Maxi single

A maxi single or maxi-single (sometimes abbreviated to MCD) is a music single release with more than the usual two tracks of an a-side song and a b-side song.

The first maxi singles

The term came into wide use in the 1970s, where it usually referred to 7-inch vinyl singles featuring one track on the A side and two on the B side. The 1975 reissue of David Bowie's Space Oddity, where the featured song is coupled with Changes and Velvet Goldmine, is a typical example. Since the mid 1970s, it was used to refer to 12" vinyl singles with 3 or 4 tracks or an extended or remixed version A-Side and 2 or 3 tracks B-Side initially for DJ's. Later, in the 1980s, a typical practice was to release a 2-song single on 7" vinyl and cassette, and a maxi-single on 12" vinyl.

These first 12" maxi-singles were promotional and mostly sent to discotheques and radio stations. Examples of such promos—released at almost same time in 1975—are Gary Toms Empire – "Drive My Car", Don Downing – "Dream World", Barrabas – "Mellow Blow", The Tramps – "Hooked For Life", Ace Spectrum – "Keep Holdin' On", South Shore Commission – "Train Called Freedom", The Chequers – "Undecided Love", Ernie Rush – "Breakaway", Ralph Carter – "When You're Young and in Love", Michael Zager & The Moon Band Feat. Peabo Bryson – "Do it With Feeling", Monday After –...
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