While it didn't dominate the main pop charts, it peaked at #17 on the Billboard Mainstream Rock Tracks chart .
Released on Life's Rich Pageant , the song marked a shift for Michael Stipe toward more "loud and clear" vocals after the "murmuring" style of their earlier records. Chart Performance & Legacy R.E.M. - Superman
It is one of the few cover songs R.E.M. included on a studio album during their I.R.S. Records era. While it didn't dominate the main pop charts,
R.E.M.'s "Superman," the final track on their 1986 album , is a rare departure for the band—a bright, power-pop cover of a song originally recorded by the Texas sunshine-pop group The Clique in 1969. Historical Significance & Production R.E.M. - Superman