What is a single?

Message Bookmarked

Bookmark Removed

I know, a stupid question, but something that's been bothering me for years.
I know we have CD singles, but do their sales alone determine a ranking on a Billboard chart? Or are we talking about "most requested songs"?
Can a song never released as a single make a singles chart?
And how do CD singles sell compared to 45s anyway?
OK I'm done.

― Jazzbo (jmcgaw), Wednesday, 12 February 2003 13:32 (twenty-three years ago)

Can a song never released as a single make a singles chart?

maybe in the States due to copious airplay but not in the UK

what is the maximum length a single can be? is The Orb's 'Blue Room' still the 'longest' single release? was that just because the main track was 38 minutes long? has a recent CD single surpassed that in length in terms of the total length of all tracks on that single?

the Chemical Brothers limtied edition 'Private Psychedelic Reel' single was denied a chart placing because it included a free poster

Iron Maiden released a series of re-issued double A sides in the late 80s/early 90s - for some reason they were considered not eligible for the single chart and instead were placed in the album charts in the UK - does anyone know why?

― stevem (blueski), Wednesday, 12 February 2003 13:40 (twenty-three years ago)

also, in the UK - a single can only be released on any THREE formats (tho this may have been increased to four now, not sure) - so once you've got your 7 or 12", CD 1 and CD 2 you're screwed - the most common formats now are 2 CDs and a DVD, or for dance singles a 12", one or two CDs and a DVD...when were singles last released on cassette??

― stevem (blueski), Wednesday, 12 February 2003 13:42 (twenty-three years ago)

most pop singles still are either cd1/cd2/cassette or cd1/ltd ed dvd/cassette or cd1/cd2/dvd released a week later/cassette. the electric 6 single was cd1/cd2/7"/12". most pop albums come out on cassette too and some others though in fairly limited numbers. i used to work in whsmith and this was the case in june when I left.

― GB, Wednesday, 12 February 2003 13:54 (twenty-three years ago)

singles must be wiped out

― electric sound of jim (electricsound), Wednesday, 12 February 2003 13:55 (twenty-three years ago)

singles must be wiped out

Most definitely not! They are the lifeblood of many dance genres.

Who needs a whole album when all can be said in a single release?

Yours
Jan

― Jan Geerinck, Wednesday, 12 February 2003 16:31 (twenty-three years ago)

"cd1/cd2/cassette or cd1/ltd ed dvd/cassette or cd1/cd2/dvd"?
Thanks, now I'm more confused than ever.

My real question remains: Do radio requests count for anything as far as a Billboard (or other) chart goes?

― Jazzbo (jmcgaw), Wednesday, 12 February 2003 16:47 (twenty-three years ago)

Sigur Ros released the 46-48 minute single for Itchy Wooooo didn't they? Or was it a four song ep?

Radio requests count for jack no matter where. Though it is fun to request Dinosaur Jr or Sebadoh repeatedly, it doesn't add up to squat.

― Mr Noodles (Mr Noodles), Wednesday, 12 February 2003 16:51 (twenty-three years ago)

Thank you!!!

― Jazzbo (jmcgaw), Wednesday, 12 February 2003 17:11 (twenty-three years ago)

i've never heard any rules for what constitutes a single in the US. for Pazz+Jop, it's any song from any release that year. for Billboard, i think it's any song that's been released to radio as a single -- which has nothing to do with the commercial release ofthat song as a single.

in the UK, there are strict rules for the singles charts as to how many tracks per single, how many formats it can be released in, how many extras are allowed, etc.

― bucky wunderlick (bucky), Wednesday, 12 February 2003 17:25 (twenty-three years ago)

Who cares about official rules? I only care about my own. A single:

*contains no more than five different songs (with a maximum of five remixes per song)
*contains no songs longer than twenty minutes

Anything else is an album. Easy!

― JoB (JoB), Wednesday, 12 February 2003 21:27 (twenty-three years ago)

eg. "U Can't Touch This" was never actually released as a single in the US

― James Blount (James Blount), Wednesday, 12 February 2003 21:29 (twenty-three years ago)

no kidding....also didnt Shaggy's 'It Wasnt Me' get to number one over there even though it hadnt been signed to a label yet?

― stevem (blueski), Thursday, 13 February 2003 01:03 (twenty-three years ago)

7"
45 rpm
under 3 minutes
black vinyl
large hole

― Venus Glow (1411), Thursday, 13 February 2003 17:40 (twenty-three years ago)

You must be logged in to post. Please either login here, or if you are not registered, you may register here.