Definition of flip side

The phrase "flip side" originated in the 1950s and 60s during the era of vinyl records. In those days, a record was played on a large, turntable-like device called a phonograph. The discs themselves were made of a thick, circular piece of vinyl known as a record or LP (Long Playing). The "flip side" referred to the opposite side of the record from the hit song or popular track. Often, the "B side" (or backside) of the record would contain a lesser-known song, meant primarily for collectors or avid listeners. The term "flip side" derived from the way records were flipped over manually by the listener between plays. By physically flipping the disc, the player would switch from one side to the other. Given the special significance that flip sides often held in the record industry, the term has since evolved to indicate something previously unseen, but now made visible or available through a change in perspective or circumstance. In addition, the term has been appropriated in modern colloquialisms, such as "the flip side of life" or "the flip side of the salary coin," which refer to the less appreciated aspects or consequences of a situation that are often overlooked.