Box set

A box set (or boxed set) refers to the publishing of several albums (or other musical material) of an artist packaged in, aptly enough, a box. Box sets also traditionally contain additional items related to the artist; this could include books, pictures, specially designed cases, DVDs, and more.

If an artist's song catalogue is large enough, the albums in a box set may be a greatest hits compilation. This is rare, though, and box sets typically contain concert performances, previously-recorded but unreleased studio work (see B-sides), or previously-released albums packaged together.

It is uncommon (due to the cost of manufacturing) for an artist to release a box set with all-new studio material.

Notable Box Sets

• Bruce Springsteen & the E Street Band Live/1975–85 – Bruce Springsteen (1986)
• Led Zeppelin Box Set – Led Zeppelin (1990)
• This Woman's Work – Kate Bush (1990)
• Star Time – James Brown
• Shine On – Pink Floyd (1992)
• The Good, the Bad and the Live – Metallica (1989)
• Live Shit: Binge & Purge – Metallica (1993)
• Complete Studio Recordings – Led Zeppelin (1993)
• Led Zeppelin Box Set II – Led Zeppelin (1993)
• Box of Fire – Aerosmith (1994)
• Emperors of Soul – The Temptations (1994)
• The Aeroplane Flies High – The Smashing Pumpkins (1996)
• Tracks – Bruce Springsteen (1998)
• Music Bank – Alice in Chains (1999)
• At the Close of a Century – Stevie Wonder
• The Supremes – The Supremes (2000)
• Salival – Tool (2000)
• The Box Set – KISS (2001)
• Unearthed – Johnny Cash (2003)
• Black Box – Black Sabbath (2004)
• Join the Dots – The Cure (2004)
• With the Lights Out – Nirvana (2004)
• Michael Jackson: The Ultimate Collection – Michael Jackson (2004)
• Metalogy – Judas Priest (2004)
• Prince Of Darkness – Ozzy Osbourne (2005)