What exactly are b-sides?

[elepop]

This must be quite a stupid question, but I was just wondering...

What exactly are b-sides?

[SunshineSlayer]

The term comes from when albums were released on records. One side of it was the A side, then you had to flip it over to play the B side. The term doesn't really apply anymore, since you don't need to flip CDs over. But often times people will use it when describing singles, like fairyland is the A side because it's the main song on the single and alterna is the B side.

[Corybobory]

Originally Posted by SunshineSlayer

The term comes from when albums were released on records. One side of it was the A side, then you had to flip it over to play the B side. The term doesn't really apply anymore, since you don't need to flip CDs over. But often times people will use it when describing singles, like fairyland is the A side because it's the main song on the single and alterna is the B side.

Isnt Fairyland/alterna considered a double a-side?

[Coelacanth]

In recorded music, the terms A-side and B-side refer to the two sides of 7 inch vinyl records on which singles have been released since 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 secondary.

I got that from wikipedia.

Japanese artists usually can have two or more A-sides for a single, in Ayu's case H, A, &, fairyland c/w alterna, STEP you/is this LOVE?, and INSPIRE c/w GAME would all be examples of that. Although I'm sure that the first song on each of those singles was the most promoted.

[jerms]

nowadays, the term "b-sides" just simply refers to original songs that are not featured on any albums. (ex. two of us).


some american artists release "b-side" albums that include all their previously recorded songs that were never put onto an original album.

[Annabelle]

For example, Ayu has only 3 b-sides:

Two of us (Depend on you single)
ever free (vogue single)
theme of a-nation 03' (& single)

And sometimes artists such as hitomi and DAI releasing a lot of singles with b-sides, release after a while a b-side collection. Too bad Ayu dosen't include a lot of b-sides, they make the single even more valuable to the eye of a fan.

[jerms]

i like the fact that ayu doesnt have many bsides. it saves me lots of money.


namie on the other hand...haha.

[greggerz189]

Originally Posted by jerms

i like the fact that ayu doesnt have many bsides. it saves me lots of money.


namie on the other hand...haha.

XD No kidding. XD

[AyuGAME]

i don't know what exactly it is
i know the a and b sides from this forum
and i thought that the b side is secondary song...usually there is no PV for this b-side
so its just for completed the tracks and usually its doesn't included in the album..

[jerms]

yes fairyland is considered a double-a side single. this is because both songs will (most likely) be included on her next album.

[kournikova]

LOVE ~since 1999~, WHATEVER ~J Version~ i think these are a b sides.... >.< am i right? ^^

[Annabelle]

Originally Posted by kournikova

LOVE ~since 1999~, WHATEVER ~J Version~ i think these are a b sides.... >.< am i right? ^^

WHATEVER ~J version~ and ~M version~ are considered as remixes. LOVE ~since 1999~ may be considered a b-side, if you consider A Song is Born with Keiko a b-side as well.. LOVE ~since 1999~ is just another version of LOVE ~Destiny~, just like LOVE ~refrain~ on the LOVEppears album.

[Qt Mashi]

oh ~~ i get it now

id dint know wat it meant as well

thanks

[elepop]

Thanks for the explainations guys! I get it now!