[PLEASE read this too] B-side vs. 2nd A-side vs. c/w

[Delirium-Zer0]

So, what's the difference between a b-side, a second a-side, and a C/W song on a single?

There isn't one.

Seriously. The "other" song or songs on a single are whatever the record label decides to call them. There is no rule about what applies. Sometimes this "other" song is promoted, and sometimes it's not. Sometimes it makes the album, sometimes it doesn't.

Before the single format became a 10cm CD, the "other" song was always called a c/w song. 'B-side' was really only ever used in western music. Now singles might be called double or triple a-side singles, and sometimes a single with 2 promoted songs is a single with a b-side. It doesn't really make any difference. "B-side" means, at its root, the song on the other side of a 7" single record. Ayu doesn't HAVE any of those, so in all honesty, she has no b-sides. No a-sides either though! Just a single with another song or more songs on it.

So let's see. What makes "HANABI" a third A-side, but "Will" a b-side? Neither has a PV. Both were used to promote something (Tu-Ka and Panasonic, respectively). Both wound up on their respective albums. But what about "Two of us" and "LOVE ~since 1999~". Neither ended up on an album, and neither has a PV, but one's from a single where there are TWO songs not found on an album. So is LOVE ~Destiny~ a double A-side, or is "~since 1999~" a b-side since it wasn't promoted the way "~Destiny~" was?

As you can see, it doesn't matter. It's a promotional marketing term, it doesn't matter what you call it at all! Arguing over whether "Will" is a b-side or a 2nd a-side is like arguing over whether a piece of food is "zesty" or "tangy". Those aren't words anyone actually uses to describe something. They're commercial words, and they mean nothing. (Heck, B'z call their "other" songs on a single "second beat". See? Means nothing.)

Just for reference... single "a-sides" and their "other" song/songs:
NOTHING FROM NOTHING - PAPER DOLL
poker face - FRIEND
Depend on you - Two of us
LOVE~Destiny~ - LOVE~since1999~
monochrome, Trauma, too late, End roll*
appears "'99 Greeting Mix" - immature "JT Original CM Version"
vogue - ever free
independent - July 1st, HANABI
ourselves - Greatful days, HANABI ~episode II~, theme of a-nation '03
INSPIRE - GAME
STEP you - is this LOVE?
fairyland - alterna
HEAVEN - Will
Bold & Delicious - Pride
Startin' - Born to be...

*Regarding A: It's hard to tell what the A-side of this was and what the "other" songs are, since different colors have different tracklists, and Trauma & End roll got more promotion than the other two.