Podcast Summary: New Books Network – Andy Cowan, "B-Side: A Flipsided History of Pop" (Headpress, 2023)
Host: Rebecca Buchanan
Guest: Andy Cowan
Date: December 30, 2025
Episode Focus: Exploring Andy Cowan’s new book, B-Side: A Flipsided History of Pop, which chronicles the overlooked and sometimes game-changing B-sides of popular music singles across genres and eras.
Episode Overview
In this lively interview, Andy Cowan discusses the origins, evolution, and cultural significance of B-sides in pop music, drawing from his meticulously researched new book. The conversation covers everything from the accidental discovery of hidden gems on B-sides to how artists and record labels historically approached them, and what makes certain B-sides remarkable, even more so than their hit A-sides. Cowan and Buchanan swap anecdotes, discuss the book’s sprawling scope, and touch on the subjective joys of crate digging.
Key Discussion Points & Insights
1. How the Book Originated and Cowan’s Approach
- Accidental Inspiration: Cowan began cataloguing his record collection during the July 2020 lockdown and realized many B-sides resonated more with him than A-sides.
- “A lot of the B-sides were singing to me more than the A sides.” (Cowan, 01:48)
- Noticing that some famous songs (e.g., "I Will Survive" by Gloria Gaynor, "I Feel Love" by Donna Summer) were originally B-sides, he wondered why no comprehensive book existed on the topic.
- Cowan’s method: Compiled a list starting from the top 100 best-selling artists, limited to one B-side per artist to keep the project manageable, and ended up with a "massive spreadsheet...as a starting block for the book." (Cowan, 04:38)
2. The History of B-Sides
- Early Formats: Singles began as one-sided in the late 1890s; double-sided records appeared by 1910 but without a preference for either side.
- The distinction between A and B sides solidified with the advent of music charts (Billboard in 1936 US; 1952 UK). Labels intentionally placed a “lesser” track on B-sides to avoid confusing DJs and audiences.
- “Record companies didn’t want radio to play the B side...so they often put something inferior.” (Cowan, 06:25)
- Golden Age: The 1950s and on saw artists and producers increasingly use B-sides for experimentation or unexpected gems, especially with the advent of the affordable 7" single.
3. Artists Who Valued the B-Side
- British Invasion bands (Beatles, Yardbirds, Kinks) often used B-sides for experimentation.
- “Beatles B sides were great, whether they were covers or experimenting playing things backwards as they did on ‘Rain’.” (Cowan, 09:43)
- The Smiths and Prince are cited as having legendary B-sides. The Cure "always had amazing B sides," with examples like "Fear of Ghosts" highlighted for their experimentation.
- The 80s is described as a "golden age;" Prince’s "Erotic City" (B-side to "Let’s Go Crazy") exemplifies the period’s wild creativity.
4. Picking the B-Sides: Subjectivity & Process
- Choosing just one B-side per artist was difficult, especially for bands like The Smiths, with a deep bench of B-side classics.
- “I went with my gut on that.” (Cowan, 12:30)
- Cowan admits his choices are subjective, aiming to highlight both famous and overlooked gems, while striving for comprehensive genre and era representation:
- “I wanted it to be as comprehensive as possible to cover as many genres.” (16:30)
- Process included deep research, fan forums, and systematic dives stretching back to early 20th-century recordings.
5. Stand-Out, Surprising, and Influential B-Sides
- Motown & R&B: Sam Cooke’s “A Change is Gonna Come” (B-side to “Shake”), Aretha Franklin’s “I Say a Little Prayer”, Bill Withers’s “Ain’t No Sunshine” (B-side to “Harlem”) all cited as shockingly relegated B-sides.
- “I was staggered to find out ‘I Say a Little Prayer’ by Aretha Franklin was a B-side...” (Cowan, 21:10)
- Rock and Roll: “Rock Around the Clock” by Bill Haley and the Comets was originally a B-side, only to become a cultural phenomenon after being used in the film Blackboard Jungle.
- Highlighted stories include La Bamba (Ritchie Valens), “Be Bop a Lula” (Gene Vincent), and high-caliber B-sides that got "flipped" after advocates demanded they be promoted to A-side status.
6. The Role of DJs, Collectors, and Chance
- DJs (notably John Peel) had a knack for flipping B-sides, making them hits when labels didn’t expect or intend it.
- “John Peel...did really play a lot of B sides as half of his programming.” (Cowan, 14:22)
- B-sides sometimes became fan-cherished favorites through repeated listening and exploration, often gaining greater cultural longevity than their A-side counterparts.
7. The Joy and Subjectivity of B-Side Discovery
- Discussing how personal experience, repeated listening, and nostalgia contribute to the special status of some B-sides:
- “You keep playing [an album] because you haven’t got anything else...and then suddenly, something clicks and you think, my god, it’s the greatest album of all time..." (Cowan, 33:46)
- B-sides may serve as a creative playground or a space for rejected tracks, accidental masterpieces, or total experimentation.
8. Book Structure and Reader Experience
- The book’s main section offers “meaty paragraphs”—concise, info-packed, and designed for browsing.
- “It’s not pages, it’s like a good, two minute read or one minute read, that kind of quick read...so you can kind of see what all those B sides are about.” (Buchanan, 39:31)
- Entries are organized alphabetically by B-side title for variety and serendipitous discovery, rather than by era or genre:
- “I liked it because...it’s a flip sided history of pop. I liked it to be dotting around from genre, from year. I just think it makes it more interesting than if it was all grouped together.” (Cowan, 42:12)
- The book doubles as a reference, playlist generator, and even inspiration for music trivia or games.
Notable Quotes and Memorable Moments
- On the accidental genius of B-sides:
“A lot of B-sides were just improvised songs...however I loved it, and it’s got a sort of slightly homoerotic charge to it...It’s just a lovely song.”
— Andy Cowan, reflecting on Gene Loves Jezebel’s "Stephen" (03:00) - On the subjectivity of B-side appreciation:
“It’s ultimately subjective. One of the things about record collecting and buying vinyl...the records that sort of get into your system sometimes by default, sometimes by repetition.”
— Andy Cowan (33:24) - On book structure:
“It’s one paragraph per song, basically...cramming quite a lot of information within that paragraph. But also...trying to put some artists in context.”
— Andy Cowan (40:04) - On DJ heroics:
“The chances were he probably would play the B side even if he intended to or not. But no, he did. He did really play a lot of B sides as half of his programming.”
— Andy Cowan on John Peel (14:22) - On the appeal of B-sides for band experimentation:
“It can be used in any way—be that experimental, instrumental, whatever...it’s a blank canvas.”
— Andy Cowan (34:09) - On future projects:
“I have a couple of ideas which are basically along the same lines. One’s a hip hop book...another is to do with albums...so I have a couple of music ideas which will basically entail me...going into a dark room with my spreadsheets and trying to figure out a structure in the same way as I did this.”
— Andy Cowan (44:12)
Noteworthy Timestamps
- 01:25 – Cowan explains the book’s accidental start
- 05:53 – The historical emergence of A and B sides
- 09:31 – Artists who crafted outstanding B-sides, discussion of The Cure, Smiths, Prince
- 14:22 – DJs like John Peel elevating B-sides
- 16:18 – Ensuring genre variety and the research process
- 20:24 – Surprising/unique B-sides, especially in Motown, R&B, early rock and roll
- 30:49 – Iconic B-sides that were almost relegated
- 32:20 – Subjectivity of B-side appreciation ("Wham" fan chat)
- 36:40 – The nostalgia and rabbit hole effect of B-sides research
- 41:42 – Why the book is organized alphabetically by B-side title
- 44:12 – Cowan teases future book projects
Tone & Language
The episode is friendly, enthusiastic, and anecdotal. Cowan speaks with the tone of a passionate pop music historian, occasionally self-deprecating, often nerdy, always eager to share the odd or poetic details that make B-sides special. Buchanan matches his energy with good-natured reminiscence and humor, keeping the conversation accessible for music fans both casual and obsessive.
Summary Takeaways
- B-sides, long considered the “throwaway” or overlooked part of a single, have actually played a crucial and sometimes revolutionary role in pop music history.
- B-Side: A Flipsided History of Pop attempts a broad and deep survey, offering both a guide for collectors and a fun journey down musical back roads.
- The book is ideal for eclectic music fans, trivia buffs, and anyone who loves to explore the overlooked corners of pop culture.