I personally don't like them, or at least I don't like that they are on every album. I'd rather have the extras come out on a separate album for collectors to buy, but when I am buying an album I'd prefer to have the original track listing without having a bunch of what is usually crap at the end. I suppose to some it's more bang for the buck, but to me it takes away from the listening experience.
I agree. Especially annoying is when an alternative version of a song comes immediately before or after the original version, which is quite common on CD reissues of jazz albums.
I usually don't like bonus tracks either, for the same reasons. But you can make a copy of the CD and leave the bonus tracks away on the copy, that's a good workaround.
You can use the same copy procedure to combine two CDs with a short play time. For instance, the first two albums from The Shins I've copied onto one CD and use that in the car or at work.
I don't mind them if they're just tacked on at the end. I can just stop the CD at the end of the regular tracks if I want. But there are only a few albums there the bonus tracks actually add something to the original ones. The Who Sell Out has some bonus tracks that are really good, for instance.
I like them...so long as they're at the end. Usually most of them are only good for a play or two but some of them have become favorites of mine. (I'm thinking of the Beach Boys' version of the Castells' "I Do", which is a bonus track on one of the Capitol "two-fer" CD reissues of their catalog.)
I second BillAdama. If the bonus tracks are tacked unto the end, it's all good. Plus, when I put an album into my iPod, it's easy to just not rip the bonus tracks. So all in all, I don't mind them. I understand that many ppl out there will appreciate the extra stuff. As for me, I just want the original work of art (and each album is its own finalized art piece).
Now this is where things get gnarly: UK and US version discrepancies, ESPECIALLY when one version has bonus tracks compared to the UK version, and those tracks are placed in the middle of the album. The Stone Roses debut is a good example of this. So then, are they really "bonus tracks" on the US version, since they were apparently meant to be listened with the other songs? Or is the original UK version the very definitive one, and the addition of tracks on the US version merely tampering with the work?
Here is what I hate the most though: when completely different versions of the same songs are in the US version. Especially when the UK version is stronger. In other words: Screamadelica. I only recently found out that the original UK version had a very different, longer version of "Come Together." That just killed me. Why mess with art like that??
Oh, and personally: I did skip "Elephant Stone" and "Fools Gold" when I put the Stone Roses debut in my iPod. And in general, I always go with the original UK tracklists.
