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B-side
The B-side is the second side of a single — historically the less commercial track, often the one aimed at DJs. On digital releases the term survives as a name for the deeper cut on a two-track release.
In practice
The side chosen for clubs rather than radio. On older singles it is often the better DJ record.
When digging older catalogue, check the B-side before the A-side — the A was picked for daytime and the B for the floor, and the difference is frequently large. On digital releases, treat the second track on a two-track release the same way. The practical value is competitive: everybody has heard the A-side, which means the B-side is where you find something that is both known and unplayed.
The B
Which side clubs got
Under-played
What that makes it
Check it first
When digging older records
Where these come from: Release history and crate-digging practice, not catalog figures. For what we can measure, see the wider habit.
Why it matters
A great deal of dance music history is on B-sides, because the A-side was chosen for radio and the B-side was chosen for clubs. That is a genuine sourcing insight rather than nostalgia: on older records, the side nobody talks about is frequently the one you want.
It also survives as an attitude. "B-side" now describes a track a label released without pushing, which means it is under-played relative to its quality — and that is the definition of a record worth digging for.
Frequently asked
Are B-sides worse than A-sides?+
Less commercial rather than worse, and on dance records frequently better for a club. The A-side was chosen for radio.
Do B-sides exist on digital releases?+
Not formally, but the idea survives — the second track on a two-track release is usually the deeper one, and it gets a fraction of the attention.
What is an AA-side?+
A release where both sides are pushed equally, usually because the label could not choose. Worth checking both.
Related terms
Crate digging
Crate digging is the search for records nobody has handed you — going past the charts and the promo mail into back catalogue, reissues and things filed where you were not looking.
Original mix
The original mix is the producer’s own primary version of a track, as distinct from remixes and edits of it. On dance releases it is usually the longest and most DJ-friendly cut on the record.
Forthcoming
Forthcoming means a track is signed and scheduled but not yet released. DJs are given it early to build demand, usually with an agreed date before which it should not be shared or posted.
DJ tool
A DJ tool is a track built for mixing rather than listening — long, loopable, mostly percussive, with little melody or arrangement. It exists to bridge, extend and hold, not to be the record anyone remembers.
Explore: Deep cuts near popular artists · Crate digging · White label · All DJ terms