Jack White: Black Bat Licorice

Jack White's Black Bat Licorice 7-inch single is a perfect example of a true B-side record. The leading single, "That Black Bat Licorice," is featured on Jack White's Lazaretto album from 2014.

However, what makes this release special is the B-side track, "Blue Light, Red Light, Someone's There," a cover of Harry Connick Jr.'s modern jazz record from 1991. This cover was once hard to find, available only on vinyl in rare, niche situations.

While the digital age has made this cover more accessible, there's something about hearing Jack White's take on that dusty jazz track on vinyl that just begs to be played on repeat.

Marilyn Monroe: Diamonds Are A Girl's Best Friend

No matter your genre or musical generation, if you haven't heard Marilyn Monroe's "Diamonds Are a Girl's Best Friend," you've likely been living under a rock. It's one of the most iconic songs of all time, with the title itself becoming a cliché in modern culture.

This track also provides an interesting perspective on how B-sides were put together. The label pushed "Diamonds Are a Girl's Best Friend" as the lead single, backing it with a remix by Swing Cats on the B-side. This remix isn't the dance-friendly, club-ready version you might expect from EDM remixes of today; instead, it offers a breakbeat, jazzy vibe that casts the single in a new light, making it the perfect complementary B-side.

You can now snag this release in a limited-edition blue pressing, making the album pop, especially when contrasted against Marilyn Monroe's bright red, alluring dress on the cover.

DJ Brace: Beyond

While vinyl gained its cultural foothold in the 50s and 60s, it broke into new spaces with the rise of DJing, opening up new reasons for releasing singles with accompanying B-sides.

DJ Brace's Beyond is a perfect example of this strategy.

It features the rare and hard-to-find single "SMH," and the B-side includes a skip-proof scratch loop—a tool specifically designed for DJs mixing and scratching on vinyl. This release highlights how vinyl can cater to the art of DJing by offering a killer, beat-friendly single on the A-side and a useful tool on the B-side. "SMH" is a record that just begs to be played on repeat, with its instrumental beats and atmospheric vocals that draw you in and make it easy to get lost in the music. Meanwhile, the B-side showcases the functional aspect of vinyl, demonstrating how the medium can be used to support the craft of DJing with purpose-built features.

Rung Hyang: Trapped / Trapped (Kan Sano Remix)

This release takes a modern approach by pairing a single with a club-friendly remix on the B-side. The original single, "Trapped," is soft and sultry, embodying the multicultural vibe you'd expect from a contemporary pop record.

On the B-side, Han Sono, a well-known figure in the old-school disco and funk scene, delivers a remix that transforms the track into something perfect for a modern dance floor. This combination of the original and the remix shows how a single can appeal to different audiences, offering a laid-back listening experience and a high-energy version for the club.

Chubby Checker: The Twist

B-side releases also offer a fantastic promotional opportunity to reprise and re-release older records, and few deserve celebration more than Chubby Checker's The Twist.

This release marks the 60th anniversary of the iconic track that originally got everyone dancing. While the lead single, The Twist, takes center stage, the B-side features tracks like "Toot" and "Twistin' USA," giving fans a chance to revisit these classics. It's a collector-friendly, limited-run package that honors the history of the music while providing something special for both new listeners and long-time fans.

Say She She: Forget Me Not / Blow My Mind

I just wanted to include Say She She's Forget Me Not and Blow My Mind, as these tracks are personal favorites of mine and deserve far more attention than they've received since they were released in 2022.

The haunting, siren-call quality of these songs makes them some of my all-time favorites, and I often have them on repeat. Our Automatic Record Player is an absolute game-changer and must-have if you're listening to music you love as much as I love this record, as it allows you to fully sink into the tracks with multiple, seamless playthroughs.

Jimmy Riley: Sexual Healing

Marvin Gaye's single "Sexual Healing" is one of the most timeless songs ever, whether it's a hit at the local karaoke bar or a bootleg remix played by some of the biggest DJs in the EDM scene.

The song is iconic across nearly every generation today. However, what often gets less attention is Jimmy Riley's reggae and dub-inspired B-side of "Sexual Healing." This version heavily uses slap-delay, psychedelic, early reggaeton vibe that keeps the core essence of Marvin Gaye's original but infuses it with more swing and a laid-back, chill atmosphere. It's a must-have B-side that offers a fresh take on a classic track.

The Night: Feeling It Everywhere

While vinyl has undoubtedly seen a resurgence over the past decade, it still isn't widely accepted to the point where every band, artist, or producer presses everything to vinyl. Modern bands, especially in singles and B-sides, still need to be more and far between when it comes to vinyl releases.

However, the group The Night and their single "Feeling It Everywhere," with the B-side featuring "Kings of the Night," is a fantastic modern example of music pressed onto this older format.

Granted, the single was released back in 2017, so it being "modern" by today's fast-moving industry might not be considered as that modern to some, but it still represents a more contemporary approach to these limited runs of music pressed onto vinyl. This track really captures that essence.

Plus, the fact that it has that old-school dusty hip-hop or disco vibe makes it a perfect addition.

And the best part? You can snag it for just a few bucks, which is a quick win compared to some of the more premium-priced B-sides on this list.

Naughty By Nature: Hip Hop Hooray/Written on Ya Kitten

Naughty by Nature will always be a guilty pleasure for me, probably because I discovered the group a few years earlier than I should have. Even back in middle school, their music was a bit too risqué for what I should have likely been listening to, but that's what gave it that X-factor, that draw for my younger self, which has carried through into my adult life.

So, hopefully, I don't catch too much flack from my editors for including Naughty by Nature's "Written on Your Kitten" B-side on this list.

Sure, it's a bit more, for lack of a better term, "naughty" and probably NSFW compared to most of the other songs here, but I want to push the boundaries just a bit by featuring this phenomenal single, "Hip Hop Hooray," with the B-side "Written on Your Kitten."

In my opinion, it's one of the better Naughty by Nature tracks and just plain fun—so long as you don't think too much about it.

The White Stripes: Seven Nation Army (The Glitch Mob Remix)

Having worked in and written about the music industry for the better part of a decade, with most of that time spent on the EDM and dance music side of things, my obsession with The Glitch Mob marked a real turning point for me. It signaled a shift from my adoration for Bob Dylan and Donovan, which dominated my earlier days, into the more dance-focused electronic music world.

The fact that this is the second Jack White-related album on this list really brings everything full circle.

This B-side single pressing of The Glitch Mob's remix of The White Stripes' "Seven Nation Army" is arguably one of the best remixes of all time.

Because you can get it on a single pressing makes it as much a collector's item and piece of history as it is a piece of decor—and, of course, it's just phenomenal music.

Tame Impala: Slow Rush

I wanted to save this one for the end of the list because it's the big kahuna of the whole thing.

This one is more than just a single B-side—it's an all-encompassing package for any super fan of Tame Impala. Yes, a few records in this bundle are full albums with some of his best work, but it also includes some seven-inch B-sides with his more niche releases. This is a collector's bundle for super fans. While it will cost you just shy of a hundred dollars, you're getting some incredibly rare, hard-to-find remixes, B-sides and releases.

In this bundle, you'll find gems like the Four Tet remix of "Breathe Deeper," another Lil Yachty remix, and the Blood Orange remix of "Borderline." And to have those pressed on vinyl? How could you say no to that? So yes, it's an investment, but it's a must-have for any Tame Impala fan who wants something truly unique in their collection.