10 Best Albums With Rare Songs B-Sides And Unreleased Gems

Best albums with rare songs and B-sides featuring hidden tracks and unreleased music

Feature Photo by steve white photos / Shutterstock.com

Some of the greatest songs in rock history were never the main attraction. They lived on the flip side of singles, waiting to be discovered by fans who took the time to turn the record over.

There was nothing more exciting than buying a 45 RPM record of a hit single we fell in love with, then flipping it over and being blown away by the B-side. It was almost like discovering a hidden gem, something that nobody else knew about. And in many ways, you were.

In the old days, in the 60s and 70s, before CDs, bands had to make tough decisions about which songs to put on an album. Vinyl could only carry so many songs before you started squeezing too many onto a record, and then nothing sounded good. Remember those old K-Tel records where they put ten songs on each side? They were cheap and packed with great songs, but they were pretty rough to listen to.

For some bands, there wasn’t a lot of extra material, so B-sides were often just another song pulled from the album. But for artists like Springsteen, Elton John, and many others who were incredibly prolific, B-sides became another opportunity to release more music. They also understood that the true collector would buy every single just to get those B-sides.

When CDs first arrived in the 80s, along with the improved sound that many people loved, and some didn’t, there was another big benefit. Albums were reissued with bonus tracks, and a lot of those tracks were the B-sides fans had been chasing for years. Eventually, full compilations were released, including greatest hits collections that featured B-sides and rare tracks.

This article looks at ten of the best releases that feature B-sides and rare tracks. One challenge in putting this together was deciding what to include. There are albums dedicated entirely to B-sides, but there are also compilations that mix B-sides, rare tracks, and well-known songs. If the material was strong enough, we counted it.

There are so many to choose from, but here are ten of our favorites. What are yours?

# 10 – B-Sides & Rarities – The Deftones

Released October 4, 2005

B-Sides & Rarities is a compilation album by Deftones released in 2005. The album gathers B-sides, cover songs, acoustic recordings, and previously unreleased tracks recorded during various sessions across the band’s career. The material spans multiple album eras including Adrenaline, Around the Fur, White Pony, and Deftones. The collection highlights the band’s range, featuring original tracks alongside covers of artists such as Jawbox, Cocteau Twins, The Cure, The Smiths, and Duran Duran. The album also included a bonus DVD featuring music videos and live performances.

CD Track Listings:

“Savory” – 4:26 (cover of the Jawbox song, originally released in 1994)
“Wax and Wane” – 4:06 (cover of the Cocteau Twins song from their 1982 debut album)
“Change (In the House of Flies) (Acoustic)” – 5:11 (acoustic version of the track from White Pony)
“Simple Man” – 6:10 (cover of the Lynyrd Skynyrd song, originally released in 1973)
“Sinatra” – 4:33 (original track recorded during the Around the Fur sessions)
“No Ordinary Love” – 5:31 (cover of the Sade song from the album Love Deluxe)
“Teenager (Idiot Version)” – 4:01 (alternate version of the track from White Pony, remixed by Idiot Pilot)
“Crenshaw Punch / I’ll Throw Rocks at You” – 4:05 (original track from early demo recordings)
“Black Moon” – 3:24 (original track recorded during the White Pony era)
“If Only Tonight We Could Sleep” – 5:07 (cover of The Cure song from the album Kiss Me, Kiss Me, Kiss Me)
“Please Please Please Let Me Get What I Want” – 2:17 (cover of The Smiths song originally released as a B-side in 1984)
“Digital Bath (Acoustic)” – 4:39 (acoustic version of the track from White Pony)
“The Chauffeur” – 5:22 (cover of the Duran Duran song from the album Rio)
“Be Quiet and Drive (Far Away) (Acoustic)” – 4:33 (acoustic version of the track from Around the Fur)
“Lovers” – 4:02 (original track recorded during the White Pony sessions)

# 9 – The Hits/The B-Sides – Prince

Released November 7, 2006

The Hits/The B-Sides is a compilation album by Prince released in 1993. The collection combines two discs of hit singles with a third disc dedicated to B-sides and rare tracks. Disc Three, titled The B-Sides, features non-album tracks originally released on the flip sides of singles throughout Prince’s career from the late 1970s through the early 1990s. The material includes a mix of funk, rock, R&B, and experimental recordings, highlighting Prince’s prolific output and the depth of his catalog beyond his major hits.

CD Track Listings:

“17 Days” – 3:54 (originally released as the B-side to “When Doves Cry” in 1984)
“How Come U Don’t Call Me Anymore?” – 3:49 (B-side to “1999” in 1982)
“Erotic City” – 7:24 (B-side to “Let’s Go Crazy” in 1984)
“She’s Always in My Hair” – 3:26 (B-side to “Raspberry Beret” in 1985)
“4 the Tears in Your Eyes” – 2:49 (B-side to “Pop Life” in 1985)
“Girl” – 4:46 (B-side to “America” in 1985)
“Another Lonely Christmas” – 4:21 (B-side to “I Would Die 4 U” in 1984)
“A Love Bizarre” – 7:00 (originally released as a Sheila E. single featuring Prince, 1985)
“Alexa de Paris” – 3:30 (B-side to “Mountains” in 1986)
“Irresistible Bitch” – 4:14 (B-side to “Let’s Pretend We’re Married” in 1983)
“Scarlet Pussy” – 3:17 (B-side to “I Wish U Heaven” in 1988)
“La, La, La, He, He, Hee” – 3:21 (B-side to “Sign o’ the Times” in 1987)
“Shockadelica” – 3:03 (B-side to “If I Was Your Girlfriend” in 1987)
“Pink Cashmere” – 6:20 (previously unreleased track at the time of compilation release)
“Rockhard in a Funky Place” – 4:31 (previously unreleased track recorded in the late 1980s)

# 8 – Playback – Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers

Playback by Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers Box set edition (1995) Audio CD

Released November 20, 1995

Playback is a six-disc box set by Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers released in 1995. The collection spans recordings from 1973 through 1993 and includes hit singles, album tracks, B-sides, previously unreleased outtakes, and early recordings from Petty’s pre-Heartbreakers band Mudcrutch. Disc Four, titled The Other Sides, focuses specifically on B-sides that were not originally included on studio albums, while later discs include rare and previously unreleased material.

CD Track Listings:

“Casa Dega” – 3:37 (B-side of “Don’t Do Me Like That,” 1979)
“Heartbreakers Beach Party” – 1:57 (B-side of “Change of Heart,” 1983; previously unreleased on CD until this set)
“Trailer” – 3:15 (B-side of “Don’t Come Around Here No More,” 1985)
“Cracking Up” – 3:34 (cover of the Nick Lowe song; released as a B-side in 1985)
“Peace in L.A. (Peace Mix)” – 4:43 (alternate mix released as a B-side in 1992)
“It’s Rainin’ Again” – 1:32 (B-side of “Refugee,” 1980)
“Somethin’ Else” – 2:05 (live cover of the Eddie Cochran song; recorded in London, 1980)
“I Don’t Know What to Say to You” – 2:28 (B-side of “Listen to Her Heart,” 1978)
“King’s Highway (Live)” – 3:30 (live version released as a B-side on European singles, 1994)

# 7 – Orphans: Brawlers, Bawlers & Bastards – Tom Waits

Released November 17, 2006

Orphans: Brawlers, Bawlers & Bastards is a three-disc compilation album by Tom Waits released in 2006. The album contains 56 tracks, including 30 previously unreleased songs along with B-sides, soundtrack contributions, covers, and rare recordings spanning his career. The collection is divided into three thematic discs: Brawlers, which focuses on rock and blues-oriented material; Bawlers, which features ballads and more melodic songs; and Bastards, which includes experimental pieces, spoken word recordings, and unusual cover material.

CD Track Listings:

Disc One: Brawlers

“Lie to Me” – 2:10
“LowDown” – 4:15
“2:19” – 5:02 (previously appeared on John P. Hammond’s album Wicked Grin, produced by Tom Waits)
“Fish in the Jailhouse” – 4:22
“Bottom of the World” – 5:42 (featured in the documentary Long Gone)
“Lucinda” – 4:52
“Ain’t Goin’ Down to the Well” – 2:28 (traditional song associated with Lead Belly)
“Lord I’ve Been Changed” – 2:28 (traditional gospel song, arranged by Waits and Brennan)
“Puttin’ on the Dog” – 3:39 (featured in the film Liberty Heights)
“Road to Peace” – 7:17
“All the Time” – 4:33
“The Return of Jackie and Judy” – 3:28 (cover of the Ramones song)
“Walk Away” – 2:43 (featured on the Dead Man Walking soundtrack)
“Sea of Love” – 3:43 (cover of the Phil Phillips song, originally released in 1959)
“Buzz Fledderjohn” – 4:12 (originally released as a B-side to “Hold On”)
“Rains on Me” – 3:20 (previously released on Chuck E. Weiss recordings and later compilations)

Disc Two: Bawlers

“Bend Down the Branches” – 1:06 (previously released on For the Kids, 2002)
“You Can Never Hold Back Spring” – 2:26 (featured in the film The Tiger and the Snow)
“Long Way Home” – 3:10 (previously released on the Big Bad Love soundtrack)
“Widow’s Grove” – 4:58
“Little Drop of Poison” – 3:09 (featured on The End of Violence and Shrek 2 soundtracks)
“Shiny Things” – 2:20 (associated with Robert Wilson’s theatrical production Woyzeck)
“World Keeps Turning” – 4:16
“Tell It to Me” – 3:08
“Never Let Go” – 3:13
“Fannin Street” – 5:01
“Little Man” – 4:33
“It’s Over” – 4:40
“If I Have to Go” – 2:15
“Goodnight Irene” – 4:47 (traditional song popularized by Lead Belly)
“The Fall of Troy” – 3:01
“Take Care of All My Children” – 2:31
“Down There by the Train” – 5:39
“Danny Says” – 3:05 (cover of the Ramones song)
“Jayne’s Blue Wish” – 2:29
“Young at Heart” – 3:41 (cover of the Johnny Richards/Carolyn Leigh composition)

Disc Three: Bastards

“What Keeps Mankind Alive?” – 2:09 (from Kurt Weill and Bertolt Brecht’s The Threepenny Opera)
“Children’s Story” – 1:42 (based on Georg Büchner’s Woyzeck)
“Heigh Ho” – 3:32 (from Disney’s Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs)
“Army Ants” – 3:25
“Books of Moses” – 2:49 (cover of the Skip Spence song)
“Bone Chain” – 1:03
“Two Sisters” – 4:55 (traditional folk song)
“First Kiss” – 2:40
“Dog Door” – 2:43
“Redrum” – 1:12
“Nirvana” – 2:12
“Home I’ll Never Be” – 2:28 (cover of the Bob Dylan song)
“Poor Little Lamb” – 1:43
“Altar Boy” – 2:48
“The Pontiac” – 1:54
“Spidey’s Wild Ride” – 2:03
“King Kong” – 5:29
“On the Road” – 4:14 (cover of the Jack Kerouac spoken word piece)
“Dog Treat” – 2:56
“Missing My Son” – 3:38

# 6 – My Lives – Billy Joel

Released November 22, 2005

My Lives is a four-disc box set by Billy Joel released in 2005. The collection contains demos, outtakes, live recordings, and previously unreleased material spanning his career from the late 1960s through the early 2000s. The set includes early recordings from Joel’s time with bands such as The Hassles and Attila, along with alternate versions of well-known songs and unreleased tracks from various studio sessions. The compilation highlights Joel’s development as a songwriter and performer across multiple decades.

CD Track Listings:

Disc One

“My Journey’s End” – 1:50 (early recording with The Hassles)
“Time and Time Again” – 2:40 (early recording with The Hassles)
“You Look So Good to Me” – 2:27 (early recording with The Hassles)
“Evergreen” – 2:20 (early recording with The Hassles)
“Take Me the Way I Am” – 3:05 (early recording with The Hassles)
“The Revolution Is Over” – 3:05 (early recording with The Hassles)
“New York City Blues” – 4:25 (early recording with The Hassles)
“You Can Make Me Free” – 3:06 (early recording with The Hassles)
“Got to Begin Again” – 2:48 (early recording with Attila)
“Attila” – 7:00 (early recording with Attila)
“Amplifier Fire (Part I)” – 3:52 (early recording with Attila)
“Amplifier Fire (Part II)” – 5:18 (early recording with Attila)
“Wandering Kind” – 2:41 (demo recording)
“Why Judy Why” – 2:54 (demo version of track later released on Cold Spring Harbor)
“You Look So Good to Me” – 2:37 (alternate recording)
“Where’s the Revolution” – 3:10 (early recording)
“Piano Man” – 5:43 (demo version)

Disc Two

“Captain Jack” – 7:15 (live recording, 1972, Sigma Sound Studios broadcast)
“The Ballad of Billy the Kid” – 5:33 (demo version)
“If I Only Had the Words (To Tell You)” – 4:35 (alternate version)
“Travelin’ Prayer” – 4:13 (live version)
“The Entertainer” – 3:39 (demo version)
“The Mexican Connection” – 3:34 (demo version)
“Root Beer Rag” – 2:43 (demo version)
“James” – 4:07 (demo version)
“Band Introductions” – 1:58 (live recording)
“You’re My Home” – 3:14 (live version)
“New York State of Mind” – 6:00 (demo version)
“Say Goodbye to Hollywood” – 4:40 (demo version)
“Miami 2017 (Seen the Lights Go Out on Broadway)” – 5:47 (live version)

Disc Three

“Prelude/Angry Young Man” – 5:16 (demo version)
“Only the Good Die Young” – 3:56 (alternate version)
“She’s Always a Woman” – 3:22 (demo version)
“Movin’ Out (Anthony’s Song)” – 3:32 (demo version)
“Just the Way You Are” – 4:42 (demo version)
“Vienna” – 3:34 (demo version)
“Scenes from an Italian Restaurant” – 7:37 (demo version)
“Zanzibar” – 5:10 (demo version)
“Stiletto” – 4:45 (demo version)
“All for Leyna” – 4:15 (demo version)
“Sometimes a Fantasy” – 3:42 (demo version)
“Glass Houses” – 1:58 (demo version)

Disc Four

“Allentown” – 3:50 (demo version)
“Goodnight Saigon” – 6:58 (demo version)
“An Innocent Man” – 5:18 (demo version)
“Uptown Girl” – 3:15 (demo version)
“The Longest Time” – 3:40 (demo version)
“Leave a Tender Moment Alone” – 3:53 (demo version)
“Keeping the Faith” – 4:38 (demo version)
“This Is the Time” – 4:56 (demo version)
“A Matter of Trust” – 4:09 (demo version)
“Modern Woman” – 3:50 (demo version)
“We Didn’t Start the Fire” – 4:45 (demo version)
“And So It Goes” – 3:37 (demo version)
“The River of Dreams” – 4:05 (demo version)

# 5 – Taking Liberties – Elvis Costello

Released 1980

Taking Liberties is a compilation album by Elvis Costello released in 1980 in the United States and Canada. The album collects B-sides, non-album singles, and rare tracks recorded between 1977 and 1980, many of which were originally released in the United Kingdom on singles and were not widely available in North America. Several tracks feature Costello’s backing band The Attractions, while others include earlier recordings with Clover. The compilation highlights material from the My Aim Is True, This Year’s Model, and Armed Forces recording periods.

CD Track Listings:

“Clean Money” – 1:58 (B-side to “Accidents Will Happen,” 1979)
“Girls Talk” – 2:26 (original version written by Elvis Costello, later covered by Dave Edmunds)
“Talking in the Dark” – 2:02 (B-side to “Radio Radio,” 1978)
“Radio Sweetheart” – 2:31 (B-side to “Oliver’s Army,” 1979)
“Black and White World” – 1:57 (B-side to “(I Don’t Want to Go to) Chelsea,” 1978)
“5ive Gears in Reverse” – 3:44 (B-side to “Oliver’s Army,” 1979)
“Big Tears” – 3:09 (B-side to “Pump It Up,” 1978)
“Just a Memory” – 2:31 (B-side to “I Can’t Stand Up for Falling Down,” 1980)
“Dr. Luther’s Assistant” – 2:38 (B-side to “(What’s So Funny ’Bout) Peace, Love, and Understanding,” 1979)
“Ghost Train” – 2:57 (B-side to “Radio Radio,” 1978)
“Love for Tender” – 2:40 (non-album single released in 1980)
“Opportunity” – 1:35 (B-side to “Accidents Will Happen,” 1979)
“(What’s So Funny ’Bout) Peace, Love, and Understanding” – 3:31 (cover of the Nick Lowe song, originally released by Brinsley Schwarz)

# 4 – Tracks – Bruce Springsteen

Released November 10, 1998

Tracks is a four-disc box set by Bruce Springsteen released in 1998. The collection contains 66 songs, including B-sides, outtakes, demos, and previously unreleased recordings spanning from 1972 through 1995. The material covers multiple eras of Springsteen’s career, from his early sessions with John Hammond to recordings from The Ghost of Tom Joad period. Many of the tracks had remained unreleased for decades, offering a broad overview of his songwriting and recording work outside of his studio albums.

CD Track Listings:

Disc One

“Mary Queen of Arkansas” – 5:21 (early studio recording, 1972)
“It’s Hard to Be a Saint in the City” – 3:13 (early studio recording, 1972)
“Growin’ Up” – 2:48 (early studio recording, 1972)
“Does This Bus Stop at 82nd Street?” – 2:05 (early studio recording, 1972)
“Bishop Danced” – 4:23 (previously unreleased early recording)
“Santa Ana” – 3:23 (previously unreleased track from early sessions)
“Seaside Bar Song” – 3:33 (outtake from early 1970s sessions)
“Zero and Blind Terry” – 7:03 (outtake from Born to Run era)
“Linda Let Me Be the One” – 4:25 (outtake from Born to Run sessions)
“Thundercrack” – 6:52 (outtake from Born to Run sessions)
“Rendezvous” – 2:38 (outtake from Darkness on the Edge of Town era)
“Give the Girl a Kiss” – 3:54 (outtake from Darkness sessions)
“Iceman” – 4:35 (outtake from Darkness on the Edge of Town sessions)
“Bring on the Night” – 2:06 (outtake from Darkness sessions)
“So Young and in Love” – 2:36 (outtake from Darkness sessions)

Disc Two

“Hearts of Stone” – 4:30 (outtake from The River sessions)
“Don’t Look Back” – 2:58 (outtake from The River sessions)
“Ain’t Good Enough for You” – 4:01 (outtake from The River sessions)
“The Promise” – 5:52 (outtake from Darkness on the Edge of Town sessions)
“Mr. Outside” – 3:40 (outtake from The River sessions)
“Janey, Don’t You Lose Heart” – 3:21 (B-side to “I’m Goin’ Down,” 1985)
“Sad Eyes” – 3:49 (outtake from Tunnel of Love sessions)
“Part Man, Part Monkey” – 4:31 (outtake from Tunnel of Love sessions)
“Trouble in Paradise” – 4:43 (outtake from Tunnel of Love sessions)
“Happy” – 4:54 (outtake from Tunnel of Love sessions)
“Brothers Under the Bridge” – 4:55 (outtake from Tunnel of Love sessions)
“The Fever” – 7:37 (early recording from 1973 sessions)
“The Promise (Acoustic)” – 4:51 (alternate acoustic version)

Disc Three

“4th of July, Asbury Park (Sandy)” – 5:38 (early version/outtake)
“Back in Your Arms” – 4:43 (outtake from Tunnel of Love sessions)
“Loose Ends” – 4:01 (outtake from The River sessions)
“Living on the Edge of the World” – 4:17 (outtake from Born in the U.S.A. sessions)
“Wages of Sin” – 5:40 (outtake from Born in the U.S.A. sessions)
“Take ’Em as They Come” – 4:07 (outtake from The River sessions)
“Be True” – 3:32 (B-side to “Fade Away,” 1981)
“Fade Away (Acoustic)” – 4:09 (alternate version)
“Stolen Car (Alternate Version)” – 4:21 (alternate version from The River)
“Born in the U.S.A. (Acoustic)” – 4:21 (early demo version)
“Seeds” – 5:41 (outtake from Born in the U.S.A. sessions)
“This Hard Land” – 4:50 (outtake from Born in the U.S.A. sessions)

Disc Four

“Frankie” – 7:28 (outtake from The River sessions)
“TV Movie” – 3:16 (outtake from Born in the U.S.A. sessions)
“Stand On It” – 2:31 (B-side to “Glory Days,” 1985)
“Lion’s Den” – 2:17 (outtake from Tunnel of Love sessions)
“Car Wash” – 3:28 (previously unreleased recording)
“Rockaway the Days” – 3:20 (outtake from early sessions)
“Meeting Across the River (Alternate)” – 3:18 (alternate version)
“The Wish” – 3:40 (previously unreleased track)
“I Wanna Be with You” – 3:17 (outtake from Born in the U.S.A. sessions)
“The Honeymooners” – 3:40 (previously unreleased track)
“Where the Bands Are” – 3:43 (B-side to “The River,” 1981)
“Loose Change” – 4:22 (outtake from later sessions)
“Living Proof (Alternate)” – 4:49 (alternate version)
“My Lover Man” – 3:59 (outtake from Tunnel of Love sessions)
“Over the Rise” – 2:40 (outtake from Tunnel of Love sessions)
“When the Lights Go Out” – 3:07 (outtake from Tunnel of Love sessions)
“Seven Angels” – 3:28 (outtake from Human Touch sessions)
“Gave It a Name” – 2:51 (previously unreleased track)
“Sad Eyes” – 3:50 (alternate version)
“Leavin’ Train” – 4:06 (outtake from Human Touch sessions)
“Seven Angels (Alternate)” – 3:30 (alternate version)
“Trouble River” – 4:15 (outtake from later sessions)
“Secret Garden (Alternate)” – 4:30 (alternate version)
“The Ghost of Tom Joad (Alternate)” – 4:25 (alternate version)
“The Promise (Band Version)” – 5:50 (full band version)
“Born to Run (Acoustic)” – 4:30 (early acoustic version)

# 3 – Rare Masters – Elton John

Released October 20, 1992

Rare Masters is a compilation album by Elton John released in 1992. The album collects A-sides, B-sides, non-album singles, and rare tracks recorded between 1967 and 1975 that were not included on Elton John’s original studio albums or earlier greatest hits collections. The compilation also includes several previously unreleased outtakes and the full soundtrack to the 1971 film Friends, making it one of the most comprehensive collections of Elton John’s early non-album material.

CD Track Listings:

“Rock and Roll Madonna” – 4:18 (non-album single released in 1970)
“Bad Side of the Moon” – 3:15 (B-side to “Border Song,” 1970)
“Grey Seal” – 3:35 (early version, later re-recorded for Goodbye Yellow Brick Road)
“Friends” – 2:23 (title track from the 1971 film soundtrack Friends)
“Honey Roll” – 3:00 (from the Friends soundtrack sessions)
“Variation on ‘Friends’” – 1:45 (instrumental from Friends soundtrack)
“I Meant to Do My Work Today (A Day in the Country)” – 1:35 (from Friends soundtrack)
“Four Moods” – 4:01 (instrumental from Friends soundtrack)
“Seasons” – 3:45 (instrumental from Friends soundtrack)
“Can I Put You On” – 5:48 (early studio version, later re-recorded for Tumbleweed Connection)
“Border Song” – 3:19 (early version of the track later released on Elton John’s self-titled album)
“Madman Across the Water” – 8:52 (original version, later re-recorded for the album of the same name)
“Into the Old Man’s Shoes” – 4:03 (B-side to “Your Song,” 1970)
“Rock Me When He’s Gone” – 3:21 (B-side to “Daniel,” 1973)
“Slave” – 4:21 (B-side to “Saturday Night’s Alright for Fighting,” 1973)
“Skyline Pigeon (Piano Version)” – 3:53 (alternate version of track from Empty Sky)
“Jack Rabbit” – 1:51 (B-side to “Someone Saved My Life Tonight,” 1975)
“Sick City” – 5:17 (B-side to “Philadelphia Freedom,” 1975)
“Cold Highway” – 3:31 (B-side to “Sorry Seems to Be the Hardest Word,” 1976 sessions era track included here)
“Step into Christmas” – 4:30 (standalone single released in 1973)

# 2 – Rarities 1971–2003 – The Rolling Stones

Released November 21, 2005

Rarities 1971–2003 is a compilation album by The Rolling Stones released in 2005. The album features a collection of B-sides, live recordings, extended mixes, and rare tracks recorded between 1971 and 2003. The material spans multiple eras of the band’s career and includes tracks originally issued on singles, 12-inch releases, and limited formats, along with live recordings and cover versions.

CD Track Listings:

“Fancy Man Blues” – 4:48 (B-side to “Mixed Emotions,” 1989)
“Tumbling Dice (Live)” – 4:02 (live/rehearsal version from Stripped sessions, 1995)
“Wild Horses (Live)” – 5:10 (live version from Stripped sessions, 1995)
“Beast of Burden (Live)” – 5:04 (live version, originally B-side to “Going to a Go-Go,” 1982)
“Anyway You Look at It” – 4:20 (B-side to “Saint of Me,” 1998)
“If I Was a Dancer (Dance Pt. 2)” – 5:50 (outtake from Emotional Rescue, previously released on Sucking in the Seventies)
“Miss You (Dance Version)” – 7:32 (extended disco version of the 1978 single)
“Wish I’d Never Met You” – 4:39 (B-side to “Terrifying,” 1990)
“I Just Want to Make Love to You (Live)” – 3:55 (cover of the Willie Dixon song, recorded live in 1990)
“Mixed Emotions (12″ Version)” – 6:12 (extended remix version of the 1989 single)
“Through the Lonely Nights” – 4:12 (B-side to “It’s Only Rock ’n Roll (But I Like It),” 1974)
“Live with Me (Live)” – 3:47 (live version, B-side to “Wild Horses,” 1996)
“Let It Rock (Live)” – 2:46 (cover of the Chuck Berry song, recorded live in 1971)
“Harlem Shuffle (NY Mix)” – 5:48 (remix of the song originally recorded by Bob & Earl)
“Mannish Boy (Live)” – 4:28 (live cover of the Muddy Waters song)
“Thru and Thru (Live)” – 6:39 (live recording from 2003 tour)

Anthology 1 – The Beatles

Released November 20, 1995

Anthology 1 stands at the center of one of the most ambitious archival projects ever released in popular music. Issued as the first volume in The Beatles’ Anthology series, the album captures the earliest stages of the band’s development, from the Quarrymen recordings of 1958 through studio sessions and live performances that document the rise of Beatlemania. The collection includes demos, alternate takes, BBC recordings, and previously unreleased material, along with “Free as a Bird,” a new recording built from a John Lennon demo and completed by the remaining members in 1995.

What makes Anthology 1 especially important is that it was never intended to stand alone. It was part of a three-volume series released between 1995 and 1996, with each double CD set covering a different era of the band’s career. Together, those releases created a detailed chronological archive of The Beatles’ work outside their original studio albums, offering fans a deeper look into the songwriting, recording process, and evolution of the group.

That project did not end there. In 2025, the series was officially expanded with the release of Anthology 4, which added further outtakes and previously unreleased recordings from sessions between 1963 and 1969. The expanded release also included updated mixes of “Free as a Bird” and “Real Love,” along with “Now and Then,” the band’s final single completed using modern audio restoration technology. The addition of this fourth volume extended the scope of the original series and reinforced its importance as an ongoing archival project.

All of this material was brought together in the Anthology Collection, a comprehensive box set released in 2025 that includes all four volumes, remastered and expanded into a large-scale archive spanning recordings from 1958 through 2023. This collection presents one of the most complete documented histories of a band ever assembled, combining early demos, studio outtakes, live recordings, and later-era productions into a single unified release.

CD Track Listings:

Disc One

“Free as a Bird” – 4:26 (new recording based on a John Lennon demo, completed by the remaining Beatles in 1995)
“Speech: John Lennon” – 0:11 (studio talk from Free as a Bird sessions)
“That’ll Be the Day” – 2:08 (Quarrymen recording, 1958, cover of the Buddy Holly song)
“In Spite of All the Danger” – 2:45 (Quarrymen recording, 1958, original composition)
“Hallelujah, I Love Her So” – 2:18 (early recording, cover of the Ray Charles song)
“You’ll Be Mine” – 1:39 (home recording)
“Cayenne” – 2:38 (instrumental home recording)
“My Bonnie” – 2:42 (with Tony Sheridan, recorded in Hamburg, 1961)
“Ain’t She Sweet” – 2:12 (with Tony Sheridan, cover of the 1927 standard)
“Cry for a Shadow” – 2:23 (instrumental, recorded in Hamburg, 1961)
“Speech: Brian Epstein” – 0:42 (interview excerpt)
“Searchin’” – 3:01 (live recording, cover of the Coasters song)
“Three Cool Cats” – 2:17 (live recording, cover of the Coasters song)
“The Sheik of Araby” – 1:43 (live recording, cover of the jazz standard)
“Like Dreamers Do” – 2:27 (Decca audition recording, 1962)
“Hello Little Girl” – 1:40 (Decca audition recording, 1962)
“Besame Mucho” – 2:37 (Decca audition recording, cover of the Mexican standard)
“Love Me Do” – 2:30 (early EMI recording featuring Pete Best on drums)
“How Do You Do It?” – 1:57 (recorded for EMI, 1962, cover of the Mitch Murray song)
“Please Please Me” – 2:24 (early version recorded in 1962)
“One After 909” – 2:54 (early recording, later re-recorded for Let It Be)
“Lend Me Your Comb” – 1:48 (BBC recording, cover of the Carl Perkins song)
“I’ll Get You” – 2:05 (alternate version)
“Speech: John Lennon and Paul McCartney” – 0:54 (interview excerpt)
“I Saw Her Standing There” – 2:50 (live recording)
“From Me to You” – 2:04 (live recording)
“Money (That’s What I Want)” – 2:47 (live recording, cover of the Barrett Strong song)
“You Really Got a Hold on Me” – 3:01 (live recording, cover of the Smokey Robinson song)
“Roll Over Beethoven” – 2:21 (live recording, cover of the Chuck Berry song)
“She Loves You” – 2:34 (live recording)
“Till There Was You” – 2:12 (live recording, from The Music Man)

Disc Two

“Twist and Shout” – 2:33 (live recording, cover of the Isley Brothers song)
“This Boy” – 2:18 (alternate version)
“I Want to Hold Your Hand” – 2:26 (studio outtake)
“Moonlight Bay” – 0:51 (studio jam)
“Can’t Buy Me Love” – 2:12 (alternate version)
“All My Loving” – 2:06 (alternate version)
“You Can’t Do That” – 2:36 (alternate version)
“And I Love Her” – 2:30 (alternate version)
“A Hard Day’s Night” – 2:43 (studio outtake)
“I Wanna Be Your Man” – 2:05 (studio outtake)
“Long Tall Sally” – 2:05 (studio outtake, cover of the Little Richard song)
“Boys” – 2:26 (studio outtake, cover of the Shirelles song)
“Shout” – 2:08 (studio jam, cover of the Isley Brothers song)
“I’ll Be Back” – 2:24 (alternate version)
“You Know What to Do” – 1:59 (George Harrison demo, 1964)

Check out similar articles on ClassicRockHistory.com Just click on any of the links below……

Classicrockhistory.com claims ownership of all its original content and Intellectual property under United States Copyright laws and those of all other foreign countries. No one person, business, or organization is allowed to republish any of our original content anywhere on the web or in print without our permission. All photos used are either public domain Creative Commons photos or licensed officially from Shutterstock under license with ClassicRockHistory.com. All photo credits have been placed at the end of the article. Album Cover Photos are affiliate links and the property of Amazon and are stored on the Amazon server. Any theft of our content will be met with swift legal action against the infringing websites.