Bonus tracks?

[Torniojaws]

Over the years, I've come to see a mostly negative opinion of including bonus tracks on CDs? How about you? Are they good or bad, in your opinion?

Personally, I like to have bonus tracks that bring something different to the palette - sometimes even completely different styles! Sometimes they are boring remixes, but equally I've found many remixes that are superior to the original track. It's also fun to hear some early demos of the actual album songs, especially when they are slightly different in arrangement or structure.

 

[egan.]

I think the two issues are that they can upset the flow of an album and sometimes people will throw any old thing on an album so they have a "bonus." I certainly never complained about a good song.

 

[Skinny Viking]

I could do without remixes, "live" tracks or demo versions of songs ... I think they add nothing really

a good song left off for time reasons is always appreciated, as are cover songs that have either some connection to the album thematically / atmospherically or are so different from what is part of the album proper that it doesn't detract from the feel established

 

[vespiz]

I'm with Carlos on this one. Demos, live versions etc.. yeeaah.. whatever, but a new song? Groovy. Some bonus songs have been the best ones on an album.

 

[Nuno Filipe]

I think most of the time, bonus tracks are just to fill the CD but there are some exceptions where the bonus tracks are so good or even better than the main tracks but let´s be real, its very rare, that´s why thay are called bonus tracks because the band didnt think the song had the same quality criteria.

 

[Keregioz]

there are some exceptions where the bonus tracks are so good or even better than the main tracks

Scar symmetry's "deviate from the form" and soilwork's "martyr" are the two that always come to mind, but in general yes, it's very rare.

Personally I don't mind them as long as they "fit" in the album and don't feel out of place. Like Carlos said, lives and demo versions are really boring and usually an obvious cop-out just to fill the album. Remixes on the other hand are often quite interesting, One that comes to mind is the "distance" remix in soilwork's "panic broadcast".

 

[HCL]

Hate them. I also hate overly long albums. 9 tracks is fine.

 

[Terminus]

I think most of the time, bonus tracks are just to fill the CD but there are some exceptions where the bonus tracks are so good or even better than the main tracks but let´s be real, its very rare, that´s why thay are called bonus tracks because the band didnt think the song had the same quality criteria.

Maybe not quite bonus tracks but definitely extra ones that were better than the album they were recorded for.

 

[ChrisTanakaCanwell]

All the bonus tracks on the Katatonia Great Cold Distance album were killer, especially the In The White remix. Generally I'm not a fan of demos or live tracks because I like to listen to CDs on shuffle in my car

 

[Mago]

I could do without remixes, "live" tracks or demo versions of songs ... I think they add nothing really

a good song left off for time reasons is always appreciated, as are cover songs that have either some connection to the album thematically / atmospherically or are so different from what is part of the album proper that it doesn't detract from the feel established

Yeah same here, no bonerz for live or demoversions, at least not of songs that are on the album anyway. Live versions of older, or classic songs ok.

Always happy about a great cover or an unused song, that maybe just didn't get used cause it wouldn't fit in a regulary version of the album.