A-side and B-side
Encyclopedia
A-side and B-side originally referred to the two sides of gramophone record
s on which singles
were released beginning in the 1950s. The terms have come to refer to the types of song
conventionally placed on each side of the record, with the A-side being the featured song (the one that the record producer hopes will receive radio airplay and become a "hit"), while the B-side, or flipside, is a secondary song that often does not appear on the artist's LP
.
, shellac
records were single sided. Double sided recordings, with one song on each side, were introduced in Europe by Columbia Records
and by the late 1910s they had become the norm in both Europe and the USA. There were no record charts until the 1930s; A-sides and B-sides existed, but neither side was considered more important, and for the most part, radio station
s would play the song on either side of the record. The "side" did not convey anything about the content of the record.
In 1948, Columbia Records introduced the ten- and twelve-inch long-playing (LP)
vinyl
record for commercial sales, and its rival RCA-Victor
responded the next year with the seven-inch 45 rpm vinyl record, which would come to replace the 78 as the home of the single. The term "single"
came into popular use with the advent of vinyl records in the early 1950s. At first, most record label
s would randomly assign which song would be an A-side and which would be a B-side. (All phonograph (gramophone) records have specific identifiers for each side in addition to the catalog number for the record itself; the "A" side would typically be assigned a sequentially lower number.) Under this random system, many artists had so-called "double-sided hits", where both songs on a record made one of the national sales charts (in Billboard, Cashbox, or other magazines), or would be featured on jukebox
es in public places.
As time wore on, however, the convention for assigning songs to sides of the record changed. Very early into the decade, the song on the A-side was the song that the record company wanted radio stations to play, as 45 records (or '45s') dominated the market in terms of cash sales. It was not until 1968, for instance, that the total production of albums on a unit basis finally surpassed that of singles in the United Kingdom
. By the early 1970s, double-sided hits had become rare. Album sales had increased, and B-sides had become the side of the record where non-album, non-radio-friendly, instrumental versions or simply inferior recordings were placed.
With the advent of cassette and compact disc
singles in the late 1980s, the A-side/B-side differentiation became much less meaningful. At first, cassette singles would often have one song on each side of the cassette, matching the arrangement of vinyl records, but eventually, cassette maxi-singles, containing more than two songs, became more popular. With the decline of cassette singles in the 1990s, the A-side/B-side dichotomy became virtually extinct, as the remaining dominant medium, the compact disc, lacked an equivalent physical distinction. However, the term "B-side" is still used to refer to the "bonus" tracks or "coupling" tracks on a CD single.
With the advent of legal methods of downloading music via the Internet, sales of CD singles and other physical media have declined, and the term "B-side" is now less commonly used. Songs that were not part of an artist's collection of albums are made available through the same downloadable catalogs as tracks from their albums, and are usually referred to as "unreleased", "bonus", "non-album", "rare", "outtakes" or "exclusive" tracks, the latter in the case of a song being available solely from a certain provider of music.
to provide extra "value for money". There are several types of material commonly released in this way, including a different version (e.g., instrumental, a cappella
, live
, acoustic, remix
ed version or in another language/text), or, in a concept record
, a song that does not fit into the story line.
Additionally, it was common in the 1960s and 1970s for longer songs by soul, funk or R&B acts to be broken into two parts for single release. Examples of this include the Isley Brothers "Shout" (Parts 1 and 2), and a number of records by James Brown
, including "Papa's Got a Brand New Bag
" (Parts 1 & 2) and "Say It Loud - I'm Black and I'm Proud
(Parts 1 & 2). "Part 1" would be the chart hit, while "Part 2" would be a continuation of the same recording. A notable example of a non-R&B hit with parts 1 & 2 was the single release of Don McLean
's "American Pie". With the advent of the 12" single in the late 1970s, the Part 1/Part 2 method of recording was largely abandoned.
Since both sides of a single received equal royalties
, some composers deliberately arranged for their songs to be used as the B-sides of singles by popular artists. This became known as the "flipside racket".
On a few occasions, the B-side became the more popular song. This was usually because a DJ
preferred the B-side to its A-side and played it instead. Examples include "I Will Survive
" by Gloria Gaynor
(originally the B-side of "Substitute"), "I'll Be Around
" by The Spinners (originally the B-side of "How Could I Let You Get Away
"), "Maggie May
" by Rod Stewart
(originally the B-side of "Reason To Believe
"), and "Single Ladies (Put a Ring on It)
" by Beyoncé
(originally the B-side of "If I Were a Boy
"). More rarely, both sides of the single would become hits, such as Queen
's "We Are the Champions
" and "We Will Rock You
".
The song "How Soon Is Now?
" by The Smiths
started out as the extra track on the 12" of "William, It Was Really Nothing
" but later gained a separate release as an A-side in its own right, as did Oasis
's "Acquiesce
", which originally appeared as a B-side to "Some Might Say
" in 1995, but gained subsequent release in 2006 as part of an EP to promote their forthcoming compilation
album, Stop the Clocks
. Feeder
in 2001 and 2005 had the B-sides "Just a Day" from "Seven Days In The Sun", and "Shatter" from "Tumble and Fall" released as A-sides after fan petitions and official website and fansite message board hype, and both charted at #12 and #11 in the UK.
On some reissued singles the A- and B-sides are by completely different artists, or two songs from different albums that would not normally have been released together. These were sometimes made for the jukebox, as one record with two popular songs on it would make more money, or to promote an artist to the fans of another. For example, in 1981, Kraftwerk
released their new single "Computer Love", with the B side of "The Model" from their previous album. After "The Model" found popularity, the single was re-released with the sides reversed, and "The Model" hit the UK No. 1 spot, three years after its album release.
A "double A-side" is a single which has two featured songs. This practice was introduced by The Beatles
in 1965 for their single "Day Tripper
" which appeared on the same single with "We Can Work It Out
". The Beatles released a number of other double A-sided singles, namely "Yellow Submarine
" b/w "Eleanor Rigby
", "Strawberry Fields Forever
" b/w "Penny Lane
", and "Come Together
" b/w "Something
".
Some singles have also been designated double A-sides in retrospect, such as Elvis Presley
's 1956 "Don't Be Cruel
" which appeared on the same single with "Hound Dog
"; this was done because both sides became chart hits independently of one another. In fact, "Hound Dog" was the B-side of the single as originally released.
In the UK the biggest selling non-charity single of all time was a double A-side, Wings
1977 release "Mull of Kintyre
"/"Girls' School", which sold over 2 million copies. It was also the UK Christmas No.1 that year, the only occasion on which a double A-side has topped that chart.
Queen
released "Fat Bottomed Girls
"/"Bicycle Race
" as a double A-side in 1978.
Occasionally double-A-sided singles are released with each side targeting a different market. During the late 1970s, for example, Dolly Parton
released a number of double A-sided singles, in which one side was released to pop radio, and the other side to country, including "Two Doors Down
"/"It's All Wrong but It's All Right" and "Baby I'm Burning
"/"I Really Got the Feeling".
Oasis
released "Little by Little"/"She Is Love
" as a double A-side in 2002.
Many artists continue to release double A-side singles outside of the US where it is seen as more popular. Examples of this include Bloc Party's
"So Here We Are"/"Positive Tension" and Gorillaz
"El Mañana"/"Kids with Guns".
Artists having the most U.S. double-sided singles where each side charted in the US Hot 100
, according to Billboard
:
NOTE: Perry Como (12) and Nat King Cole (19) both had additional double-sided singles on Billboards pre-1955 charts.
Artists having the most U.S. double-sided singles where each side reached the Billboard Top 40, according to Billboard
:
", though this term is now used more ambiguously for a variety of formats. These would not quite qualify as EP
singles - as that is generally 4 songs on a single. The term is also sometimes used in a self-denigrating fashion for a release with no A-side at all, suggesting neither side is of high quality.
Examples include "Styrafoam" / "Texas Chainsaw Massacre Boogie" by The Tyla Gang Gang (1976), and "Jack Rabbit" / "Whenever You're Ready (We'll Go Steady Again)" by Elton John
(1973).
Paul McCartney
's 1980 single "Coming Up
" had a studio version of the song on the A-side, while the B-side contained two songs, a live version of "Coming Up" and a studio instrumental called "Lunchbox/Odd Sox".
Gramophone record
A gramophone record, commonly known as a phonograph record , vinyl record , or colloquially, a record, is an analog sound storage medium consisting of a flat disc with an inscribed, modulated spiral groove...
s on which singles
Single (music)
In music, a single or record single is a type of release, typically a recording of fewer tracks than an LP or a CD. This can be released for sale to the public in a variety of different formats. In most cases, the single is a song that is released separately from an album, but it can still appear...
were released beginning in the 1950s. The terms have come to refer to the types of song
Song
In music, a song is a composition for voice or voices, performed by singing.A song may be accompanied by musical instruments, or it may be unaccompanied, as in the case of a cappella songs...
conventionally placed on each side of the record, with the A-side being the featured song (the one that the record producer hopes will receive radio airplay and become a "hit"), while the B-side, or flipside, is a secondary song that often does not appear on the artist's LP
LP album
The LP, or long-playing microgroove record, is a format for phonograph records, an analog sound storage medium. Introduced by Columbia Records in 1948, it was soon adopted as a new standard by the entire record industry...
.
History
The earliest 10-inch, 78 rpmRevolutions per minute
Revolutions per minute is a measure of the frequency of a rotation. It annotates the number of full rotations completed in one minute around a fixed axis...
, shellac
Shellac
Shellac is a resin secreted by the female lac bug, on trees in the forests of India and Thailand. It is processed and sold as dry flakes , which are dissolved in ethyl alcohol to make liquid shellac, which is used as a brush-on colorant, food glaze and wood finish...
records were single sided. Double sided recordings, with one song on each side, were introduced in Europe by Columbia Records
Columbia Records
Columbia Records is an American record label, owned by Japan's Sony Music Entertainment, operating under the Columbia Music Group with Aware Records. It was founded in 1888, evolving from an earlier enterprise, the American Graphophone Company — successor to the Volta Graphophone Company...
and by the late 1910s they had become the norm in both Europe and the USA. There were no record charts until the 1930s; A-sides and B-sides existed, but neither side was considered more important, and for the most part, radio station
Radio station
Radio broadcasting is a one-way wireless transmission over radio waves intended to reach a wide audience. Stations can be linked in radio networks to broadcast a common radio format, either in broadcast syndication or simulcast or both...
s would play the song on either side of the record. The "side" did not convey anything about the content of the record.
In 1948, Columbia Records introduced the ten- and twelve-inch long-playing (LP)
LP album
The LP, or long-playing microgroove record, is a format for phonograph records, an analog sound storage medium. Introduced by Columbia Records in 1948, it was soon adopted as a new standard by the entire record industry...
vinyl
Gramophone record
A gramophone record, commonly known as a phonograph record , vinyl record , or colloquially, a record, is an analog sound storage medium consisting of a flat disc with an inscribed, modulated spiral groove...
record for commercial sales, and its rival RCA-Victor
RCA Records
RCA Records is one of the flagship labels of Sony Music Entertainment. The RCA initials stand for Radio Corporation of America , which was the parent corporation from 1929 to 1985 and a partner from 1985 to 1986.RCA's Canadian unit is Sony's oldest label...
responded the next year with the seven-inch 45 rpm vinyl record, which would come to replace the 78 as the home of the single. The term "single"
Single (music)
In music, a single or record single is a type of release, typically a recording of fewer tracks than an LP or a CD. This can be released for sale to the public in a variety of different formats. In most cases, the single is a song that is released separately from an album, but it can still appear...
came into popular use with the advent of vinyl records in the early 1950s. At first, most record label
Record label
In the music industry, a record label is a brand and a trademark associated with the marketing of music recordings and music videos. Most commonly, a record label is the company that manages such brands and trademarks, coordinates the production, manufacture, distribution, marketing and promotion,...
s would randomly assign which song would be an A-side and which would be a B-side. (All phonograph (gramophone) records have specific identifiers for each side in addition to the catalog number for the record itself; the "A" side would typically be assigned a sequentially lower number.) Under this random system, many artists had so-called "double-sided hits", where both songs on a record made one of the national sales charts (in Billboard, Cashbox, or other magazines), or would be featured on jukebox
Jukebox
A jukebox is a partially automated music-playing device, usually a coin-operated machine, that will play a patron's selection from self-contained media...
es in public places.
As time wore on, however, the convention for assigning songs to sides of the record changed. Very early into the decade, the song on the A-side was the song that the record company wanted radio stations to play, as 45 records (or '45s') dominated the market in terms of cash sales. It was not until 1968, for instance, that the total production of albums on a unit basis finally surpassed that of singles in the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
. By the early 1970s, double-sided hits had become rare. Album sales had increased, and B-sides had become the side of the record where non-album, non-radio-friendly, instrumental versions or simply inferior recordings were placed.
With the advent of cassette and compact disc
Compact Disc
The Compact Disc is an optical disc used to store digital data. It was originally developed to store and playback sound recordings exclusively, but later expanded to encompass data storage , write-once audio and data storage , rewritable media , Video Compact Discs , Super Video Compact Discs ,...
singles in the late 1980s, the A-side/B-side differentiation became much less meaningful. At first, cassette singles would often have one song on each side of the cassette, matching the arrangement of vinyl records, but eventually, cassette maxi-singles, containing more than two songs, became more popular. With the decline of cassette singles in the 1990s, the A-side/B-side dichotomy became virtually extinct, as the remaining dominant medium, the compact disc, lacked an equivalent physical distinction. However, the term "B-side" is still used to refer to the "bonus" tracks or "coupling" tracks on a CD single.
With the advent of legal methods of downloading music via the Internet, sales of CD singles and other physical media have declined, and the term "B-side" is now less commonly used. Songs that were not part of an artist's collection of albums are made available through the same downloadable catalogs as tracks from their albums, and are usually referred to as "unreleased", "bonus", "non-album", "rare", "outtakes" or "exclusive" tracks, the latter in the case of a song being available solely from a certain provider of music.
Significance
B-side songs may be released on the same record as a singleSingle (music)
In music, a single or record single is a type of release, typically a recording of fewer tracks than an LP or a CD. This can be released for sale to the public in a variety of different formats. In most cases, the single is a song that is released separately from an album, but it can still appear...
to provide extra "value for money". There are several types of material commonly released in this way, including a different version (e.g., instrumental, a cappella
A cappella
A cappella music is specifically solo or group singing without instrumental sound, or a piece intended to be performed in this way. It is the opposite of cantata, which is accompanied singing. A cappella was originally intended to differentiate between Renaissance polyphony and Baroque concertato...
, live
Recorded live track
A recorded live track is a song or audio sequence recorded from live performances .Live song tracks typically have concert hall noise . Though often less precise than practiced, studio recordings, live recordings may offer a more exciting feel...
, acoustic, remix
Remix
A remix is an alternative version of a recorded song, made from an original version. This term is also used for any alterations of media other than song ....
ed version or in another language/text), or, in a concept record
Concept album
In music, a concept album is an album that is "unified by a theme, which can be instrumental, compositional, narrative, or lyrical." Commonly, concept albums tend to incorporate preconceived musical or lyrical ideas rather than being improvised or composed in the studio, with all songs contributing...
, a song that does not fit into the story line.
Additionally, it was common in the 1960s and 1970s for longer songs by soul, funk or R&B acts to be broken into two parts for single release. Examples of this include the Isley Brothers "Shout" (Parts 1 and 2), and a number of records by James Brown
James Brown
James Joseph Brown was an American singer, songwriter, musician, and recording artist. He is the originator of Funk and is recognized as a major figure in the 20th century popular music for both his vocals and dancing. He has been referred to as "The Godfather of Soul," "Mr...
, including "Papa's Got a Brand New Bag
Papa's Got a Brand New Bag
"Papa's Got a Brand New Bag" is a song written and recorded by James Brown. It was released as a two-part single in 1965, and is considered seminal in the musical genre of funk.-The hit single:...
" (Parts 1 & 2) and "Say It Loud - I'm Black and I'm Proud
Say It Loud - I'm Black and I'm Proud
"Say It Loud — I'm Black and I'm Proud" is a funk song written and recorded by James Brown in 1968. It is notable both as one of Brown's signature songs and as one of the most popular Black Power anthems of the 1960s. The song was released as a two-part single which held the number-one spot on the...
(Parts 1 & 2). "Part 1" would be the chart hit, while "Part 2" would be a continuation of the same recording. A notable example of a non-R&B hit with parts 1 & 2 was the single release of Don McLean
Don McLean
Donald "Don" McLean is an American singer-songwriter. He is most famous for the 1971 album American Pie, containing the renowned songs "American Pie" and "Vincent".-Musical roots:...
's "American Pie". With the advent of the 12" single in the late 1970s, the Part 1/Part 2 method of recording was largely abandoned.
Since both sides of a single received equal royalties
Royalties
Royalties are usage-based payments made by one party to another for the right to ongoing use of an asset, sometimes an intellectual property...
, some composers deliberately arranged for their songs to be used as the B-sides of singles by popular artists. This became known as the "flipside racket".
On a few occasions, the B-side became the more popular song. This was usually because a DJ
Disc jockey
A disc jockey, also known as DJ, is a person who selects and plays recorded music for an audience. Originally, "disc" referred to phonograph records, not the later Compact Discs. Today, the term includes all forms of music playback, no matter the medium.There are several types of disc jockeys...
preferred the B-side to its A-side and played it instead. Examples include "I Will Survive
I Will Survive
"I Will Survive" is a song first performed by American singer Gloria Gaynor, released in October 1978. It was written by Freddie Perren and Dino Fekaris...
" by Gloria Gaynor
Gloria Gaynor
Gloria Gaynor is an American singer, best known for the disco era hits; "I Will Survive" , "Never Can Say Goodbye" , "Let Me Know " and "I Am What I Am" .-Early career:Gaynor was a singer with the Soul...
(originally the B-side of "Substitute"), "I'll Be Around
I'll Be Around (The Spinners song)
"I'll Be Around" is a song recorded by the American R&B vocal group The Spinners . The song was co-written by Thom Bell and Phil Hurtt and produced by Bell...
" by The Spinners (originally the B-side of "How Could I Let You Get Away
How Could I Let You Get Away
"How Could I Let You Get Away" is a song recorded by the American vocal group The Spinners and produced by Thom Bell. The lush, string-augmented production of the song drew comparisons to another Bell - produced group, The Stylistics. The song was recorded for inclusion on the group's 1972...
"), "Maggie May
Maggie May
"Maggie May" is a song written by singer Rod Stewart and Martin Quittenton and recorded by Stewart in 1971 for his album Every Picture Tells a Story....
" by Rod Stewart
Rod Stewart
Roderick David "Rod" Stewart, CBE is a British singer-songwriter and musician, born and raised in North London, England and currently residing in Epping. He is of Scottish and English ancestry....
(originally the B-side of "Reason To Believe
Reason to Believe
"Reason to Believe" is a song written and first recorded by American folk singer Tim Hardin in 1965, which has since been recorded by a number of other artists, the most known of which is by Rod Stewart in 1971 and 1993...
"), and "Single Ladies (Put a Ring on It)
Single Ladies (Put a Ring on It)
"Single Ladies " is a song by American recording artist Beyoncé Knowles from her third studio album, I Am... Sasha Fierce. It was released by Columbia Records on October 12, 2008 as the album's lead single, and appeared with "If I Were a Boy" as a double A-side single, demonstrating the...
" by Beyoncé
Beyoncé Knowles
Beyoncé Giselle Knowles , often known simply as Beyoncé, is an American singer, songwriter, record producer, and actress. Born and raised in Houston, Texas, she enrolled in various performing arts schools and was first exposed to singing and dancing competitions as a child...
(originally the B-side of "If I Were a Boy
If I Were a Boy
"If I Were a Boy" is a pop song recorded by American R&B singer Beyoncé Knowles. It was composed by Toby Gad and BC Jean. Jean initially recorded her version of the song which was rejected by Jean's record company. Knowles then recorded a new version for her third studio album, I Am... Sasha Fierce...
"). More rarely, both sides of the single would become hits, such as Queen
Queen (band)
Queen are a British rock band formed in London in 1971, originally consisting of Freddie Mercury , Brian May , John Deacon , and Roger Taylor...
's "We Are the Champions
We Are the Champions
"We Are the Champions" is a power ballad written by Freddie Mercury, recorded and performed by British rock band Queen for their 1977 album News of the World. One of their most famous and popular songs, it remains among rock's most recognisable anthems...
" and "We Will Rock You
We Will Rock You
"We Will Rock You" is a song written by Brian May and recorded and performed by Queen for their 1977 album News of the World. Rolling Stone ranked it #330 of "The 500 Greatest Songs of All Time" in 2004, and the RIAA placed it at #146 on its list of Songs of the Century...
".
The song "How Soon Is Now?
How Soon Is Now?
"How Soon Is Now?" is a song by the British alternative rock band The Smiths. Written by Smiths singer Morrissey and guitarist Johnny Marr, it was originally a B-side of the 1984 single "William, It Was Really Nothing"...
" by The Smiths
The Smiths
The Smiths were an English alternative rock band, formed in Manchester in 1982. Based on the song writing partnership of Morrissey and Johnny Marr , the band also included Andy Rourke and Mike Joyce...
started out as the extra track on the 12" of "William, It Was Really Nothing
William, It Was Really Nothing
"William, It Was Really Nothing" is a song by British band The Smiths. It was released as a single on 24 August 1984, featuring the B-sides "Please, Please, Please Let Me Get What I Want" and "How Soon Is Now?", and reached number 17 in the UK Singles Chart...
" but later gained a separate release as an A-side in its own right, as did Oasis
Oasis (band)
Oasis were an English rock band formed in Manchester in 1991. Originally known as The Rain, the group was formed by Liam Gallagher , Paul "Bonehead" Arthurs , Paul "Guigsy" McGuigan and Tony McCarroll , who were soon joined by Liam's older brother Noel Gallagher...
's "Acquiesce
Acquiesce
"Acquiesce" is a song by the English rock band Oasis, written by Noel Gallagher. The song originally appeared as a B-side to Oasis' first UK #1 single, "Some Might Say", in April 1995...
", which originally appeared as a B-side to "Some Might Say
Some Might Say
"Some Might Say" is a song by the English rock band Oasis. The song was written by the band's lead guitarist Noel Gallagher. It was the first single later included in their second album Morning Glory? in 1995, and provided the band with their first number one in the UK Singles Chart .The single...
" in 1995, but gained subsequent release in 2006 as part of an EP to promote their forthcoming compilation
Greatest hits
A greatest hits album is a music compilation album of successful, previously released songs by a particular artist or band...
album, Stop the Clocks
Stop the Clocks
Stop the Clocks is a compilation album by English rock band Oasis, released on 20 November 2006. The "retrospective collection" is an 18-track double album with the featured songs chosen by Noel Gallagher; however, it does not actually include their song "Stop the Clocks" after which the album is...
. Feeder
Feeder
-Technology:* Feeder , any of several devices used in apiculture to supplement or replace natural food sources* Feeder , another name for a riser, a reservoir built into a metal casting mold to prevent cavities due to shrinkage...
in 2001 and 2005 had the B-sides "Just a Day" from "Seven Days In The Sun", and "Shatter" from "Tumble and Fall" released as A-sides after fan petitions and official website and fansite message board hype, and both charted at #12 and #11 in the UK.
On some reissued singles the A- and B-sides are by completely different artists, or two songs from different albums that would not normally have been released together. These were sometimes made for the jukebox, as one record with two popular songs on it would make more money, or to promote an artist to the fans of another. For example, in 1981, Kraftwerk
Kraftwerk
Kraftwerk is an influential electronic music band from Düsseldorf, Germany. The group was formed by Ralf Hütter and Florian Schneider in 1970, and was fronted by them until Schneider's departure in 2008...
released their new single "Computer Love", with the B side of "The Model" from their previous album. After "The Model" found popularity, the single was re-released with the sides reversed, and "The Model" hit the UK No. 1 spot, three years after its album release.
B-side compilations
Occasionally, artists released albums of compiled B-sides and rare tracks. Examples are numerous, including:- DisturbedDisturbedDisturbed is an American metal band from Chicago, Illinois. The band formed in 1996 when musicians Dan Donegan, Steve "Fuzz" Kmak, and Mike Wengren hired David Draiman as their singer. Since the band's formation, they have sold over 13 million albums worldwide, making them one of the largest...
- "The Lost ChildrenThe Lost ChildrenThe Lost Children is a New Zealand drama series set in 1867. It follows four children, three of whom were shipwrecked and landed on the coast off New Plymouth, New Zealand, siblings Ethan and Amy, who were travelling with their mother, Charlotte, from England to Canterbury; Meg, a young thief and...
" - No DoubtNo DoubtNo Doubt is an American rock band from Anaheim, California that formed in 1986. The ska-pop sound of their first album No Doubt , failed to make an impact...
- Everything in TimeEverything in TimeEverything in Time is a compilation album comprising B-sides, remixes, and rare songs by the American third wave ska band No Doubt, first released on November 23, 2003 as disc three of No Doubt's box set, Boom Box, which also contained The Singles 1992–2003, The Videos 1992–2003 and Live in the... - The BeatlesThe BeatlesThe Beatles were an English rock band, active throughout the 1960s and one of the most commercially successful and critically acclaimed acts in the history of popular music. Formed in Liverpool, by 1962 the group consisted of John Lennon , Paul McCartney , George Harrison and Ringo Starr...
- Rarities - The ClashThe ClashThe Clash were an English punk rock band that formed in 1976 as part of the original wave of British punk. Along with punk, their music incorporated elements of reggae, ska, dub, funk, rap, dance, and rockabilly...
- Black Market Clash and Super Black Market ClashSuper Black Market ClashSuper Black Market Clash is a compilation album released by The Clash in 1993 that contains B-sides and rare tracks not available on their other albums. It is a repackaging of the original 1980 Black Market Clash, which was a single 10" EP, containing only 9 songs... - The CureThe CureThe Cure are an English rock band formed in Crawley, West Sussex in 1976. The band has experienced several line-up changes, with frontman, vocalist, guitarist and principal songwriter Robert Smith being the only constant member...
- Join the Dots: B-Sides & Rarities 1978–2001 (The Fiction Years) - Dead KennedysDead KennedysDead Kennedys are an American punk rock band formed in San Francisco, California in 1978. The band became part of the American hardcore punk movement of the early 1980s. They gained a large underground fanbase in the international punk music scene....
- Give Me Convenience or Give Me DeathGive Me Convenience or Give Me Death-Personnel:* Jello Biafra - vocals, producer, artwork, compiler* East Bay Ray - guitar, echoplex, producer, mixer* Klaus Fluoride - bass, backing vocals * D.H... - Def LeppardDef LeppardDef Leppard are an English rock band formed in 1977 in Sheffield as part of the New Wave of British Heavy Metal movement. Since 1992, the band have consisted of Joe Elliott , Rick Savage , Rick Allen , Phil Collen , and Vivian Campbell...
- Retro ActiveRetro ActiveRetro Active is an album by British hard rock band Def Leppard, released in 1993. The album features touched-up versions of B-sides and previously unreleased recordings from the band's recording sessions between 1984 and 1993... - DeftonesDeftonesDeftones are an American alternative metal band from Sacramento, California, founded in 1988. The band consists of Chino Moreno , Stephen Carpenter , Chi Cheng , Frank Delgado , and Abe Cunningham . Currently Sergio Vega is standing in on bass while Cheng recovers from a car accident...
- B-Sides & RaritiesB-Sides & Rarities (Deftones album)-DVD:# "7 Words"# "Bored"# "My Own Summer "# "Be Quiet and Drive "# "Change "# "Back to School "# "Digital Bath"# "Minerva"# "Hexagram"# "Bloody Cape"# "Engine Number 9"# "Root"-Credits:... - GorillazGorillazGorillaz is an English musical project created in 1998 by Damon Albarn and Jamie Hewlett. This project consists of Gorillaz music itself and an extensive fictional universe depicting a "virtual band" of cartoon characters...
- G-SidesG-SidesG Sides is a B-sides collection by Gorillaz, featuring the additional tracks from their first three singles and the Tomorrow Comes Today EP. The compilation was originally released only in Japan in December 2001. The US edition, with a slightly different track listing, followed in February 2002...
and D-SidesD-SidesD-Sides is a 2007 compilation album by Gorillaz. The album contains B-sides and remixes from singles and bonus tracks for the band's second studio album Demon Days. It was released on 19 November 2007 in the UK and on 20 November in the United States and is available in standard and deluxe editions... - Green DayGreen DayGreen Day is an American punk rock band formed in 1987. The band consists of lead vocalist and guitarist Billie Joe Armstrong, bassist and backing vocalist Mike Dirnt, and drummer Tre Cool...
- Shenanigans - The Killers - SawdustSawdust (album)Sawdust is an album of B-sides, rarities, covers and remixes by the Las Vegas rock band The Killers. The album was released in various markets between November 9 and November 13, 2007, when it was released in the United States...
- MuseMuse (band)Muse are an English alternative rock band from Teignmouth, Devon, formed in 1994. The band consists of school friends Matthew Bellamy , Christopher Wolstenholme and Dominic Howard...
- Hullabaloo SoundtrackHullabaloo SoundtrackNotes*A sample of Tom Waits's "What's He Building?" can be heard in disc two's pregap *The Intro of Rachmaninov's 'Prelude in C Sharp Minor "The Bells of Moscow"' is played at the beginning of Track 7 Disc 2.-Japanese release track listing:...
(a two-disc set, the first disc was B-sides) - NirvanaNirvana (band)Nirvana was an American rock band that was formed by singer/guitarist Kurt Cobain and bassist Krist Novoselic in Aberdeen, Washington in 1987...
- IncesticideIncesticide-Personnel:All sessions:*Kurt Cobain – vocals, guitar*Krist Novoselic – bass guitarSeattle, WA: Reciprocal Recording Studios Nirvana's first studio demo tape... - OasisOasis (band)Oasis were an English rock band formed in Manchester in 1991. Originally known as The Rain, the group was formed by Liam Gallagher , Paul "Bonehead" Arthurs , Paul "Guigsy" McGuigan and Tony McCarroll , who were soon joined by Liam's older brother Noel Gallagher...
- The MasterplanThe MasterplanThe Masterplan is a compilation album by English rock band Oasis, comprising B-sides which never made it onto an album. The album was originally intended for release only in areas such as the United States and Japan, where the tracks were only available on expensive European import singles. It was... - Pearl JamPearl JamPearl Jam is an American rock band that formed in Seattle, Washington, in 1990. Since its inception, the band's line-up has included Eddie Vedder , Jeff Ament , Stone Gossard , and Mike McCready...
- Lost DogsLost Dogs (album)Lost Dogs is a two-disc compilation album by the American alternative rock band Pearl Jam, released on November 11, 2003 through Epic Records. The album has been certified gold by the RIAA in the United States.-Overview:... - Prince - The Hits/The B-SidesThe Hits/The B-Sides-Disc 2 :-Disc 3 :...
(a three-disc set, of which one was devoted entirely to B-sides (released 1993) - Pet Shop BoysPet Shop BoysPet Shop Boys are an English electronic dance music duo, consisting of Neil Tennant, who provides main vocals, keyboards and occasional guitar, and Chris Lowe on keyboards....
- AlternativeAlternative (album)Alternative is the ninth album by UK electronic music duo Pet Shop Boys. It was first released in 1995.Alternative is a 2-disc set, consisting of 30 B-sides in chronological order... - RancidRancid (band)Rancid is an American punk rock band formed in Berkeley, California in 1991. Founded by Tim Armstrong and Matt Freeman, both of whom previously played in the ska punk band Operation Ivy, Rancid is credited—along with Green Day and The Offspring—for reviving mainstream interest in punk rock in the...
- B Sides and C SidesB Sides and C SidesB Sides and C Sides is a compilation album by the American punk rock band Rancid. It was first released online on December 11, 2007, followed by a standard release on January 15, 2008. It contains a number of B-sides and rare songs as well as compilation or soundtrack appearances plus 3 previously... - Sarah McLachlanSarah McLachlanSarah Ann McLachlan, OC, OBC is a Canadian musician, singer and songwriter. Known for her emotional ballads and mezzo-soprano vocal range, as of 2006, she has sold over 40 million albums worldwide. McLachlan's best-selling album to date is Surfacing, for which she won two Grammy Awards and four...
- Rarities, B-Sides and Other Stuff and Rarities, B-Sides and Other Stuff Volume 2 - The SmithsThe SmithsThe Smiths were an English alternative rock band, formed in Manchester in 1982. Based on the song writing partnership of Morrissey and Johnny Marr , the band also included Andy Rourke and Mike Joyce...
- Hatful of HollowHatful of Hollow-The Smiths:* Morrissey – vocals* Johnny Marr – guitars, harmonica, mandolin* Andy Rourke – bass guitar* Mike Joyce – drums-Technical staff:* John Porter – producer* The Smiths – producers* Roger Pusey – producer* Dale "Buffin" Griffin – producer...
, The World Won't ListenThe World Won't Listen-Band:* Morrissey – vocals* Johnny Marr – guitars, keyboard instruments, bass guitar on "Golden Lights"* Andy Rourke – bass guitar, cello on "Shakespeare's Sister" and "Oscillate Wildly"* Mike Joyce – drums...
and Louder Than BombsLouder Than BombsLouder Than Bombs is a compilation album by the English rock band The Smiths. It was released as a double album in March 1987 by their American record company, Sire Records. Its highest chart position was number 63. Popular demand prompted their British record company, Rough Trade, to issue the... - StereolabStereolabStereolab are an alternative music band formed in 1990 in London, England. The band originally comprised songwriting team Tim Gane and Lætitia Sadier , both of whom remained at the helm across many lineup changes...
- Refried EctoplasmRefried EctoplasmRefried Ectoplasm , released in July 1995, is a compilation by Stereolab of singles and rarities.-Track listing:# "Harmonium" – 5:55 ...
(Switched on Vol. 2) - SuedeSuede (band)Suede are an English alternative rock band from London, formed in 1989. The group's most prominent early line-up featured singer Brett Anderson, guitarist Bernard Butler, bass player Mat Osman and drummer Simon Gilbert. By 1992, Suede were hailed as "The Best New Band in Britain", and attracted...
- Sci-Fi LullabiesSci-Fi LullabiesSci-Fi Lullabies is a compilation album by English alternative rock band Suede, consisting of B-sides from the singles that were released from the band's first three albums.-Overview:... - The WhoThe WhoThe Who are an English rock band formed in 1964 by Roger Daltrey , Pete Townshend , John Entwistle and Keith Moon . They became known for energetic live performances which often included instrument destruction...
- Odds & Sods, Rarities Volume I & Volume IIRarities Volume I & Volume IIRarities Volume I & Volume II is a two-album series collecting songs by The Who, released in 1983 on Polydor in the UK.The very first release in this series was a single LP titled "Join Together" issued by Polydor in Australia and New Zealand in the late 1970s...
, Who's MissingWho's Missing (album)Who's Missing is a compilation of rare and previously unreleased songs by The Who. Its second part Two's Missing was released on 11 April 1987.-Track listing:Side one#"Shout and Shimmy" – 3:18...
, and Two's MissingTwo's MissingTwo's Missing is a compilation album by English rock band The Who.-Track listing:Side one#"Bald Headed Woman" – 2:09#"Under My Thumb" – 2:35#"My Wife" – 6:38... - A Day to RememberA Day to RememberA Day to Remember is an American rock band from Ocala, Florida. Founded in 2003 by guitarist Tom Denny and drummer Bobby Scruggs, the band has released four studio albums, nine singles and eight music videos...
- Attack of the Killer B-SidesAttack of the Killer B-SidesAttack of the Killer B-Sides is a 7" vinyl EP by A Day to Remember, released on May 25, 2010, through Victory Records.This vinyl EP features 4 songs, all are b-sides that were previously released in some form by the band, though not on an album:... - CKYCKYCKY may refer to:*CKY , a rock band from Pennsylvania; CKY referring to "Camp Kill Yourself".**CKY , a series of videos released by Bam Margera, named after his brother's band...
- B-Sides & RaritiesB-Sides & RaritiesB-Sides & Rarities is a 3CD compilation by Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds, released in March 2005. It features over 20 years of the band's B-sides and previously unreleased tracks, including tracks performed with Shane MacGowan and acoustic versions of "Deanna" and "The Mercy Seat"...
Double A-side
A "double A-side" is a single which has two featured songs. This practice was introduced by The Beatles
The Beatles
The Beatles were an English rock band, active throughout the 1960s and one of the most commercially successful and critically acclaimed acts in the history of popular music. Formed in Liverpool, by 1962 the group consisted of John Lennon , Paul McCartney , George Harrison and Ringo Starr...
in 1965 for their single "Day Tripper
Day Tripper
"Day Tripper" is a song by The Beatles, released as a double A-side single with "We Can Work It Out". Both songs were recorded during the sessions for the Rubber Soul album...
" which appeared on the same single with "We Can Work It Out
We Can Work It Out
"We Can Work It Out" is a song by The Beatles, written by Paul McCartney and John Lennon. It was released as a "double A-sided" single with "Day Tripper", the first time both sides of a single were so designated in an initial release...
". The Beatles released a number of other double A-sided singles, namely "Yellow Submarine
Yellow Submarine (song)
"Yellow Submarine" is a 1966 song by The Beatles, written by Paul McCartney , with lead vocals by Ringo Starr. It was included on the Revolver album and issued as a single, coupled with "Eleanor Rigby". The single went to number 1 on every major British chart, remained at number 1 for four weeks...
" b/w "Eleanor Rigby
Eleanor Rigby
"Eleanor Rigby" is a song by The Beatles, simultaneously released on the 1966 album Revolver and on a 45 rpm single. The song was written primarily by Paul McCartney and credited to Lennon–McCartney...
", "Strawberry Fields Forever
Strawberry Fields Forever
"Strawberry Fields Forever" is a song by The Beatles, written by John Lennon and attributed to the Lennon–McCartney songwriting partnership. It was inspired by Lennon's memories of playing in the garden of a Salvation Army house named "Strawberry Field" near his childhood home."Strawberry Fields...
" b/w "Penny Lane
Penny Lane
"Penny Lane" is a song by The Beatles, written by Paul McCartney. It was credited to Lennon–McCartney.Recorded during the Sgt. Pepper sessions, "Penny Lane" was released in February 1967 as one side of a double A-sided single, along with "Strawberry Fields Forever". Both songs were later included...
", and "Come Together
Come Together
"Come Together" is a song by The Beatles written by John Lennon and credited to Lennon–McCartney. The song is the opening track on The Beatles' September 1969 album Abbey Road....
" b/w "Something
Something
"Something" is a song by The Beatles, written by lead guitarist George Harrison in 1969. It was featured on the album Abbey Road, and was also the first song written by Harrison to appear on the A-side of a Beatles' single...
".
Some singles have also been designated double A-sides in retrospect, such as Elvis Presley
Elvis Presley
Elvis Aaron Presley was one of the most popular American singers of the 20th century. A cultural icon, he is widely known by the single name Elvis. He is often referred to as the "King of Rock and Roll" or simply "the King"....
's 1956 "Don't Be Cruel
Don't Be Cruel
-Legacy:"Don't Be Cruel" went on to become Presley's biggest selling single recorded in 1956, with sales over six million by 1961. It became a regular feature of his live sets until his death in 1977, and was often coupled with "Jailhouse Rock" or "Teddy Bear" during performances from 1969.Many...
" which appeared on the same single with "Hound Dog
Hound Dog (song)
"Hound Dog" is a twelve-bar blues written by Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller and originally recorded by Willie Mae "Big Mama" Thornton in 1952. Other early versions illustrate the differences among blues, country, and rock and roll in the mid-1950s. The 1956 remake by Elvis Presley is the best-known...
"; this was done because both sides became chart hits independently of one another. In fact, "Hound Dog" was the B-side of the single as originally released.
In the UK the biggest selling non-charity single of all time was a double A-side, Wings
Wings (band)
Wings were a British-American rock group formed in 1971 by Paul McCartney, Denny Laine and Linda McCartney that remained active until 1981....
1977 release "Mull of Kintyre
Mull of Kintyre (song)
"Mull of Kintyre" is a song written by Paul McCartney and Denny Laine and performed by Wings. The song was written in tribute to the picturesque Kintyre peninsula in Scotland, where McCartney has owned High Park Farm since 1966, and its headland or Mull of Kintyre.The song was Wings' biggest hit...
"/"Girls' School", which sold over 2 million copies. It was also the UK Christmas No.1 that year, the only occasion on which a double A-side has topped that chart.
Queen
Queen (band)
Queen are a British rock band formed in London in 1971, originally consisting of Freddie Mercury , Brian May , John Deacon , and Roger Taylor...
released "Fat Bottomed Girls
Fat Bottomed Girls
"Fat Bottomed Girls" is a song by the English rock band Queen. Written by guitarist Brian May, the track featured on their 1978 album Jazz, and also appears on the band's compilation album, Greatest Hits...
"/"Bicycle Race
Bicycle Race
"Bicycle Race" is a single by the English rock band Queen. It was released on their 1978 album Jazz and written by Queen's frontman Freddie Mercury. It was released as a double A-side single together with the song "Fat Bottomed Girls". The song is notable for its video featuring a bicycle race with...
" as a double A-side in 1978.
Occasionally double-A-sided singles are released with each side targeting a different market. During the late 1970s, for example, Dolly Parton
Dolly Parton
Dolly Rebecca Parton is an American singer-songwriter, author, multi-instrumentalist, actress and philanthropist, best known for her work in country music. Dolly Parton has appeared in movies like 9 to 5, The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas, Steel Magnolias and Straight Talk...
released a number of double A-sided singles, in which one side was released to pop radio, and the other side to country, including "Two Doors Down
Two Doors Down
"Two Doors Down" was a song written and performed by Dolly Parton, which provided a 1978 U.S. country and pop hit for her. The song was sung from the perspective of a woman who has just broken up with her boyfriend and is debating attending a party two doors down the hall from her apartment...
"/"It's All Wrong but It's All Right" and "Baby I'm Burning
Baby I'm Burning
"Baby I'm Burning" was a 1978 song written and performed by Dolly Parton that was part of a double-A-sided single "Baby I'm Burning"/"I Really Got the Feeling"....
"/"I Really Got the Feeling".
Oasis
Oasis (band)
Oasis were an English rock band formed in Manchester in 1991. Originally known as The Rain, the group was formed by Liam Gallagher , Paul "Bonehead" Arthurs , Paul "Guigsy" McGuigan and Tony McCarroll , who were soon joined by Liam's older brother Noel Gallagher...
released "Little by Little"/"She Is Love
She Is Love
"She Is Love" is a song by English rock band Oasis, first released as the ninth track on their fifth studio album, Heathen Chemistry. In September 2002, it was released with "Little by Little" as the first double A-sided single by the band, peaking at #2 in the UK Singles Chart...
" as a double A-side in 2002.
Many artists continue to release double A-side singles outside of the US where it is seen as more popular. Examples of this include Bloc Party's
Bloc Party
Bloc Party are a British Indie rock band, composed of Kele Okereke , Russell Lissack , Gordon Moakes , and Matt Tong...
"So Here We Are"/"Positive Tension" and Gorillaz
Gorillaz
Gorillaz is an English musical project created in 1998 by Damon Albarn and Jamie Hewlett. This project consists of Gorillaz music itself and an extensive fictional universe depicting a "virtual band" of cartoon characters...
"El Mañana"/"Kids with Guns".
Artists having the most U.S. double-sided singles where each side charted in the US Hot 100
Billboard Hot 100
The Billboard Hot 100 is the United States music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by Billboard magazine. Chart rankings are based on radio play and sales; the tracking-week for sales begins on Monday and ends on Sunday, while the radio play tracking-week runs from Wednesday...
, according to Billboard
Billboard (magazine)
Billboard is a weekly American magazine devoted to the music industry, and is one of the oldest trade magazines in the world. It maintains several internationally recognized music charts that track the most popular songs and albums in various categories on a weekly basis...
:
| Artist | number |
|---|---|
| Elvis Presley Elvis Presley Elvis Aaron Presley was one of the most popular American singers of the 20th century. A cultural icon, he is widely known by the single name Elvis. He is often referred to as the "King of Rock and Roll" or simply "the King".... |
51 |
| The Beatles The Beatles The Beatles were an English rock band, active throughout the 1960s and one of the most commercially successful and critically acclaimed acts in the history of popular music. Formed in Liverpool, by 1962 the group consisted of John Lennon , Paul McCartney , George Harrison and Ringo Starr... |
26 |
| Fats Domino Fats Domino Antoine Dominique "Fats" Domino, Jr. is an American R&B and rock and roll pianist and singer-songwriter. He was born and raised in New Orleans, Louisiana, and Creole was his first language.... |
24 |
| Pat Boone Pat Boone Charles Eugene "Pat" Boone is an American singer, actor and writer who has been a successful pop singer in the United States during the 1950s and early 1960s. He covered black artists' songs and sold more copies than his black counterparts... |
21 |
| Ricky Nelson Ricky Nelson Eric Hilliard Nelson , better known as Ricky Nelson or Rick Nelson, was an American singer-songwriter, instrumentalist, and actor... |
19 |
| Nat King Cole Nat King Cole Nathaniel Adams Coles , known professionally as Nat King Cole, was an American musician who first came to prominence as a leading jazz pianist. Although an accomplished pianist, he owes most of his popular musical fame to his soft baritone voice, which he used to perform in big band and jazz genres... |
19 |
| Brenda Lee Brenda Lee Brenda Mae Tarpley , known as Brenda Lee, is an American performer who sang rockabilly, pop and country music, and had 37 US chart hits during the 1960s, a number surpassed only by Elvis Presley, The Beatles, Ray Charles and Connie Francis... |
16 |
| Ray Charles Ray Charles Ray Charles Robinson , known by his shortened stage name Ray Charles, was an American musician. He was a pioneer in the genre of soul music during the 1950s by fusing rhythm and blues, gospel, and blues styles into his early recordings with Atlantic Records... |
16 |
| Connie Francis Connie Francis Connie Francis is an American pop singer of Italian heritage and the top-charting female vocalist of the 1950s and 1960s. Although her chart success waned in the second half of the 1960s, Francis remained a top concert draw... |
13 |
| Everly Brothers | 13 |
| Perry Como Perry Como Pierino Ronald "Perry" Como was an American singer and television personality. During a career spanning more than half a century he recorded exclusively for the RCA Victor label after signing with them in 1943. "Mr... |
12 |
| Brook Benton Brook Benton Brook Benton was an American singer and songwriter who was popular with rock and roll, rhythm and blues, and pop music audiences during the late 1950s and early 1960s, when he scored hits such as "It's Just A Matter Of Time" and "Endlessly", many of which he co-wrote.He made a comeback in 1970... |
12 |
| Aretha Franklin Aretha Franklin Aretha Louise Franklin is an American singer, songwriter, and pianist. Although known for her soul recordings and referred to as The Queen of Soul, Franklin is also adept at jazz, blues, R&B, gospel music, and rock. Rolling Stone magazine ranked her atop its list of The Greatest Singers of All... |
11 |
| Sam Cooke Sam Cooke Samuel Cook, , better known under the stage name Sam Cooke, was an American gospel, R&B, soul, and pop singer, songwriter, and entrepreneur. He is considered to be one of the pioneers and founders of soul music. He is commonly known as the King of Soul for his distinctive vocal abilities and... |
11 |
| The Platters The Platters The Platters were a vocal group of the early rock and roll era. Their distinctive sound was a bridge between the pre-rock Tin Pan Alley tradition and the burgeoning new genre... |
10 |
| Jackie Wilson Jackie Wilson Jack Leroy "Jackie" Wilson, Jr. was an American singer and performer. Known as "Mr. Excitement", Wilson was important in the transition of rhythm and blues into soul. He was known as a master showman, and as one of the most dynamic singers and performers in R&B and rock history... |
10 |
| The Beach Boys The Beach Boys The Beach Boys are an American rock band, formed in 1961 in Hawthorne, California. The group was initially composed of brothers Brian, Dennis and Carl Wilson, their cousin Mike Love, and friend Al Jardine. Managed by the Wilsons' father Murry, The Beach Boys signed to Capitol Records in 1962... |
8 |
| Creedence Clearwater Revival Creedence Clearwater Revival Creedence Clearwater Revival was an American rock band that gained popularity in the late 1960s and early 1970s with a number of successful singles drawn from various albums.... |
7 |
| Bill Haley & the Comets | 6 |
| Johnny Mathis Johnny Mathis John Royce "Johnny" Mathis is an American singer of popular music. Starting his career with singles of standards, he became highly popular as an album artist, with several dozen of his albums achieving gold or platinum status, and 73 making the Billboard charts... |
6 |
| Rolling Stones | 6 |
NOTE: Perry Como (12) and Nat King Cole (19) both had additional double-sided singles on Billboards pre-1955 charts.
Artists having the most U.S. double-sided singles where each side reached the Billboard Top 40, according to Billboard
Billboard (magazine)
Billboard is a weekly American magazine devoted to the music industry, and is one of the oldest trade magazines in the world. It maintains several internationally recognized music charts that track the most popular songs and albums in various categories on a weekly basis...
:
| Artist | number |
|---|---|
| Elvis Presley Elvis Presley Elvis Aaron Presley was one of the most popular American singers of the 20th century. A cultural icon, he is widely known by the single name Elvis. He is often referred to as the "King of Rock and Roll" or simply "the King".... |
26 |
| The Beatles The Beatles The Beatles were an English rock band, active throughout the 1960s and one of the most commercially successful and critically acclaimed acts in the history of popular music. Formed in Liverpool, by 1962 the group consisted of John Lennon , Paul McCartney , George Harrison and Ringo Starr... |
14 |
| Ricky Nelson Ricky Nelson Eric Hilliard Nelson , better known as Ricky Nelson or Rick Nelson, was an American singer-songwriter, instrumentalist, and actor... |
11 |
| Pat Boone Pat Boone Charles Eugene "Pat" Boone is an American singer, actor and writer who has been a successful pop singer in the United States during the 1950s and early 1960s. He covered black artists' songs and sold more copies than his black counterparts... |
10 |
| Fats Domino Fats Domino Antoine Dominique "Fats" Domino, Jr. is an American R&B and rock and roll pianist and singer-songwriter. He was born and raised in New Orleans, Louisiana, and Creole was his first language.... |
9 |
| Brenda Lee Brenda Lee Brenda Mae Tarpley , known as Brenda Lee, is an American performer who sang rockabilly, pop and country music, and had 37 US chart hits during the 1960s, a number surpassed only by Elvis Presley, The Beatles, Ray Charles and Connie Francis... |
6 |
| Connie Francis Connie Francis Connie Francis is an American pop singer of Italian heritage and the top-charting female vocalist of the 1950s and 1960s. Although her chart success waned in the second half of the 1960s, Francis remained a top concert draw... |
6 |
| Everly Brothers | 6 |
| Perry Como Perry Como Pierino Ronald "Perry" Como was an American singer and television personality. During a career spanning more than half a century he recorded exclusively for the RCA Victor label after signing with them in 1943. "Mr... |
6 |
| Nat King Cole Nat King Cole Nathaniel Adams Coles , known professionally as Nat King Cole, was an American musician who first came to prominence as a leading jazz pianist. Although an accomplished pianist, he owes most of his popular musical fame to his soft baritone voice, which he used to perform in big band and jazz genres... |
5 |
| The Beach Boys The Beach Boys The Beach Boys are an American rock band, formed in 1961 in Hawthorne, California. The group was initially composed of brothers Brian, Dennis and Carl Wilson, their cousin Mike Love, and friend Al Jardine. Managed by the Wilsons' father Murry, The Beach Boys signed to Capitol Records in 1962... |
5 |
Double B-side
On vinyl, double A-side singles had one song on either side of the record, while double B-sides contain two songs on the same side (on the B-side; altogether giving 3 songs). When such singles were introduced in the 1970s, the popular term for them was "maxi singleMaxi single
A maxi single or maxi-single is a music single release with more than the usual two tracks of an a-side song and a b-side song.-The first maxi singles:...
", though this term is now used more ambiguously for a variety of formats. These would not quite qualify as EP
Extended play
An EP is a musical recording which contains more music than a single, but is too short to qualify as a full album or LP. The term EP originally referred only to specific types of vinyl records other than 78 rpm standard play records and LP records, but it is now applied to mid-length Compact...
singles - as that is generally 4 songs on a single. The term is also sometimes used in a self-denigrating fashion for a release with no A-side at all, suggesting neither side is of high quality.
Examples include "Styrafoam" / "Texas Chainsaw Massacre Boogie" by The Tyla Gang Gang (1976), and "Jack Rabbit" / "Whenever You're Ready (We'll Go Steady Again)" by Elton John
Elton John
Sir Elton Hercules John, CBE, Hon DMus is an English rock singer-songwriter, composer, pianist and occasional actor...
(1973).
Paul McCartney
Paul McCartney
Sir James Paul McCartney, MBE, Hon RAM, FRCM is an English musician, singer-songwriter and composer. Formerly of The Beatles and Wings , McCartney is listed in Guinness World Records as the "most successful musician and composer in popular music history", with 60 gold discs and sales of 100...
's 1980 single "Coming Up
Coming Up (song)
"Coming Up" was the opening track from Paul McCartney's McCartney II album, written by McCartney and released in 1980. Like the rest of the album, the song had a minimalist synthesized feel to it. It featured lead vocals from McCartney distorted by using vari-speed, and he played all the...
" had a studio version of the song on the A-side, while the B-side contained two songs, a live version of "Coming Up" and a studio instrumental called "Lunchbox/Odd Sox".
Joke B-side
The concept of the B-side has become so well known that many performers have released parody versions, including:- The 1988 "Stutter Rap (No Sleep 'Til Bedtime)Stutter Rap (No Sleep 'Til Bedtime)Stutter Rap is a song by Morris Minor and the Majors, led by Tony Hawks. The song is a style parody of the Beastie Boys and the subtitle plays on their 1980s single No Sleep Till Brooklyn and sold 220,000 copies....
" by parody band Morris Minor and the MajorsMorris Minor and the MajorsMorris Minor and the Majors was a band led by the comedian and writer Tony Hawks. They were made vaguely famous by their 1988 song, "Stutter Rap ". The song aimed to parody the then popular Beastie Boys. The other two members were Rusty Wing and Phil Errup .It reached No. 4 in the UK Singles...
featured a B-side titled "Another Boring 'B'-side". - Parody band Bad NewsBad NewsBad News were a spoof rock band, created for the Channel 4 television series The Comic Strip Presents.... Its members were Vim Fuego , vocals and lead guitar ; Den Dennis, rhythm guitar ; Colin Grigson, bass ; and Spider Webb, drums .-Biography:Bad News made their television debut during...
recorded a video b-side to the VHS version of their single "Bohemian RhapsodyBohemian Rhapsody"Bohemian Rhapsody" is a song by the British rock band Queen. It was written by Freddie Mercury for the band's 1975 album A Night at the Opera...
" titled "Every Mistake Imaginable" in which the band discusses that they have to record an extra three minutes of footage for the single to be chart eligible. - Tracey UllmanTracey UllmanTracey Ullman is a British stage and television actress, comedienne, singer, dancer, screenwriter and author ....
's hit "They Don't KnowThey Don't Know (Kirsty MacColl song)"They Don't Know" is a popular song, written and composed by singer-songwriter Kirsty MacColl, the daughter of singer-songwriter Ewan MacColl. Ms. MacColl recorded it in 1979. It became popular on radio in the United Kingdom, reaching #2 on the Music Week airplay chart...
" was backed by a song entitled "The B Side" and featured Ullman in a variety of comic monologues, many of which bemoaned the uselessness of B-Sides. - PaulPaul McCartneySir James Paul McCartney, MBE, Hon RAM, FRCM is an English musician, singer-songwriter and composer. Formerly of The Beatles and Wings , McCartney is listed in Guinness World Records as the "most successful musician and composer in popular music history", with 60 gold discs and sales of 100...
and Linda McCartney'sLinda McCartneyLinda Louise McCartney, Lady McCartney was an American photographer, musician and animal rights activist. Her father and mother were Lee Eastman and Louise Sara Lindner Eastman....
B-side to Linda McCartney's "Seaside Woman" (released under the alias "Suzy and the Red Stripes") was a song called, "B-Side to Seaside." - The single "O.K.?" based on the TV series "Rock Follies of '77" contained a song called "B-Side?" which featured Charlotte CornwellCharlotte Cornwell-Life and career:Cornwell was born in Marylebone, London, England, the daughter of Ronald Cornwell. She is the half-sister of spy novelist John le Carré . She describes him as "the best brother a girl could have"...
tunelessly singing about the fact that she is not considered good enough to sing an A-Side. - The B-side of the single "They're Coming to Take Me Away Ha-Haaa!They're Coming to Take Me Away Ha-Haaa!"They're Coming to Take Me Away, Ha-Haaa!" is a 1966 novelty record by Jerry Samuels, recorded under the name Napoleon XIV. Released on Warner Bros...
" by Napoleon XIVNapoleon XIVNapoleon XIV was the pseudonym of the American singer-songwriter and record producer Jerry Samuels , who achieved one-hit wonder status with the Top 5 hit novelty song "They're Coming to Take Me Away, Ha-Haaa!" in 1966. Samuels also wrote The Shelter of Your Arms, a top 20 hit for Sammy Davis, Jr...
was called "!aaaH-aH ,yawA eM ekaT oT gnimoC er'yehT" and the singer billed as "NOELOPAN VIX". It was the A-side played in reverse; in fact, most of the label affixed to that B-side was a mirror image of the front label (as opposed to being spelled backwards), including the letters in the "WB" shield logo. - BlottoBlotto (band)Blotto was a rock band from Albany, New York which mixed music and humor. They were formed in 1979 out of the remains of the Star Spangled Washboard Band, a "post-hippie" comedy jugband. Blotto music was a sort of combination of New Wave and soul/R&B, but with comical songs. It began as basically a...
's 1981 single "When the Second Feature Starts" features "The B-Side," a song about how bad B-sides are compared to A-sides. - Love and RocketsLove and Rockets (band)Love and Rockets were an English alternative rock band formed in 1985 by former Bauhaus members Daniel Ash , David J , and Kevin Haskins . Former Bauhaus vocalist Peter Murphy had embarked on a solo career after Bauhaus split in 1983...
' novelty side project The BubblemenThe BubblemenThe Bubblemen were a side project formed in 1988 by the members of alternative rock band Love and Rockets. Love and Rockets members Daniel Ash , David J and Kevin Haskins dressed up in bee-like costumes and released one single consisting of the songs "The Bubblemen Are Coming" The Bubblemen were...
released only one single in 1988, "The Bubblemen Are Coming" coupled with "The B-Side," which is a field recording of bees. - The Wall of VoodooWall of VoodooWall of Voodoo was an American New Wave group from Los Angeles best known for the 1983 hit "Mexican Radio". The band had a sound that was a fusion of synthesizer-based New Wave music with the spaghetti western soundtrack style of Ennio Morricone.-Formation:...
1982 12" EP Two Songs by Wall of Voodoo has the 10-minute joke track "There's Nothing On This Side" on the B-side. - MetricMetric (band)Metric is a Canadian indie rock and New Wave band founded in 1998 in Toronto. The band has also at various times been based in Montreal, London, New York City and Los Angeles...
released in 2008 single "Help, I'm Alive" with a b-side "Help, I'm a B-side". - Three Dog NightThree Dog NightThree Dog Night is an American rock band best known for their music from 1968 to 1975. During that time the band charted 21 Billboard top 40 hits in America, three of which reached Number One...
's 1972 single "ShambalaShambala (song)"Shambala" is a song written by Daniel Moore and made famous by Three Dog Night whose cover reached number 3 on the Billboard Hot 100.-Three Dog Night:...
" featured "Our 'B' Side", about the group wishing it could be trusted to write their own songs for single release. It is most notable as the only TDN single written and produced by the whole group, and features family members on background vocals. - Dickie GoodmanDickie GoodmanRichard Dorian "Dickie" Goodman was an American music producer.-Career:In June 1956 Goodman created his first record, "The Flying Saucer", which he co-wrote with his partner Bill Buchanan, and featured a four-minute rewriting of Orson Welles’ War of the Worlds radio show...
's 1974 release, "Energy Crisis '74Energy Crisis '74Energy Crisis '74 is a novelty single by Dickie Goodman released on Rainy Wednesday Records in 1974.The record is a satire of the 1973 energy crisis in the United States, and was moderately successful, breaking the US Top 40 charts at #33. The record is structured as a series of interviews with...
", featured "The Mistake" as the B-side. "The Mistake" is simply a false start of the A-side, with Goodman saying, "Hello, we're...", followed by two minutes of silence.