This band was politically active on behalf of the Democrats, and was led by vocalist Michael Stipe. What was their name?

Explanation

R.E.M. was an American rock band formed by Michael Stipe (vocals), Bill Berry (drums), Peter Buck (guitar) and Mike Mills (bass) in 1980. The band's discography includes their debut album "Murmur" (1983), "Out of Time" (1991), "Automatic for the People" (1992), "Monster" (1994), "Accelerate" (2008) and "Collapse into Now" (2011). Over the years, the members of R.E.M. have been politically active, focusing especially on social issues.