R.E.M. TO LAUNCH NEW ALBUM ONLINE

Rockers R.E.M. are set to make musical history at the end of March (08) when they become the first major act to launch an album on a social networking website. Fans will be able to stream and share the band's Accelerate album on iLike.com a week before it hits record stores on 1 April (08). Frontman Michael Stipe tells Billboard.com, "It was one of those ideas that was presented to us and it seemed like a good one."