100
From 02/10/2019 19:24 | #231744
Outstanding album from one of the decade's best bands. Consistent excellence all the way through.
Helpful?  (Log in to vote) | +5 votes (5 helpful | 0 unhelpful)
Rating:  
70/100
From 01/03/2019 20:45 | #228774
This comment is beneath your viewing threshold.
Helpful?  (Log in to vote) | -4 votes (0 helpful | 4 unhelpful)
Rating:  
90/100
From 11/06/2018 03:46 | #223950
It picks up after the first three tracks, but nothing earth-shattering for me.
Helpful?  (Log in to vote) | -2 votes (0 helpful | 2 unhelpful)
From 11/03/2018 09:37 | #223765
This comment is beneath your viewing threshold.
Helpful?  (Log in to vote) | -3 votes (1 helpful | 4 unhelpful)
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Best Albums of 1986
1. The Queen Is Dead by The Smiths
2. Master Of Puppets by Metallica
3. Graceland by Paul Simon
4. So by Peter Gabriel
5. Skylarking by XTC
6. The Colour Of Spring by Talk Talk
7. Reign In Blood by Slayer
8. Lifes Rich Pageant by R.E.M.
9. Licensed To Ill by Beastie Boys
10. Black Celebration by Depeche Mode
11. Evol by Sonic Youth
12. Slippery When Wet by Bon Jovi
13. Peace Sells... But Who's Buying? by Megadeth
14. Parade by Prince And The Revolution
15. Somewhere In Time by Iron Maiden
16. Raising Hell by Run-D.M.C.
17. Invisible Touch by Genesis
18. Atomizer by Big Black
19. True Blue by Madonna
20. Infected by The The