A-side and B-side

The A-side and B-side are the two sides of <a href="/facts/Phonograph_record/ccuFV9Af">vinyl records</a> and <a href="/facts/Compact_cassette/w8I5uyfs">cassettes</a>, and the terms have often been printed on the labels of two-sided music recordings. The A-side of a <a href="/facts/Single_(music)/xkeLPy2P">single</a> usually features a recording that its artist, producer, or record company intends to be the initial focus of promotional efforts and radio airplay, with the aim of it becoming a <a href="/facts/Hit_record/cFBCe0aS">hit record</a>. The B-side (or "flip-side") is a secondary recording that typically receives less attention, although some B-sides have been as successful as, or more so than, their A-sides.
Use of this language has largely declined in the 21st century as the music industry has transitioned away from analog recordings towards <a href="/facts/Digital_audio/PgugcLAI">digital formats</a> without physical sides, such as <a href="/facts/Music_download/96QbSLNp">downloads</a> and <a href="/facts/Music_streaming/4rPhSq0Y">streaming</a>. Nevertheless, some artists and labels continue to employ the terms A-side and B-side metaphorically to describe the type of content a particular release features, with B-side sometimes representing a "bonus" track or other material.

A-side and B-side open-in-new

A-side and B-side