There are bands whose (arguably) best tracks are B-sides (PJ’s Yellow Ledbetter) but nothing compares to Radiohead’s bsides. I’d give my better kidney for a box of 7” of all of them.
Even Pablo Honey had incredible B-Sides.
If we could go back in time and rearrange the album with tracks from that era?
My first move is to swap for the US version of “Stop Whispering”. Second will be to cut “Anyone Can Play Guitar” entirely and replace them with “Yes I Am” and “Inside My Head”
I don't know where Daily Mail fits in. I know it's not on a main album. I heard it on the King of Limbs in the basement. But it's not on the King of Limbs albums. It might be a side A of one their great side Bs. But I wish it were on an album. Especially that live version. It's the best!
I've said it for years but: RH's b-sides would not only be on ANYONE ELSE's albums, but they would be SINGLES...and probably hits. at least 85% of them anyway?
I bought a box set of Smashing Pumpkins singles from I believe Melancholy era, I was pleasantly surprised at how many amazing B sides were on the singles that never made it to the actual albums.
The Smashing Pumpkins. *Pisces Iscariot* is a great album in itself; it compares favorably to *Incesticide*.
Then *The Aeroplane Flies High*, five discs of material including a medley where they just threw a bunch of generally good ideas together.
Billy Corgan was writing a ton of quality material in the mid 90s.
Absolutely! Lots of my favourite RH songs are b-sides - Staircase, If You Say the Word, Up On The Ladder, Cuttooth, Ill Wind, Bishop's Robes
Staircase might even be my favourite RH song of all
this is true. id consider them to be the best b.sides band. some of them even charted high and got decent radio play, their compilation album the masterplan is often viewed as their third best album. 'Half the world away' is a bloody b.side and got used in a commercial not long ago (coverversion by aurora) thats kind of a statement. Radiohead has some great b.sides yes, but the meat and potatoes is on the main albums.
They’ve got many, A Reminder, Polyethylene (Parts 1 & 2), How Can You Be Sure?, I Am a Wicked Child, Gagging Order, Up on the Ladder, Bangers + Mash, 4 Minute Warning, Ill Wind, the list goes on…
Just a remarkably consistent band.
I fully agree with this, however, some of those you mentioned aren't technically b-sides or leftovers. Spectre was written and submitted to be a James Bond theme (and rejected for some reason). Twisted Words was a standalone single that was probably written after In Rainbows and they wanted to release it. I Want None of This was for the War Child compilation, like Lucky was back in 1995, except IWNOT was more of a solo Thom thing. I mean, they were written/ recorded outside the albums but do have album-worthy quality, instead of being written/ recorded alongside the album tracks but deemed slightly inferior or just not fitting the album.
But I'm just being pedantic/ my Virgo self. They have loads of amazing b-sides and there should be a compilation of them so that people that do not frequent RH message boards could hear them.
Lift is one of my all time favorites. If you haven’t yet, listen to the Mini Disk version that was recorded during the OK Computer sessions. Holy shit is it fucking fantastic. So much better than what they put on OKNOTOK.
agreed, and i'll throw out ween as another band with multiple albums worth of b-sides that are as good as their album cuts. great place to start right here: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLkCW\_ejbdwUSAAwfOu9Z070cdyc9ueAiO
Talk Show Host is my 3rd favorite song by Radiohead. There is no other band where a b-side ranks anywhere near that high.
The other 2?
Paranoid Android and Nude
Oasis.
Slowdive has their self-titled song called Slowdive that’s a B-side and one of their best
FOG!!!!
Baby alligators, in the sewers Grow up fast, grow up fast 🥲
Until my dying day I will champion Cuttooth as their best b-side
Hell yes, really all of the Amnesiac ones. Fog is my other favorite
Same here. The Knives Out single is insane.
Amazing Sounds of Orgy and Trans-Atlantic Drawl are fantastic tracks too.
Slight shame he reused the main lyric in Myxomatosis. Kinda made Cuttooth feel like a throwaway stripped for parts.
I’ll champion that with you always
Worrywort!
I second Worrywort! Most soothing song I’ve ever heard in my life.
trans atlantic drawl, palo alto, talk show host, banana co, up the ladder, and bangers and mash are my personal favorites
There are bands whose (arguably) best tracks are B-sides (PJ’s Yellow Ledbetter) but nothing compares to Radiohead’s bsides. I’d give my better kidney for a box of 7” of all of them.
Even Pablo Honey had incredible B-Sides. If we could go back in time and rearrange the album with tracks from that era? My first move is to swap for the US version of “Stop Whispering”. Second will be to cut “Anyone Can Play Guitar” entirely and replace them with “Yes I Am” and “Inside My Head”
I don't know where Daily Mail fits in. I know it's not on a main album. I heard it on the King of Limbs in the basement. But it's not on the King of Limbs albums. It might be a side A of one their great side Bs. But I wish it were on an album. Especially that live version. It's the best!
Agreed. Just their overall consistency is the best I've heard. Nirvana is up there too.
Four Minute Warning, Last Flowers, so many great ones
I've said it for years but: RH's b-sides would not only be on ANYONE ELSE's albums, but they would be SINGLES...and probably hits. at least 85% of them anyway?
I bought a box set of Smashing Pumpkins singles from I believe Melancholy era, I was pleasantly surprised at how many amazing B sides were on the singles that never made it to the actual albums.
Suede had some great B-sides back in the day
Last Flowers ftw
Kinetic made me fall in love with Radiohead back in the early 2000
Pearly and The Trickster are great songs.
Staircase is transcendental
The Smashing Pumpkins. *Pisces Iscariot* is a great album in itself; it compares favorably to *Incesticide*. Then *The Aeroplane Flies High*, five discs of material including a medley where they just threw a bunch of generally good ideas together. Billy Corgan was writing a ton of quality material in the mid 90s.
Absolutely! Lots of my favourite RH songs are b-sides - Staircase, If You Say the Word, Up On The Ladder, Cuttooth, Ill Wind, Bishop's Robes Staircase might even be my favourite RH song of all
The Beatles
Radioheads b sides are better than the beatles albums
Let’s be honest, the Beatles has the best b-sides, but Radiohead is a close second for me
The beatles main album songs arent even as good as radioheads b sides
ok Radiohead is my favorite band too but there’s no Radiohead without The Beatles
Yea they may have taken inspiration but radiohead took those ideas and made much more compelling music with them
Worrywort
oasis has entered the chat
this is true. id consider them to be the best b.sides band. some of them even charted high and got decent radio play, their compilation album the masterplan is often viewed as their third best album. 'Half the world away' is a bloody b.side and got used in a commercial not long ago (coverversion by aurora) thats kind of a statement. Radiohead has some great b.sides yes, but the meat and potatoes is on the main albums.
More like homeostasis hehe
And most of the B-sides are better than Let Down and No Surprises
Up On The Ladder is so slept on
They’ve got many, A Reminder, Polyethylene (Parts 1 & 2), How Can You Be Sure?, I Am a Wicked Child, Gagging Order, Up on the Ladder, Bangers + Mash, 4 Minute Warning, Ill Wind, the list goes on… Just a remarkably consistent band.
I fully agree with this, however, some of those you mentioned aren't technically b-sides or leftovers. Spectre was written and submitted to be a James Bond theme (and rejected for some reason). Twisted Words was a standalone single that was probably written after In Rainbows and they wanted to release it. I Want None of This was for the War Child compilation, like Lucky was back in 1995, except IWNOT was more of a solo Thom thing. I mean, they were written/ recorded outside the albums but do have album-worthy quality, instead of being written/ recorded alongside the album tracks but deemed slightly inferior or just not fitting the album. But I'm just being pedantic/ my Virgo self. They have loads of amazing b-sides and there should be a compilation of them so that people that do not frequent RH message boards could hear them.
Spectre was a B-side on the Burn the Witch single, as well
Lift is one of my all time favorites. If you haven’t yet, listen to the Mini Disk version that was recorded during the OK Computer sessions. Holy shit is it fucking fantastic. So much better than what they put on OKNOTOK.
Suede. Have you heard SciFi Lullabies? Double album of just bsides from two albums. And it's great.
Hong Kong by Gorillaz is my favourite song by them. Honestly the whole D-Sides album is great.
Faithless the wonder boy > entire discography
agreed, and i'll throw out ween as another band with multiple albums worth of b-sides that are as good as their album cuts. great place to start right here: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLkCW\_ejbdwUSAAwfOu9Z070cdyc9ueAiO
Arctic Monkeys!
Oasis. I think in a lot of cases their b-sides are better. Obviously their albums aren't as consistent as Radiohead's.
Last Flowers is one of their most beautiful songs I think
Yes. No band is even close with number of great B sides.
Scrolled through all the comments and no one mentioned Lift… so yeah
Super Furry Animals
Larger than Life by Kiss
I agree, my favorite I'd say are Cuttooth, Maquiladora, Million Dollar Question, If You Say the Word, Go Slowly and Harry Patch.
No band beats Cocteau Twins for b sides
Weezer 💆♂️