International East Coast Blues and Roots Music Festival

From a story on Australia's Channel 9 website:

"American rock group REM has joined the line-up for the International East Coast Blues and Roots Music Festival at Byron Bay.

The band will join other international headliners including Jack Johnson, Luka Bloom, Janis Ian, George Thorogood, Angelique Kidjo, Sarah McLachlan and Bo Didley.

Locals to perform at the annual festival include The John Butler Trio, Kasey Chambers, The Beautiful Girls, The Whitlams and The Cat Empire.

The East Coast Blues and Roots Music Festival, which is in its 16th year, runs over the Easter long weekend from March 24 to 28 at Byron Bay's Red Devil Park."

My first thought: Since when is REM either Blues OR Roots music?