An influential American musician born in 1960, Michael Stipe is best known as the enigmatic lead singer and lyricist for the alternative rock band R.E.M. His distinctive baritone voice and poetic, often abstract lyrics were central to the band's sound, which profoundly impacted popular music from the 1980s through the early 2000s. Stipe's artistic vision helped define the alternative rock genre and earned R.E.M. widespread critical acclaim and commercial success.