The B-Sides That Outshined Their A-Sides
10 rare B-sides that outshined their A-sides. Joy Division, Oasis & more hid their best songs on the flip side. Discover the gems radio rejected.
Sometimes the "throwaway" tracks become the classics
Picture this: You're a record executive in 1984, and The Smiths just handed you a single. The A-side is "William, It Was Really Nothing"—catchy, radio-friendly, perfectly fine. Then you flip it over and hear this tremolo-drenched monster called "How Soon Is Now?"
Your response? "Too weird. Keep it on the B-side."
Fast-forward 40 years, and nobody remembers "William, It Was Really Nothing." But "How Soon Is Now?" became the theme song to Charmed, a defining track of alternative rock, and The Smiths' most streamed song on Spotify.
Welcome to the beautiful irony of rare B-sides—where the songs deemed "not good enough" often become the most beloved.
10. Joy Division - "Love Will Tear Us Apart" (1980)
The B-side that became bigger than the band
Here's one of music's cruelest ironies: Joy Division's most famous song was originally the B-side to "Licht Und Blindheit." Released two months after Ian Curtis's death, it was meant to be the throwaway track.
Producer Martin Hannett later said the band considered it "too poppy" for their dark image. The result? A perfect distillation of beauty and despair that's now considered one of the greatest songs ever written. Sometimes being "too poppy" is exactly what the world needs.
9. Nirvana - "About a Girl" (1989)
The Beatles homage that predicted grunge's future
While "Love Buzz" tried to introduce Nirvana as noise-rock experimenters, its B-side revealed Kurt Cobain's secret weapon: actual melodies. "About a Girl" was his unashamed Beatles tribute, complete with jangly guitars and—gasp—a hummable chorus.
Sub Pop Records buried it on the flip side because it didn't sound "punk" enough. Five years later, when MTV Unplugged made it a generation-defining moment, those same executives probably felt pretty stupid.
8. The Cure - "Boys Don't Cry" (1979)
The pop song that saved a goth band
Originally the B-side to "I'm Cold," this bouncy new wave nugget was Robert Smith's attempt at writing a straightforward pop song. The Cure's label thought it was too cheerful for their moody image.
The song's infectious energy and surprisingly optimistic message (despite the title) ended up introducing The Cure to mainstream audiences worldwide. Sometimes artists know better than their image consultants.
7. Oasis - "Acquiesce" (1995)
The brotherhood anthem hiding behind their first #1
Written on a broken-down train to Wales, this muscular rocker features both Gallagher brothers singing together—a rare occurrence during their peak rivalry years. Creation Records' Alan McGee wanted to release it as a double A-side with "Some Might Say," but Noel refused.
Twenty-nine years later, many fans consider it Oasis's greatest song. The irony? It's the one track that perfectly captures the "we need each other" sentiment that could have saved the band.
6. The Smiths - "How Soon Is Now?" (1984)
The tremolo masterpiece that defined a generation
Johnny Marr spent weeks perfecting that otherworldly tremolo guitar sound, creating four minutes of pure sonic innovation. The band's label deemed it too experimental for radio and buried it as a B-side twice—first to "William, It Was Really Nothing," then to "Shakespeare's Sister."
The song later became The Smiths' most recognizable track, inspiring countless indie bands and serving as the theme to TV's Charmed. Marr's "too weird" guitar technique became the blueprint for alternative rock.
5. Radiohead - "Talk Show Host" (1995)
The trip-hop experiment that predicted their future
This dark, electronic-tinged B-side to "Street Spirit" didn't fit The Bends' guitar-driven sound. Producer Nigel Godrich called it "too atmospheric" for the album, so it ended up as a throwaway.
Then Baz Luhrmann remixed it for Romeo + Juliet, and suddenly everyone could hear what Radiohead would become. The song contains the DNA that would later bloom into OK Computer and Kid A—three years ahead of schedule.
4. The Stone Roses - "Fools Gold" (1989)
The nine-minute groove that accidentally launched Madchester
Originally planned as a quick B-side to "What the World Is Waiting For," this hypnotic dance-rock epic emerged from a jam session that the band almost didn't record. At nine minutes, it was far too long for radio.
But John Leckie convinced them to release it anyway, and "Fools Gold" became their biggest hit, reaching #8 in the UK. The song's fusion of rock and rave culture helped create the entire Madchester movement. Sometimes the best songs happen by accident.
3. The Jam - "That's Entertainment" (1980)
The acoustic masterpiece that stayed unreleased
Paul Weller recorded this stark acoustic meditation as a quick B-side to "Start!" The contrast was jarring—where "Start!" was punky and aggressive, "That's Entertainment" was introspective and vulnerable.
The song never got proper promotion, yet it reached #21 on import sales alone. Weller later called it "the song that showed I could write about normal life without shouting." It remains The Jam's most emotionally resonant track.
2. Blur - "Girls & Boys" (1994)
Wait, that wasn't a B-side...
Actually, scratch that. Let me tell you about "Popscene" (1992)—the manic art-punk freakout that was too weird for any album. Released as a standalone single between Leisure and Modern Life Is Rubbish, this chaotic burst of energy captured Blur's live power better than their polished album tracks.
The song's DIY energy and kitchen-sink production influenced everyone from Pulp to Franz Ferdinand. Sometimes the rejects become blueprints.
1. New Order - "Blue Monday" (1983)
The electronic experiment that changed everything
Originally intended as a quick B-side experiment, this electronic dance epic was deemed "too long, too weird, too expensive to manufacture" by Factory Records. The elaborate die-cut sleeve cost more to produce than they made per copy.
"Blue Monday" became the UK's best-selling 12" single of all time, bridging post-punk and dance music in a way that influenced everything from house to techno. Factory Records famously lost money on every copy sold—but changed music history in the process.
Why B-Sides Hit Different
These rare B-sides share a common thread: creative freedom. When artists knew a song wouldn't face commercial scrutiny, they experimented. They got weird. They got honest.
The result? Some of the most authentic music ever recorded.
While A-sides chased radio play, B-sides chased artistic truth. And decades later, when radio programmers and marketing departments are forgotten, these "throwaway" tracks remain essential listening.
The Hidden Gems Are Still Out There
Every legendary artist has more rare B-sides waiting to be discovered. The question isn't whether these gems exist—it's whether you're ready to find them.
Join The Sound Vault community and discover the rare B-sides and forgotten gems that reshape how you hear your favorite artists. We dig deeper than streaming algorithms to uncover the tracks that were too experimental, too personal, or too ahead of their time for their original release.
Your next favorite song is probably hiding on the flip side of something you already love.
What's the best B-side you've ever stumbled across? Tell us in the comments—we love hearing about fellow diggers' finds.