R.E.M have finished work on their fifteenth studio album, it's been announced.

The as-yet-untitled follow-up to 2008's 'Accelerate' has been produced Jacknife Lee.

The album, which is due out next Spring, was recorded at the Music Shed in New Orleans and in Berlin's Hansa Studios, reports Billboard.

In a studio update in July, R.E.M's manager Bertis Downs said the band had recorded a "quite a wonderful set of songs."

'Accelerate' topped the the UK album chart and debuted at number two on the US Billboard countdown two years ago.

(by Jason Gregory)