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Charli XCX relents and puts B-side tracks on iTunes
Developed over time first seen 4 months ago
Charli XCX has "begrudgingly" put three previously exclusive B-side tracks onto iTunes, having earlier insisted the songs would never appear on digital platforms. The tracks were added on Sunday 26 July as part of a digital deluxe edition of her latest album, "Music, Fashion, Film", with the singer telling fans "you can call me a hypocrite, I don't mind" after fan demand persuaded her to change course, despite feeling the move ran against the songs' "ethos".
The three songs — "I Keep On Thinking Bout You Every Single Day and Night", "Playboy Bunny" and "If You Take the Music Then What Has She Got?" — had previously been available only on limited-edition 7" vinyl singles for "Rock Music", "SS26" and "Camera", a physical box set, and via her Instagram side-account @b.sides. The parent album "Music, Fashion, Film" arrived on Friday 24 July with an accompanying short film, marking Charli's first conventional studio album since 2024's "Brat"; she next headlines Lollapalooza in Chicago on 31 July, before debuting as a Reading & Leeds headliner in August and launching a North American arena tour with Underscores in Philadelphia on 11 September.
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In short
- Charli XCX added three exclusive B-sides to iTunes on 26 July.
- She'd previously vowed they'd never go on streaming/digital platforms.
- Comes days after her new album "Music, Fashion, Film" and film release.
How this story developed
- 4 months ago Coverage settled with the fuller picture confirmed, reiterating that the tracks' physical-only release history sat alongside the wider rollout of 'Music, Fashion, Film' and Charli's upcoming Lollapalooza, Reading & Leeds and North American tour dates.
- 4 months ago She confirmed the move herself, admitting "you can call me a hypocrite, I don't mind" while revealing that the three songs had originally been tied to the vinyl singles for 'Rock Music', 'SS26' and 'Camera' plus a box set and her @b.sides Instagram account.
- 4 months ago Charli XCX defied her earlier vow that three vinyl-only B-side tracks would never go digital, quietly adding them to iTunes as part of a deluxe edition of her new album 'Music, Fashion, Film'.
Steelman: both sides, in good faith
The strongest fair case each way — we don't pick a winner.
The case for
Artists thrive through connection with their audience, and when fans explicitly request access to music, honouring that demand strengthens loyalty, increases legitimate purchasing, and spreads music more widely—outcomes beneficial for everyone. Fan enthusiasm for excluded tracks demonstrates genuine interest rather than frivolous demand, and denying access creates artificial scarcity that frustrates listeners who wish to support the artist through purchase.
The case against
Artists deserve the right to control their work's distribution as a core part of creative vision. Certain songs may be intentionally limited to preserve their character and special status; widespread digital availability fundamentally alters how listeners experience them. Succumbing to fan pressure to abandon carefully considered distribution strategies erodes artistic autonomy and weakens the meaningful choices artists retain over their own work.
Explained simply
Music, Fashion, Film is Charli XCX's newest studio album, released on Friday 24 July 2026 alongside a short film, and it is her first conventional full-length record since her acclaimed 2024 album Brat. Charli XCX, born Charlotte Aitchison, is a British pop singer and songwriter known for blending mainstream pop with experimental, club-influenced sound, and for cultivating a close, online-savvy relationship with her fanbase.
In the run-up to the album, she released a number of B-side tracks exclusively through physical formats, including limited-edition vinyl singles tied to songs from the record and a box set, as well as through a separate Instagram account used to share extra material with fans. She had previously said these tracks would not be made available digitally, positioning them as something distinct from her main streaming output.
The album's release comes as Charli XCX heads into a busy touring period, including a headline set at Lollapalooza in Chicago on 31 July, her first headline appearance at the Reading and Leeds festivals in August, and the start of a North American arena tour with support act Underscores in Philadelphia on 11 September.
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Originally published by NME as “Charli XCX “begrudgingly” releases ‘Music, Fashion, Film’ B-Sides on iTunes”.