The compact disc (CD) is a digital optical disc data storage format that was co-developed by Philips and Sony to store and play digital audio recordings. It uses the Compact Disc Digital Audio format which typically provides 74 minutes of audio on a disc. In later years, the compact disc was adapted for non-audio computer data storage purposes as CD-ROM and its derivatives. First released in Japan in October 1982, the CD was the second optical disc technology to be invented, after the much larger LaserDisc (LD). By 2007, 200 billion CDs had been sold worldwide.
In music, a single is a type of release of a song recording of fewer tracks than an album or LP record, typically one or two tracks. A single can be released for sale to the public in a variety of physical or digital formats. Singles may be standalone tracks or connected to an artist's album, and in the latter case would often have at least one single release before the album itself, called lead singles.
This is the discography of Apple Records, a record label formed by the Beatles in 1968. During its early years, the label enjoyed a fair degree of commercial success, most notably with Mary Hopkin and Badfinger, as well as discovering acts such as James Taylor and Billy Preston who would go on to greater success with other labels. However, by the mid-1970s, Apple had become little more than an outlet for the Beatles' solo recordings. After EMI's contract with the Beatles ended in 1976, the Apple label was finally wound up. The label was reactivated in the 1990s with many of the original Apple albums being reissued on compact disc, and the company now oversees new Beatles releases such as the Anthology and 1 albums as well as the 2009 Beatles remastering programme. In 2010, Apple set about remastering and reissuing its back catalogue for a second time.
Machina II/The Friends & Enemies of Modern Music is the sixth studio album by the American alternative rock band The Smashing Pumpkins. It was released for free on the Internet on September 5, 2000. Plans for a standard physical release, bundled with the first part Machina/The Machines of God, were revealed to happen sometime in 2013, but was postponed due to legal setbacks. In an Instagram Q&A in 2018, the band's frontman, Billy Corgan, revealed that all legal issues had been resolved. The two albums are planned to be remastered and released as a deluxe reissue; however, no release date has been announced.
A CD single is a music single in the form of a compact disc (CD). Originally the CD single standard 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.
A maxi single, or maxi-single, is a music single release with more than the usual two tracks of an A-side song and a B-side song.
St. Christopher are a British indie pop group formed in York in 1984, who released several records on Sarah Records in the late 1980s, and have continued to release records since.
Exposure is the debut solo album by guitarist and composer Robert Fripp. Unique among Fripp solo projects for its focus on the pop song format, it grew out of his previous collaborations with David Bowie, Peter Gabriel, and Daryl Hall, and the latter two singers appear on the album. Released in 1979, it peaked at No. 79 on the Billboard Album Chart. Most of the lyrics were provided by the poet and lyricist Joanna Walton, who also coined the term "Frippertronics" to describe Fripp's tape looping techniques.
Challengers is the fourth studio album by Canadian indie rock band the New Pornographers, released on August 21, 2007. The track listing for the album was revealed June 1, 2007. A box set containing three blank CD-Rs, named "Executive Edition", was released August 7, 2007, two weeks before the album, with the promise of future multimedia to be downloaded at the band's website for fans to compile and burn their own CDs. The first disc included B-sides, demos and alternate versions; the second, titled "Live from the Future", featured live performances of songs related to the album; the third disc includes videos, photos and album artwork. The bonus material was available for download with the pre-orders of Challengers. "Failsafe" is an A.C. Newman song first recorded commercially by the Canadian indie pop band the Choir Practice, and appeared on their debut album several months before the release of Challengers.
Mexican R'n'B is the debut album by English rock band The Stairs. It was released in 1992 on Go! Discs in the UK and, in a shorter format, on London Records in the United States. The album was issued in the following formats: 12" vinyl LP, CD, and cassette.
Weed Bus was the first ep released by Liverpool band The Stairs. The ep was issued in several formats: CD ep; 7" vinyl single; 12" vinyl 45rpm single with picture sleeve; 12" 45rpm vinyl DJ promo single with a plain black sleeve. The matrix of Side A on the 7" vinyl single has Mexican R'N'B inscribed on it, while Side B has Goodbye Sister Disco inscribed. Both 12" vinyl single formats have Don't mess with the Tank inscribed in the matrix on Side A, and Dave Quicksilver and The Blues Messengers inscribed on Side B. The cover art photograph was taken by David Maguire, brother to band member Paul Maguire.
Woman Gone And Say Goodbye was the second ep released by Liverpool band The Stairs, the first being Weed Bus. The EP was issued in several formats: CD ep; 7" vinyl single with picture sleeve; 12" vinyl 45rpm single with picture sleeve; 12" 45rpm vinyl DJ promo single with a plain black sleeve. Both 12" vinyl single formats have What do you mean you don't smoke? inscribed in the matrix on Side A.
"It's for You" is a song written by John Lennon and Paul McCartney of the Beatles for Cilla Black for whom it was a UK Top Ten hit in 1964. The song is mainly a McCartney composition.
"Yesterday, When I Was Mad" is a song by English synth-pop duo Pet Shop Boys, released as the fifth and final single from their fifth studio album, Very (1993), on 29 August 1994 by Parlophone. The single, both written and produced by Neil Tennant and Chris Lowe, peaked at number 13 on the UK Singles Chart and number four on the US Billboard Hot Dance Club Play chart. The song was remixed by Jam & Spoon for its single release, among other things removing a compression effect applied to Tennant's voice during the verses. Its music video was directed by Howard Greenhalgh. One of the B-sides is a cover of the Noël Coward song "If Love Were All".
English Freakbeat, Volume 4 is a compilation album in the English Freakbeat series, featuring recordings that were released decades earlier, in the mid-1960s.
The Definitive Collection of Mini-LP Replica CDs Boxed Set is a compilation of twelve compact discs featuring albums by the English rock group Led Zeppelin. It was distributed by Atlantic Records in collaboration with Rhino Entertainment on 4 November 2008. This collection comprises all nine of Led Zeppelin's original studio albums that have been digitally remastered. Additionally, it includes previously unreleased tracks that were initially part of the 1990 Boxed Set, now presented on disc 12. The set also encompasses the two-disc remastered edition of the film soundtrack The Song Remains the Same, incorporating bonus tracks. The albums are organized chronologically and each is presented in miniature replica sleeves mimicking the original vinyl releases. Prior to this boxed set, these replica CDs were only obtainable as separate releases in Japan. An exclusive Japanese deluxe boxed set was initially offered from 10 September 2008, and was limited to 5,000 copies in the SHM-CD format.
The Beatles in Mono is a boxed set compilation comprising the remastered monaural recordings by the Beatles. The set was released on compact disc on 9 September 2009, the same day the remastered stereo recordings and companion The Beatles were also released, along with The Beatles: Rock Band video game. The remastering project for both mono and stereo versions was led by EMI senior studio engineers Allan Rouse and Guy Massey.
Boomerang is the fourth studio album by Christian rock band Mad at the World. Released in 1991, it was their most controversial album.
The CD Single Box is a compilation compact disc box set by the English rock band Queen released exclusively in Japan on 26 April 1991 by EMI Records.
