Embodiments of the present invention provide a method and an apparatus for generating a sideband residual signal. The method includes: comparing energy of a first signal input by a first sound channel with energy of a second signal input by a second sound channel; if the energy of the first signal is greater than the energy of the second signal, generating a sideband residual signal by allocating a monophonic quantization error to the first signal; and if the energy of the first signal is smaller than the energy of the second signal, generating a sideband residual signal by allocating a monophonic quantization error to the second signal. By using the method and apparatus provided in the embodiments of the present invention, it can be avoided that a monophonic quantization error has a greater impact on a signal whose energy is smaller.