Singles
In music, a single is a short recording of one or more separate tracks. This can be released for sale to the public in a variety of different formats including CD, DVD, Cassette, Vinyl, VHS and Digital Downloads, amongst others. Single releases are often made simultaneously in more than one format, as a single track download, and on CD or vinyl. Records with more than two A-sides are usually not considered singles, but EPs.
Although non-album singles are sometimes released, the lead tracks (and sometimes B-sides) of singles usually come from an album (either one already released or one about to be) and the release of the single is partly to promote sales of the album, and to ensure radio playlisting. CD singles often feature "radio edit" or "single edit" versions of the main song, which differ from the original recording in being edited to an attractive length for radio play, having expletives censored (often by re-recording with different lyrics), or both.
A typical number of singles to be released from an album is two to four—more is considered exceptional. However, since an artist's most popular songs are often singles later albums including their earlier works may have many.
Evanescence has commercially released a total of Ten singles. Those being:
- Bring Me To Life
- Going Under
- My Immortal
- Everybody's Fool
- Imaginary1
- Missing1
- Call Me When You're Sober
- Lithium
- Sweet Sacrifice
- Good Enough
1these were released as radio-only singles in Spain and South America
It is worth noting that Evanescence received airplay before the release of Fallen from the song Understanding. The track gained the band local popularity and eventual commercial success. A 'single' was probably not produced for this purpose.
Collecting Singles
There are many people out there that collect Evanescence singles. It can be a costly hobby as a complete collection may cost thousands of dollars. Nobody is known to possess a "complete" singles collection, though there are a few who come close. There are roughly 80 known separate releases and countless others unknown.
Noteworthy Collectibles
There are obviously many rare singles that were either produced in limited quantities or contain exclusive tracks not found elsewhere (e.g. the Spanish release of Going Under). These are the major collectibles in the scene.
The Imaginary Single
Lovingly called "The Holy Grail of Ev Singles" See: Imaginary#Spain Radio Promo Single
Missing
See: Missing#International Promotional Single
SAMPCS Radio Promos
SAMPCS being the first part of the catalog number
The Fallen era radio promotional discs released in Europe under the Epic (Sony International) label. Most are fairly easy to find for sale online. One exists for each single released off of Fallen (BMTL, GU, MI, EF & Missing). The Bring Me To Life SAMPCS single notably features a drastically different cover image and Daredevil Soundtrack information. The Call Me When You're Sober European radio promo is not included in this category because it was released by a different label (Sony BMG).
WUJC Radio Promos
WUJC being the first part of the catalog number
Discs released directly from Wind-Up Records to United States radio stations. These discs are VERY rare and are often near impossible to find. They span the band's complete commercial career from Bring Me To Life to Good Enough. These discs often include alternate Single artwork and are always in full-sized Jewel cases (as opposed to a standard J-card single case). Earlier singles such as Bring Me To Life and My Immortal are especially rare, but more recently, the Good Enough WUJC single is known to be quite elusive. Nobody is really known to have every WUJC single. There are, in all, Thirteen: 2 for BMTL, 1 for GU, 3 for MI and one for EF, CMWYS, Lithium, SS, and 2 for GE.
