Music News: R.E.M.'s Best Week in 12 Years, '80s (and '70s) Pop Stars on Tour

It's Spring, and that means the Summer concert tour plans are cranking into high gear. There are some interesting moves going on in the recorded-music scene too, so there's lots of music news this week. Here's a rundown of the highlights.

R.E.M. is getting its record-sales mojo back with its new album poised at No. 2 on the U.S. charts. It hasn't been able to outsell country crooner George Strait, but I don't think the boys from Athens, Ga mind: it's their best chart action in 12 years. Good timing for R.E.M., with its worldwide tour coming up in June.

Nothing says Summer like old rockers on tour, and some of the biggest hitmakers of the 1980s are teaming up for a tour called Regeneration. Among the acts: The Human League, Belinda Carlisle, Dead Or Alive, A Flock of Seagulls, and Naked Eyes. The tour is set to begin August 1st in Phoenix.

Not to be outdone, a number of '70s rockers will be out on the road for their own individual tours. The Steve Miller Band, The Eagles, and others icons of the era will be touring, along with Ray Davies of The Kinks. Joe Cocker will be on the bill with Steve Miller.

R.E.M. News: "Accelerate" Streaming; NY Tour Dates

It's less than a couple of weeks until R.E.M.'s new album "Accelerate" comes out, and the band has announced that the entire album will be streamed free on the iLike Web site. Also, a free video of the video for their song "Living Well is the Best Revenge" is available for download from the iTunes Music Store. (This isn't the official video; it's an acoustic version from the "Take Away Shows" people, filmed playing in what looks like a van!)

Previously I announced R.E.M. has released its tour dates, but the venues for the two New York tour dates were not listed. These dates have now been supplied: according to the tour page on R.E.M.'s Web site, the June 14th date is at the Nikon Jones Beach Theater on Long Island, while the June 19th show is at Madison Square Garden.

R.E.M. Announces 2008 North American Tour

Hot on the heels of their new CD Accelerate, to be released in the U.S. on April 1st, R.E.M. has set the first group of dates for its North American tour.

Here are the dates R.E.M. has released so far:

Vancouver, 5/23 - DEER LAKE PARK

Los Angeles, 5/29 - HOLLYWOOD BOWL

Berkeley, 5/31 - THE GREEK THEATRE

Denver, 6/03 - RED ROCKS

Chicago, 6/06 - UNITED CENTER

Toronto, 6/08 - MOLSON AMPHITHEATRE

Raleigh, 6/10 - WALNUT CREEK AMPHITHEATRE

Washington DC, 6/11 - MERRIWEATHER POST PAVILION

Boston, 6/13 - TWEETER CENTER

Long Island, 6/14 - JONES BEACH THEATER

Philadelphia, 6/18 - MANN CENTER

New York City, 6/19 - TBA

Atlanta , 6/21 - LAKEWOOD AMPHITEATRE

I'm curious about that where that 6/19 New York date is taking place... maybe it's an outdoor festival that's in the works and isn't ready to be announced (Randall's Island perhaps?)