stipe sang, where the voice was incredible but you couldn't quite figure out what he was saying, it just made them more alluring and kind of more mysterious. you could get why that band would become huge. ♪ >> it wasn't new wave, it wasn't a new romantic. they started calling it alternative music. ♪ it's the end of the world as we know it ♪ ♪ it's the end of the world as we know it ♪ ♪ and i feel fine ♪ fine, fine, fine >> you know, this is the thing about the '80s. everyone thinks it's about crazy haircuts, lots of makeup, insane clothes, and it was. but the thing about this music that lasts is that their songs were so good. ♪ >> you can go back and listen to those records, from the engineering to the musicianship to the writing and to the performance of it. it surpasses most music.