Examples:
"We Will Rock You" and "We Are The Champions" by Queen
"Load Out" and "Stay" by Jackson Browne
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1Likely not the terminology or the answer, but "We Will Rock You" is the B-side song of "We Are The Champions".– DekkadeciCommented Nov 2, 2020 at 10:57
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1I'm curious about this one as well. Another example is "The Happiest Days of Our Lives" and "Another Brick in the Wall, Pt. 2" by Pink Floyd.– Joe KennedyCommented Nov 2, 2020 at 14:36
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5The example of "We Will Rock You" and "We Are The Champions" ("Heartbreaker" and "Communication Breakdown" by Led Zeppelin, "Lovin' Touchin'" and "City of the Angels" by Journey, etc) where one track leads directly into another are known in the radio biz are known as "Locked tracks." It was (among other reasons) a ploy to get more airtime for the band.– DustonCommented Nov 2, 2020 at 15:27
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@Dekkadeci More relevantly, those two are the first tracks of the album News of the World.– AmarthCommented Dec 12, 2022 at 19:46
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@Duston Communication Breakdown is from Led Zeppelin 1 and Heartbreaker is from Led Zeppelin II, why would they be played together? Maybe you meant Heartbreaker + Living Loving Maid? There's a pretty abrupt switch between those 2 tracks.– AmarthCommented Dec 12, 2022 at 19:51
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3 Answers
There's not a specific term per se, but you might hear such songs referred to as a "common pairing" — not formal in any sense, but frequently used.
If the songs are combined such that they form, in effect, one longer song, it's a "medley". In a medley the songs come one after they other; whereas, in a "mashup" they could be consecutive, simultaneous, interleaved, or a combination thereof.
The transition between two songs in called a "segue". This can be musical, but also could be extra-musical (e.g., talking).
A suite is a set of pieces of music that belong together, and are usually played in sequence.
That's mostly used for classical/‘serious’ music (and music originally written for movies/plays), where it usually refers to instrumental pieces; the vocal equivalent would probably be song cycle.
However, modern artists including Steve Hillage, Prince, Synergy, Sonny Rollins, and Mike Batt have included suites on their albums — of songs as well as instrumentals.
Quick answer
The term used to describe two songs usually sung together is polyphony. In music, the simultaneous combination of two or more tones or melodic lines (the term derives from the Greek word for “many sounds”). Thus, even a single interval made up of two simultaneous tones or a chord of three simultaneous tones is rudimentarily polyphonic. (“Polyphony | Definition, Melodic Lines, & Counterpoint | Britannica”) Table of Contents show What is it called when you combine 2 songs?
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3The question is intended to mean songs played consecutively rather than simultaneously.– AaronCommented Jan 6, 2023 at 7:17