A-Sides is a compilation album by the American rock band Soundgarden with songs spanning the band's thirteen-year career. It was released on November 4, 1997, through A&M Records.
Overview
Guitarist Kim Thayil said the song list emerged out of list of what each member "thought would make a 'best of' and then we cross-referenced them", adding that while the typical compilation titles 'Best Of' and 'Greatest Hits' was thought by them to a subjective name - "that's something that an individual fan can make of his own collection,and these aren't necessarily our personal favourites" - they went with A-Sides to reflect that these were the A-side singles released on the band's original run. The opening track "Nothing to Say" was originally a B-side to the band's first single "Hunted Down" on Sub Pop in 1987, but Thayil said it took precedence for being their first song to draw a label's attention as part of a compilation titled Bands That Will Make Money.[9] It contains one song absent from previous albums ("Bleed Together") which appeared on import copies of the "Burden in My Hand" single. In addition, "Get on the Snake" from Louder Than Love was released as a promo-only single in 1989.[10] Also, the 1990 Sub Pop single "Room a Thousand Years Wide" does not appear on A-Sides, nor the 1994 single "My Wave" from Superunknown.
AllMusic staff writer Stephen Thomas Erlewine gave the album four and a half out of five stars. He said, "For an act that was one of the definitive album artists of the late '80s and '90s, Soundgarden was a surprisingly effective singles band. Their singles effectively conveyed all of their best ideas, from their sludgy early Sub Pop recordings to the elaborate, post-metalpsychedelia of their last two albums, Superunknown and Down on the Upside. That's the reason why the 17-track compilation A-Sides is such a successful overview of the band's too-brief career."[1]Entertainment Weekly reviewer David Browne gave the album an A. He said, "Pruning their best early songwriting ("Hands All Over", "Nothing to Say") and wisely highlighting chunks of their last two (and best) albums, A-Sides presents the band in all its evolving, bridling-horses glory and thunder. When all those Hanson fans grow up and want to educate themselves on the flannel era they missed, here's where they should turn."[2]
Following Chris Cornell's death in May 2017, A-Sides re-entered the Australian albums chart at number 47. On Record Store Day 2018, A-Sides was released on double green translucent vinyl.[11]
Track listing
All lyrics and music written by Chris Cornell, except where noted.
