R.E.M.’s reissue campaign celebrating the 25th anniversaries of the its albums continues with the expanded reissue of Up, the band’s first post-Bill Berry album.

Craft Recordings this summer will reissue two of R.E.M.’s out-of-print latter-era albums on heavyweight audiophile vinyl in both black and color pressings.

Today marks the 40th anniversary of the release of R.E.M.’s iconic first album Murmur, a record that’s widely considered among the best rock debuts.

The story of of one of college rock’s most foundational bands is told anew in John Hunter’s hefty biography “Maps and Legends: The Story of R.E.M.”

R.E.M. will continue its deluxe album reissue series this fall with an expanded 25th anniversary edition of New Adventures in Hi-Fi, the record the band made while touring 1995’s Monster and the final LP recorded before co-founder Bill Berry left the band. Full details and tracklists right here.

The 1982 debut album by Love Tractor, part of the fertile Athens, Ga., college-rock scene that also birthed R.E.M., The B-52’s and Pylon, has been remixed and remastered by Bill Berry and Sugar’s David Barbe, and will be reissued with an unreleased bonus track this fall. Full details right here, and listen to the bonus track.

Three-quarters of R.E.M. — Peter Buck, Mike Mills and drummer-turned-farmer Bill Berry — reunited onstage tonight in Portland, Ore., at the second of two benefit concerts for Scott McCaughey, the longtime R.E.M. sideman who suffered a stroke in November. See video from the reunion performances here.

We brought you news of R.E.M.’s expanded reissue of Automatic For the People yesterday, but now the band officially has announced the project, and given fans the first taste of one of its 20 unreleased demos in the form of “Mike’s Pop Song,” a sweet, “fully realized” track sung by Mike Mills. Stream it right here.

Back in June, R.E.M.’s Mike Mills and Peter Buck traveled to Norway for the Sun Station Vadsø festival, featuring performances by a series of intertwined bands including The Dream Syndicate, Filthy Friends, The Minus 5 and The Baseball Project. Watch footage of them playing R.E.M. songs.

Police in Athens, Ga., this week arrested a former contractor accused of stealing $20,000 in audio gear from the 40 Watt Club, a burglary that had drawn offers of more than $15,000 in rewards from members of R.E.M., Camper Van Beethoven and others. The gear has been recovered, police said.

The legendary 40 Watt Club in Athens, Ga. — an early home base for college-rock mainstays R.E.M., The B-52s, Pylon, Love Tractor, Guadalcanal Diary and more — was burglarized Friday, with dozens of pieces of equipment stolen related to the venue’s PA system. Members of R.E.M. and Cracker have offered rewards.

Last night at the venerable 40 Watt Club in Athens, Ga., Drivin’ N Cryin’ paid tribute to late guitarist Buren Fowler, who played with that band from 1988 to 1993 after working as Peter Buck’s guitar tech and an occasional second guitarist on two R.E.M. tours.

By now you’ve heard about R.E.M.’s Mike Mills breaking the news of David Letterman’s retirement yesterday, but here’s the reason he was even there: Mills and former bandmate Peter Buck reunited on “The Late Show” to back Joseph Arthur’s performance of “Walk on the Wild Side.”