Accidentally extraordinary: The Smiths’ five best B-sides

Posted On May 16, 2025May 16, 2025

In many ways, The Smiths reinvented what it meant to create a powerful B-side. While these are commonly and perhaps wrongly misconstrued as the songs that weren’t as good as the ones saved for main releases, some B-sides hold their own unique quality, ushered aside as gems waiting to be discovered and cherished, sometimes more than their A-sides.

Still, The Smiths achieved a seemingly rare feat with their own selection of second bests, with B-sides that often lived up to or surpassed the quality of the main tracklists and singles. For instance, Morrissey once said he felt “sad” about the choice to “hide” ‘Please Please Please Let Me Get What I Want’ on a B-side, saying that the choice to do so “was sinful”.

However, these decisions—to pack away some of their best songs on the alternate side of a release—often proved more about their unwavering commitment to artistic excellence than any other conspicuous approach, with songs that became popular as a standalone and withstood the test of time. Plus, this isn’t just something the band achieved once; many of their best songs were B-sides, which in turn forced their peers to reconsider the importance of extra material and its potential to enrich their discography.

Moreover, the thing about The Smiths’ B-sides wasn’t just that they were great spares. Many also offered extensive stories and narratives, showcasing Morrissey’s penchant for unmatched poetic lyricism and Johnny Marr’s ability to enhance any atmosphere with the beauty of his guitar playing. As a result, these weren’t just experimental maybes; these were fully refined magic-ramblings of genius minds that became anything but background.

The five best Smiths B-sides:

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