We like what Radiohead and Nine Inch Nails have done so far with exploring digital music distribution; R.E.M. takes the conversation to the top of the music mountain with their planned online debut of their new album.

Although R.E.M’s  next release, Accelerate, will hit store shelves on April 1, users of Facebook and the iLike music application will be able to stream it and share it a week early.

Michael Stipe told Billboard.com “It was one of those ideas that was presented to us and it seemed like a good one so we ran for it.”

All eleven tracks plus a video of the band discussing Accelerate will hit iLike and all of the social media sites that offer it.

There are big bands, and then there are really big bands. R.E.M. taking this step has to be a signature moment for digital music distribution, where fans are treated like a valuable asset instead of a necessary evil, as music labels seem to see them.