Why do the Japanese-market versions of Third Eye Blinds albums contain bonus tracks?
The Japanese-market releases of Third Eye Blind, Blue, and Out of the Vein have the bonus songs “Tattoo of the Sun,” “New Girl,” and “My Time in Exile” tacked onto the end of their respective track listings. The reasoning for this is actually economic: Due to the strong value of the yen, U.S. record imports can sometimes be acquired in Japan for less than the price of proper Japanese-market releases; so bonus tracks function as a bone of incentive for customers to choose the domestic version. Japanese record issues sometimes contain exacting replicas of LP artwork or other distinctive or deluxe packaging, for much the same reasons.
