Depeche Mode – double A-side singles

Releasing singles with both sides designated as A-sides became a common practice in the music industry during the 1960s. The reasons for this varied; sometimes it was due to artistic considerations, other times it stemmed from disagreements between bands and their record labels over which song to promote. In most cases, it was simply a way to signal that both songs were considered equally important and had the potential for success. Unlike the standard A/B-side format, where one song is the primary track (A) and the other is secondary (B), double A-side singles do not feature a designated B-side, allowing both songs to be promoted on equal terms. Despite these advantages, dual singles have been relatively rare compared to the standard arrangement.

Over the years, Depeche Mode has released three official double A-side singles in Europe (Home / Useless was issued as a double A-side in North America). The first and most well-known is Blasphemous Rumours / Somebody from 1984. More than two decades later, in 2006, came John The Revelator / Lilian. Notably, no music video was made for Lilian, an unusual and unfavorable move for an A-side track. The latest, and likely the last, double header is Fragile Tension / Hole To Feed from 2009.

There are a couple of Depeche Mode singles that blur the lines between the primary and secondary track. While Stripped was released as an A-side in Europe in 1986, its B-side But Not Tonight was promoted as an A-side in North America later that year, complete with its own music video. Similarly, I Feel You and One Caress could be considered a double A-side, as both were released as main tracks in the US and accompanied by music videos. However, Sire Records promoted One Caress as an A-side several months after I Feel You had already been released. What’s clear is that with the advent of downloading and streaming, the 7-inch A-side double has found itself in pretty big trouble.