Mono Singles

During the 1960s and early 1970s (the height of Stevie Wonder's early and mid-career singles run), mono was the primary format for commercial radio and jukeboxes. Even as stereo albums were being sold in stores, record labels routinely created dedicated "single mixes" optimized to punch through small AM car radios and mono household speakers.

Mono single mixes weren't just the stereo version squashed into one channel; they were often mixed entirely differently. Producers and sound engineers would adjust instrument balances, punch up the vocals, alter reverb, or even use different takes and edits to make the 3-minute single hit as hard as possible.

Hearing the original mono single mixes is a way to experience the songs exactly as millions of fans heard them on the radio when they first came out..