User:Lectrician1/Single rewrite

Following this Wikiproject Music discussion and the numerous discussions on this talk page about the lack of this article defining that the term "single" has two, closely-related and confusing definitions, I'm proposing a rewrite of the lead section.

This rewrite aims to cover these definitions of a "music single":

1. The release type, "single". Also known as a "single album" or "physical single", or "pre-release single". A single is a release that contains 1-3 songs. It can contain an A and B-sides. Some of the tracks, always the A-side but sometimes the B-side too, may considered a "single" as-in the second definition (depending if it meets the requirements). These second definition "singles" are considered a "non-album single" if it never appears on an album or EP.. This is the "original definition" of a "music single". Singles, as in this definition, used to always be released physically before they were ever incorporated on an album. Now, singles have transitioned to include the second definition. Music streaming services like Spotify, Apple Music, Youtube Music, and others have continued to only distinguish singles of this definition and not the second for discography consistency and release accuracy.
2. The individual track or song type, "single". Also known as a "digital single", "album single", "lead single", "title track", or others. However, these terms also have more-specific definitions and requirements that pertain to how and when the single was released. All are considered a "single" though. A single is usually the promoted song(s) on an album or the song(s) that reach the highest popularity. "Promoted" can be defined as a music video being created for the song, the artist specifically stating it is a "single", or another defining characteristic. An album can have multiple singles. An album like Lilac has the pre-release single (as in the first definition) Celebrity (IU song), the title track single "Lilac", and the singles "Coin" and "Epilogue". All four songs also meet this of single. Basically, this definition can be used for all song singles and therefore defines what songs currently make up the singles list of an artist's discography on Wikipedia.

Why we need the second definition

• I and Wikipedians in the past have gotten confused when looking at Template:Infobox song or Template:Infobox album and seeing "Single", clicking on the definition which links to this page, and finding that it only covers the first definition when the song marked with single is actually a single as in the second definition. Even more confusion is fostered when you look at artist Singles discography lists.
• The music industry and music publications have used this definition of single as the music industry since the coming of the digital music age when the promotion and usage of singles of the second definition became extremely commonplace. Look up any artist and a name of one of their singles of the second definition and you'll see that music publications always call them singles.

Current writing of lead section

In music, a single is a type of release, typically a song recording of fewer tracks than an LP record or an album. This can be released for sale to the public in a variety of formats. In most cases, a single is a song that is released separately from an album, although it usually also appears on an album. Typically, these are the songs from albums that are released separately for promotional uses such as digital download, or video release. In other cases a recording released as a single may not appear on an album.

Despite being referred to as a single, in the era of music downloads, singles can include up to as many as three tracks. The biggest digital music distributor, iTunes Store, accepts as many as three tracks less than ten minutes each as a single. Any more than three tracks on a musical release or thirty minutes in total running time is an extended play (EP) or, if over six tracks long, an album.

Historically, when mainstream music was purchased via vinyl records, singles would be released double-sided. That is, they were released with an A-side and B-side, on which two singles would be released, one on each side.

Proposed rewrite of lead section

In music, a single is a type of release or song. A release-type single is a song recording of fewer tracks than an LP record or an album. A song-type single is a song promoted over others that are part of the same release that can be part of a release-type single, extended play, album, or other type of release.