ELI5: Explain Like I'm 5

Hidden track

Dear little friend,

Have you ever listened to your favorite music album all the way to the end of the last song and then heard a surprise song that wasn't listed on the tracklist? That’s called a hidden track!

It's like when you go to the beach looking for seashells and suddenly you find a shiny one that you didn't even know was there. Just like that, hidden tracks are like shiny surprises at the end of an album!

Sometimes, hidden tracks are purposely hidden by the artist, so that only fans who really listen all the way through will get rewarded with a surprise song. Other times, hidden tracks happen because they were accidentally left off the tracklist and tacked on at the end of the album.

So next time you're listening to your music library, keep your ears open for hidden tracks! They’re like little musical treasures waiting to be discovered.