The idea for a B-sides record came when the band realized how many non-album songs had been made over the years, and how hard it was to find and hear many of them.

The band said they were "so excited" about "Used to Be" that they recorded it right after writing it so they could have it as a 7" single for their fall tour with the Baltimore Round Robin.

As fans of Queen, we thought it would be fun and ridiculous to try to adapt their high-powered pop song into our realm.

"[2] "I Do Not Care for the Winter Sun" was written and recorded in 2010 during a break between tours after Beach House felt "incredibly grateful" to their fans, and was released for free on the internet, unmastered.

Both tracks were recorded during the sessions for the band's 2015 albums Depression Cherry and Thank Your Lucky Stars.

[1] "Baby", "The Arrangement" and "10 Mile Stereo" (Cough Syrup remix) were released as B-sides to the band's 2010 single "Zebra",[4] with the first also being included as a B-side for "Norway" and as an iTunes bonus track for the single's parent album, Teen Dream.

"White Moon" is a song released on the band's iTunes Session EP, which also included a version of "Norway".

[9] The album was released on June 30, 2017 through Sub Pop worldwide, Bella Union in the UK, and Mistletone in Australia, on CD, LP, cassette and digital download.

[13] It was made available for pre-order on May 17, 2017,[14] and was accompanied by the release of "Chariot",[1] which was uploaded to the band's official YouTube channel a day later.

[17] AllMusic said "B-Sides and Rarities points out the similarities and differences in Beach House's music over the years, even if its tracks aren't in chronological order," adding that it is "a collection that's lovely in its own right, and in its own way, is just as representative of Beach House's music as a traditional best-of would be.

"[18] Daily Express called it the best album of the week, while stating that the songs "paint a fascinating picture of a band slowly building from the delicacy of earlier tracks.

"[19] Drowned in Sound stated that "what the record lacks in atmosphere, it more than makes up for in discrete bursts of quality.

"[23] Paste said "B-Sides and Rarities is a career-spanning collection, but Beach House's sound has remained so consistent that, without the band's extensive notes, it's nearly impossible to guess which songs stem from which era," further stating that: "There is nothing remotely bad on here, but there is also nothing that finds the duo lightening up or straying too far from the warm glow of their trademark sound.

"[24] Pitchfork wrote: "It's a testament to the band's consistency that B-Sides and Rarities plays nearly as smoothly as a proper Beach House album, even though one of these tracks—scattered non-chronologically through an hourlong playtime—is more than a decade old.