R.E.M. had recorded its debut EP, Chronic Town, with Easter for Hib-Tone when the band's demo tape found its way to I.R.S. Records. The band turned down the advances of major label RCA Records and signed with I.R.S. in May 1982. Chronic Town was released by I.R.S. in August 1982 as the label's first  American release. A positive review of the EP by NME praised the aura of mystery the songs presented, and concluded, "R.E.M. ring true, and it's great to hear something as unforced and cunning as this." The band was initially paired with producer Stephen Hague by I.R.S. to record their debut album, but Hague's emphasis on technical perfection left the band unsatisfied and asking the label to let them record with Easter.
I.R.S. subsequently agreed to a "tryout" session, allowing the band to return to North Carolina and record "Pilgrimage" with Easter and producing partner Don Dixon. After hearing the track, I.R.S. gave the green light to record the album with Dixon and Easter. The completed album, Murmur, was greeted with critical acclaim, with Rolling Stone listing it as their record of the year. The album was warmly received by college radio, and its success there pushed the album to number 36 on the Billboard album chart. A re-recorded version of "Radio Free Europe" was the lead single from the album and reached number 78 in 1983. Other notable tracks included the piano-led "Perfect Circle", "Sitting Still" (a re-recorded version of the Hib-Tone B-side), and "Talk About the Passion", which was re-released as a single in 1988. Despite the acclaim awarded to the album, Murmur only sold about 200,000 copies, which I.R.S.'s Jay Boberg felt was below expectations.
R.E.M. made its first national television appearance on Late Night with David Letterman in October 1983, where they performed a new, unnamed song. The unnamed song, eventually titled "So. Central Rain (I'm Sorry)," became the first single from the band's second album, Reckoning, which was once again recorded with Easter and Dixon. The album met with critical acclaim; NME's Mat Snow said that Reckoning "confirms R.E.M. as one of the most beautifully exciting groups on the planet."
R.E.M.'s third album Fables of the Reconstruction demonstrated a change in direction. Instead of Dixon and Easter, the band chose Joe Boyd, who had worked with Fairport Convention and Nick Drake, to produce the record in England. The band found the sessions unexpectedly difficult, and were miserable due to the cold winter weather and poor food. The situation made the band so miserable they came close to breaking up. The gloominess surrounding the sessions ended up providing the context for the album itself, influencing an album darker and drearier than the band's previous efforts. Lyrically, Stipe  began to create storylines in the mode of Southern mythology, noting in a 1985 interview that he was inspired by "the whole idea of the old men sitting around the fire, passing on ... legends and fables to the grandchildren." Critical reception was mixed, with some critics regarding the album as dreary and poorly recorded. Like the previous records, the Fables singles were mostly ignored at mainstream radio. Meanwhile I.R.S. was becoming frustrated with the band's reluctance to achieve mainstream success.
For its fourth album, the band enlisted John Mellencamp producer Don Gehman. The result, Lifes Rich Pageant, was more accessible to listeners outside the college realm, with Stipe's vocals coming closer to the forefront. Buck discussed the difference in a 1986 interview with the Chicago Tribune: "Michael is getting better at what he's doing, and he's getting more confident at it. And I think that shows up in the projection of his voice." Over the course of Lifes Rich Pageant, Stipe's lyrics touched on a wide variety of themes, with a greater emphasis on politics and the environment. The album improved on the sales of Fables of the Reconstruction markedly and eventually peaked at number 21 on the Billboard album chart. The single "Fall on Me" also picked up support on commercial radio. The album became the band's first to be certified gold for sales of 500,000 copies. While the R.E.M's core support remained college radio, the band was beginning to chart hits on mainstream rock formats; however, the band's music still encountered resistance from Top 40 radio. Following the success of Pageant, I.R.S. issued Dead Letter Office, a compilation consisting of tracks recorded by the band during their album sessions, many of which had either been issued as B-sides or left unreleased altogether. Shortly thereafter, I.R.S. compiled R.E.M.'s music video catalog (except "Wolves, Lower") as the band's first video release, Succumbs.
For their fifth album, 1987's Document, the band began a decade-long relationship with producer Scott Litt. Reacting to the conservative political environment of the 1980s under President Ronald Reagan, the album featured some of Stipe's most openly political lyrics, particularly on "Welcome To the Occupation" and "Exhuming McCarthy". Document was R.E.M.'s breakthrough album, and the first single "The One I Love" charted in the Top 20 in the, UK, and Canada. The album's second single, "It's the End of the World as We Know It (And I Feel Fine)", was an apocalyptic rant reminiscent of Bob Dylan's "Subterranean Homesick Blues". While not not nearly as big a success at mainstream radio it reached number 69 on the US singles chart and the pop-culture-laden song became a popular favorite on college radio, and the video was featured on MTV's 120 Minutes. In light of the band's breakthrough, the December 1987 cover of Rolling Stone declared R.E.M. "America's Best Rock & Roll Band."
Frustrated that their records did not see satisfactory overseas distribution, R.E.M. left I.R.S. after their contract expired and signed with major label Warner Bros. Records. In 1988 I.R.S. released the compilation Eponymous, which included most of the band's singles, as well as a number of rarities. The band's 1988 Warner Bros. debut, Green, was recorded in Nashville, Tennessee and showcased the band attempting to experiment with their sound. The band had now been brought to international attention, with radio hits like "Stand," (a Top Ten US hit) and continued their political interest with the anthemic "Orange Crush" and "World Leader Pretend," the first R.E.M. song to have its lyrics printed in the album sleeve. After the Green tour ended the bandmembers unofficially decided to take the following year off, the first extended break in the band's career.
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