10 Awesome Albums Made Entirely Of Outtakes

The studio album is probably the greatest musical statement a band can hope to make. Across about an hour, these musicians pour their heart and soul into these songs that will hopefully resonate with their fanbase for years to come. On the other hand, even the scraps from other albums make for great albums in and of themselves.

These are the examples where a band made music that was so good even some choice songs were left on the cutting room floor. Instead of just leaving them as odds and ends, these bands have released records that compile the best of their secondary material into a delightful package. These tunes also tend to show different sides of the band, from covers to sonic experiments with different genres.

Rather than coming off as misguided or just a cash grab, these albums have held up surprisingly well as a cohesive sonic statement from these artists. Some of these albums were so good that they have become mainstays in the band's catalog alongside their proper studio albums. These songs may not be what you'd expect from these artists, but these albums as a whole show that these acts were still fantastic even when they weren't delivering their "best" material.

Ever since the start of the 2000's, Metallica have had much longer waits in between album releases compared to their 80's prime. Often times, these records would come together very organically, with results ranging from valiant efforts to...St. Anger. Given the constant wait period, it's nice Metallica recognized this once they were finishing up their anniversary packages.

As a bonus snippet for fans, the band released a song a week for their 30th anniversary shows that were leftovers from the Death Magnetic sessions. Once they were all unleashed upon the metal masses, they were then compiled into the delectable EP Beyond Magnetic. As it stands, this mini album is incredibly strong, with every track measuring up to the greatness of Death Magnetic. With the last few releases showing more of an experimental side of the band, each one of these tracks is an epic unto itself, with tracks like "Rebel of Babylon" conjuring images of masterpieces like "Fade To Black."

Death Magnetic may have been the main return to form, but this album is still essential for anyone itching for more Metallica thrashabouts. After years of sticking their noses in different styles, Beyond Magnetic is another sign that Metallica were back in full force.