Happy birthday, Michael Stipe.

The legendary singer and songwriter, who rose to fame with his band R.E.M., turned 62 on Tuesday, and fans took to social media to wish him well.

Stipe was born in Decatur in 1960 and attended the University of Georgia, where he met Mike Mills, Bill Berry and Peter Buck and formed the iconic band.

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Fulton County Superior Court Judge Robert McBurney — pictured during a hearing Monday, Dec. 15, 2025 — has cleared the way for Georgia's State Election Board to obtain Fulton ballots and other documents from the 2020 election. (Arvin Temkar/AJC)

Credit: Arvin Temkar/AJC