An alternative rock supergroup united in their love of the Great American Pastime, the Baseball Project features members of a handful of celebrated bands who write and sing songs about baseball. Playing smart, energetic rock with pop accents and a rootsy feel, the group features members of R.E.M., the Dream Syndicate, and the Minus 5, and their material focuses on the outsized personalities and legendary tales of the great game's history. The act started from a casual conversation backstage at a Rock & Roll Hall of Fame event, and within a year they put out their debut album, 2008's The Baseball Project, Vol. 1: Frozen Ropes and Dying Quails. The busy schedule of the members meant there were often gaps between releases, but 2014's 3rd and 2023's Grand Salami Time showed their passion for the game as well as that their musical friendship wasn't fading away.