In Defence of the B-Side
Ask anyone who grew up buying 7-inch singles and they'll tell you: sometimes the best song was on the other side. The B-side was where bands experimented, played around and occasionally hid a gem better than the hit. In the age of streaming, it's worth flipping the record over again.
What was a B-side, anyway?
When singles came on vinyl, every record needed a second song. The A-side was the one the label hoped radio would play. The B-side was the bonus: an extra track, an alternative version, a live recording or something the band simply loved but couldn't fit on the album.
Freedom to try things
Because nobody expected the B-side to be a hit, bands could take risks. B-sides gave us odd instrumentals, unexpected covers, stripped-back acoustic versions and songs that were too strange or personal for the album. For fans, they were a glimpse behind the curtain.
When the B-side won
Plenty of B-sides ended up more loved than the songs on the front. Some got so popular that radio DJs flipped the single over and played the other side, turning it into the real hit. Others became cult favourites that bands still play live decades later, to the biggest cheers of the night.
Why they still matter
For the fan who bought every single, B-sides were a reward for loyalty: songs you couldn't get anywhere else. Compilations of a band's B-sides are often some of the most interesting records in their catalogue, full of character and surprises.
Go digging
- Look for B-side compilations. Many bands have collected their rarities in one place.
- Check the deluxe editions. Reissues often add the B-sides from the singles of the time.
- Browse the singles box at record fairs. Old 7-inch singles are cheap, and you get two songs for the price of one.
- Flip it over. Next time you put on a single, give the other side a spin.
The hits are great. But the real treasure is often waiting on side two.
