Definition of CD single
A CD single is a music single in the form of a compact disc (CD). Originally the CD single standard (as defined in the Red Book) was an 8 cm (3-inch) "mini CD" (CD3); later on the term referred to any single recorded onto a CD of any size, particularly the 12 cm (5-inch) "full-size" disc (CD5). From a technical viewpoint, a CD single is identical to any other audio CD. The format started gaining popularity in the early 1990s, but quickly declined in the early and mid 2000s, in favor of digital downloaded singles and CD albums.
Commercially released CD singles can vary in length from two songs (an A side and B side, in the tradition of 7-inch 45-rpm records) up to six songs like an EP, which would be marketed as a maxi single in some regions. Some contain multiple mixes of one or more songs (known as remixes), in the tradition of 12-inch vinyl singles, and in some cases, they may also contain a music video for the single itself (this is an enhanced CD) as well as occasionally a poster. Depending on the country of release, there may be limits on the number of songs and total length for sales to count in singles charts.
Terms mentioned above
Related terms
Blue Book (CD standard)
The Blue Book is a compact disc standard developed in 1995 by Philips and Sony. It…
Double-density compact disc
The double-density compact disc (DDCD) is an optical disc technology developed by Sony…
Album era
The album era (sometimes, album-rock era) was a period in popular music, usually defined…
White Book (CD standard)
The White Book refers to a standard of compact disc that stores not only sound but also…
Ripping
Ripping is the extraction of digital content from a container, such as a CD, onto a new…
ITU-R 468 noise weighting
ITU-R 468 (originally defined in CCIR recommendation 468-4, therefore formerly also…
Production of phonograph records
In the production of phonograph records – discs that were commonly made of shellac, and…
Album
An album is a collection of audio recordings (e.g., music) issued on a medium such as…
CD-i
The Compact Disc-Interactive (CD-I, later CD-i) is a digital optical disc data storage…
Questions people ask
Real questions from the Stack Exchange community – follow a link to read the discussion.
- The speed of sound is a single value yet the speed of atoms is distributed over many values. Does the sound wave front smear out? · Physics SE
- Single supply op-amp audio amplifier · Electronics SE
- What is the correct way of filling a 9/8 bar with a single note? · Music SE
- Does music all over the world tend to centre on a single note which is returned to, and split up the range of pitches most fundamentally into octaves? · Music SE
- On a piano, are the effects of holding notes and the sustain pedal the same for a single chord? · Music SE
- Bridge rectifier: 4 diodes vs. single chip? · Electronics SE
Frequently asked questions
What is CD single?
A CD single is a music single in the form of a compact disc (CD). Originally the CD single standard (as defined in the Red Book) was an 8 cm (3-inch) "mini CD" (CD3); later on the term referred to any single recorded onto a CD of any size, particularly the 12…
Sources & credits
- Wikipedia: CD single – CC BY-SA 4.0
- Image by Warner Music Group – Public domain