What is a B-Side in Music?

The B-side is the recording on the reverse of a single, usually given less promotion than its main song (the A-side). The term also describes bonus tracks and other songs outside an artist’s main singles.

The term B-side comes from two-sided records, including the shellac discs that preceded vinyl. The listener would need to physically flip around the record to the opposite side to listen to the other recording on the release.

B-sides have now become a more general term to refer to music releases outside of the main singles and tracks that an artist wants to heavily promote. 

That said, there are many cases of songs on the other side of a single achieving great success. Queen’s “We Will Rock You” accompanied “We Are the Champions,” with both promoted as a double A-side in America. Elvis Presley’s “Hound Dog” and “Don’t Be Cruel” likewise became a double-sided hit. David Bowie’s “The Man Who Sold the World” first appeared on his album of that name, before later B-side releases. Read this article for more examples.

A Brief History

Early disc records often had music on only one side. Two-sided discs were already being sold in the first decade of the 1900s, well before the 1930s. This gave listeners a second recording when they turned the disc over.

Many shellac records were 10-inch discs played at roughly 78 rpm, though other sizes existed. Columbia introduced its 12-inch, 33⅓-rpm LP in 1948, and RCA Victor followed with the 7-inch, 45-rpm single in 1949. The LP and the single were different formats.

Nevertheless, the same issue was still at hand, the A-side would receive more attention than the B-side.

The A-side usually held the song the record company wanted to promote more, while the B-side held another track. That could be a new song or a different version, including an acoustic or instrumental recording. Some releases promoted both sides as a double A-side.

Cassettes and compact discs arrived at different times: Philips introduced the compact cassette in 1963, while the CD reached Japan in 1982 and Europe in 1983. CD singles could still include tracks called B-sides, even though the disc had no second playable side. The term had become a description of a song’s role on the release.

Why Fans Love B-side Records

B-side releases offered musical artists 2 main things:

Firstly, it simply offered fans more value for money when they bought a record. They could buy additional tracks to listen to and enjoy. This has changed a little, due to the music industry moving to stream, but the concept still stands.

From a creative aspect, B-side records give artists additional leeway to be more artistic and creative with their songs.

They could take a safer approach when releasing A-Side records, by releasing tracks that they think could get good mainstream or commercial music success.

They could then release more alternative, more raw, more experimental, or even live versions of songs as B-side releases. 

As a result of this dedicated fans of bands have often come to greatly enjoy the B-side records, and in some cases enjoy B-side records even more than the main A-side releases.

What Type of Music is Released as B-sides?

B-side records often include completely new songs, but they can also include live recordings, alternative versions, or alternate mixes.

The type of B-side record will certainly vary based on the style of music that you’re listening to. For example, a singer-songwriter or a band might be more likely to have a live recording on the B-side. Whereas a music producer or dance electronic act might be more likely to have a remix in their B-sides, either by themselves or by a collaborating artist.

What are Kpop B-sides?

On a Kpop album, the “title track” usually means a song chosen to lead the promotion, whether or not it shares the album’s name. Fans commonly call the other album tracks B-sides, even when there is no physical A-side or B-side.

The idea of a lead song and supporting tracks is familiar from other genres, but Kpop uses “B-side” broadly for album songs too. These tracks can still receive performances, videos, and a large audience. Being a B-side describes their place in the release, rather than how much fans enjoy them.

Summary

The B-side began as the reverse of a two-sided record, usually carrying a different song from the main A-side. Listeners physically turned the disc over to hear it. The term now also covers supporting tracks on CD singles, digital releases, and Kpop albums. A-sides usually receive the main promotional push, but a B-side can become a fan favorite or a hit in its own right. Check the particular release when comparing examples, because the same song can be an album track, an A-side, or a B-side in different editions.