The disappearance of b-sides

VoodooChicVoodooChic Posts: 9,863
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Singles nowadays are either 1 track mp3s of just the song or a remix package....I miss b-sides....:mad:
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  • Theo_BearTheo_Bear Posts: 997
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    VoodooChic wrote: »
    Singles nowadays are either 1 track mp3s of just the song or a remix package....I miss b-sides....:mad:

    Over the years, many a B-side has been better than the A-side.

    We should all mourn the loss of the B-side, and having singles on physical media. Digital downloads haven't done real music fans any favours. Not that I have anywhere to buy CD singles or vinyl except Amazon.
  • Diceroll_81Diceroll_81 Posts: 904
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    I don't mind remixes as long as they are decent. The trouble is that dance music is so popular now that most r&b songs now come with nothing but dance remixes!
  • LewnaticcLewnaticc Posts: 3,933
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    I miss B-sides. Some of them are true gems. Mariah Carey - Slipping Away is one of her best songs EVER.
  • cnbcwatchercnbcwatcher Posts: 56,681
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    Some artists still release B-sides. I know The Saturdays do, but I can't think of any others :o
  • [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 2,904
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    Instead of B sides, many artists are releasing deluxe edition CD's, which I suppose are kind of the same thing.
  • [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 8,510
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    We used to do this game at parties where you had to guess the artist from the B side.... it was surprisingly hard
  • VoodooChicVoodooChic Posts: 9,863
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    Lewnaticc wrote: »
    I miss B-sides. Some of them are true gems. Mariah Carey - Slipping Away is one of her best songs EVER.

    Gorgeous song - often wonder why it's not on Daydream, but then it wouldn't be a b-side haha what I'm moaning about - in that case I'd prefer it instead of When I Saw You which is a bit drab! My favourite Mariah b-side is Do You Think Of Me from the Music Box era
  • LewnaticcLewnaticc Posts: 3,933
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    VoodooChic wrote: »
    Gorgeous song - often wonder why it's not on Daydream, but then it wouldn't be a b-side haha what I'm moaning about - in that case I'd prefer it instead of When I Saw You which is a bit drab! My favourite Mariah b-side is Do You Think Of Me from the Music Box era

    Her label apparently felt it was too R&B, similar to how they thought Do You Think of Me was too "sexy" for Music Box (which is sort of true, Mariah was very girl-next-door-innocence back then). Nevertheless, she battled for both and both were given official releases.
  • Hav_mor91Hav_mor91 Posts: 17,183
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    Kylie Minogue is a prime example of B-sides often the best song anf many a hidden gem to be found. As others stated with the physical CD gone or at least not acknowledged the duluxe has filled its place and is where many b-sides are now to be found well thats how i look at.
  • LewnaticcLewnaticc Posts: 3,933
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    I still don't see why they can't just include them on digital EPs instead of having like 3-4 dance remixes that are, more often than not, shit.
  • glyn9799glyn9799 Posts: 7,391
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    Hav_mor91 wrote: »
    Kylie Minogue is a prime example of B-sides often the best song anf many a hidden gem to be found. As others stated with the physical CD gone or at least not acknowledged the duluxe has filled its place and is where many b-sides are now to be found well thats how i look at.

    Some of my favourite Kylie songs are her b-sides. Love Takes Over Me, Cherry Bomb and City Games are all better than their A-sides imo.

    Garbage also have some great b-sides too. They have about 30+ spread over all their singles. I own them all :D

    Pet Shop Boys, however, are definitely the most generous. and they know it!
  • Jambo_cJambo_c Posts: 4,672
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    I can't say this is something that I've come across, most credible non-manufactured bands are still releasing b-sides. I can't think of a band that I like that don't do b-sides any more. I look forward to bands releasing singles so I can get a new track or two.
  • [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 1,573
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    Lewnaticc wrote: »
    I still don't see why they can't just include them on digital EPs instead of having like 3-4 dance remixes that are, more often than not, shit.

    I don't either. It would get more people interested in buying the later singles for a start. Especially for a 3rd or 4th single where a lot of people already have the main song on the album, an extra non-album song on the single release would be a good incentive to buy the EP.
  • [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 11,275
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    Pet Shop Boys b-sides are classics. So much so they've released 2 double albums worth of b-sides over their 30 year career.
  • [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 1,546
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    glyn9799 wrote: »
    Some of my favourite Kylie songs are her b-sides. Love Takes Over Me, Cherry Bomb and City Games are all better than their A-sides imo.

    Garbage also have some great b-sides too. They have about 30+ spread over all their singles. I own them all :D

    Pet Shop Boys, however, are definitely the most generous. and they know it!

    Yep they are generous boys! Their singles are always cheap and always have a good amount of bsides. Love them.

    Kylie and Garbage are great at it too.

    iTunes itself is great for bsides, a lot of singers have them. Maybe not the top 40 as they just seem to throw the actual song out.
  • [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 23
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    lawson always have a b side on their singles :)
  • Eric_BlobEric_Blob Posts: 7,756
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    Rudimental's current single has B-sides.
  • rioniarionia Posts: 1,657
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    Bony M - Brown Girl in the RIng :D
  • barbelerbarbeler Posts: 23,827
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    Rain - one of The Beatles' best tracks.
  • [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 0
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    Some of the best B-sides, excluding ones that ended up on proper albums

    The Beatles
    PS I Love You, This Boy, She's a Woman, I'm Down, Rain, Revolution, I Am the Walrus, Don't Let Me Down,

    The Kinks
    Where Have All the Good Times Gone, I'm Not Like Everybody Else, Mr Pleasant

    Oasis
    Half the World Away, The Masterplan

    McCartney
    Oh Woman, Oh Why?, The Mess, Daytime Nighttime Suffering, I'll Give You a Ring, Back On My Feet, Flying to My Home, Love Come Tumbling Down, Growing Up Falling Down
  • my name is joemy name is joe Posts: 4,450
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    Theo_Bear wrote: »
    Over the years, many a B-side has been better than the A-side.

    We should all mourn the loss of the B-side, and having singles on physical media. Digital downloads haven't done real music fans any favours. Not that I have anywhere to buy CD singles or vinyl except Amazon.

    true, but i always believed the rot set in right back in the 80's and the advent of the 12' single - an absymal idea. This gave rise to the longer remix version, the dance-mix, dubmix, shite mix, little-mix etc.

    Iv'e never, not even once, seen the point of a remix - you write a song and you release it when you get it right;)
  • paulbaxpaulbax Posts: 2,478
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    Lewnaticc wrote: »
    I miss B-sides. Some of them are true gems. Mariah Carey - Slipping Away is one of her best songs EVER.
    Slipping Away is so good! I've always though it should replace "Long Ago" on Daydream as I think its the weakest on the album. I actually love 'When I Saw You" which I know a lot of people count as filler.
  • sej17sej17 Posts: 377
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    rionia wrote: »
    Bony M - Brown Girl in the RIng :D


    Love Brown Girl In The Ring by Boney M as obviously did so many other people who bought it.
  • Barney06Barney06 Posts: 123,853
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    The B side of Running Up That Hill , Under The Ivy probably my favourite Kate Bush track & hidden away on a B side .

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zLaUgi1AzC0
  • [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 3,241
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    Tori Amos also had legendary B sides: Honey, Purple People, Sugar, Upside Down and her love/hate piano rendition of Smells like Teen Spirit.

    It was fun searching HMVs for limited edition CD singles with great artwork back in the day. :)
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