The Loudest Voice: B-Sides That Roared
“The hit single gets the spotlight — the B-side tells the truth.”
Just when they thought Never Never Land was going quiet…
B-sides are often dismissed as the softer, forgotten siblings of chart-topping singles. The afterthoughts. The leftovers. But every now and then, it’s the flip side of the record where bands spoke the loudest — free from radio rules, label pressure, or expectations.
Hidden in plain sight, these tracks carried raw nerve, defiance, and bold experimentation. Sometimes they weren’t polished. Sometimes they weren’t pretty. But they were honest. These weren’t whispers from the shadows — they were roars.
Here’s a fresh batch of B-sides where bands let loose, made a statement, and showed us their loudest selves.
1. The Jam – “The Butterfly Collector”
B-side to: “Strange Town” (1979)
Paul Weller pulls no punches here. A venomous critique of fame, exploitation, and hollow celebrity culture, “The Butterfly Collector” simmers with bitterness and barely disguised contempt. It may not race at punk speed, but its words cut deep — proof that volume isn’t just about distortion. This is The Jam at their most confrontational, and one of Weller’s sharpest lyrical takedowns.
2. Muse – “Forced In”
B-side to: “Sunburn” (2000)
Before stadiums, lasers, and space-rock grandeur, Muse were exploring darker corners. “Forced In” is tense and claustrophobic, slowly tightening its grip before erupting in a distorted emotional release. It’s uncomfortable, unsettling, and fearless — an early glimpse of a band unafraid to push past the expected. Raw Muse. Loud Muse. No safety net.
3. Queens of the Stone Age – “Ode to Clarissa”
B-side to: “The Lost Art of Keeping a Secret” (2000)
Josh Homme has always thrived in the margins, and “Ode to Clarissa” lives there proudly. Sludgy, sneering, and swaggering with attitude, this track oozes menace and groove in equal measure. It’s chaotic, unapologetic, and unmistakably Queens — the kind of song that feels too dangerous to be a single, and all the better for it.
4. The Raconteurs – “Store Bought Bones (Live)”
B-side to: “Steady, As She Goes” (2006)
The studio cut is gritty enough, but the live B-side is pure ignition. Jack White and company sound like they’re playing with nothing to lose — distorted riffs tearing through the mix, vocals howling, energy barely contained. This isn’t a performance; it’s a release. Garage rock at full volume, hidden on the flip side.
5. Garbage – “13x Forever”
B-side to: “Push It” (1998)
Shirley Manson’s voice slices through this track with razor-sharp precision. “13x Forever” is industrial, grimy, and deliciously confrontational — pulsing with tension and attitude. It’s a reminder that some of Garbage’s fiercest moments never made the album cut, yet hit harder than many charted singles ever could.
Playlist: The Loudest Voice – B-Sides That Roared
Sometimes the real fire burns on the other side of the vinyl.
This playlist brings together B-sides where bands abandoned restraint, cranked the amps, and spoke with total freedom. No polish. No compromise. Just raw intent and unfiltered sound.
The Jam – The Butterfly Collector
Muse – Forced In
Queens of the Stone Age – Ode to Clarissa
The Raconteurs – Store Bought Bones (Live)
Garbage – 13x Forever
Put it on loud. These tracks weren’t meant to sit quietly in the background.
Loud, Defiant, and Hidden in Plain Sight
These B-sides may have lived in the shadows of their A-side siblings, but they were never silent. They snarled, pushed back, and revealed the truest versions of the bands who made them. Sometimes the quiet side of a record holds the boldest statement — and the loudest voice of all.
🎸 Got a B-side that made you stop and think, “Damn… that’s loud”?
Drop it in the comments or hit us up on socials. Let the hidden gems roar.
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