Extended play

An EP is a small set of music.

It has more songs than one single. But it has fewer songs than a full album.

Long ago, EPs were small plastic discs. They were often 7 inches wide. They could hold about 15 minutes of music.

Making an EP is fast for a band. It does not take as much time as an album. This makes them great for new music.

Some people call them mini-albums. You can find them on CDs or online. They are a fun way to hear songs.

Music fans love to find new sounds. EPs help them do that easily.

An EP is a musical recording. The name stands for extended play. It has more songs than a single. But it has fewer songs than an album. Most EPs have up to eight tracks. They usually play for 15 to 30 minutes.

In the past, EPs were small plastic discs. They were often 7 inches wide. These discs played at 45 rpm. That is a speed for records. RCA Victor made EPs in 1952. They used narrow grooves to fit more music. This let them hold 7.5 minutes per side.

Many bands love the EP format. It is less expensive to make. It does not take much time. Punk and indie bands often use them. In K-pop, people call them mini-albums.

Today, EPs are on CDs and online. Pop stars use them to stay busy. They can release an EP between big albums. This gives fans more music to hear. Some artists even release an album in parts. They might release three EPs over a few months. This helps fans get music in smaller doses.

An extended play, or EP, is a special kind of musical recording. It sits right in the middle of other music types. An EP has more songs than a single, but fewer songs than a full album. Most modern EPs have up to eight tracks on them. They usually play for about 15 to 30 minutes.

Artists often choose this format for many reasons. It is less expensive and takes less time to make than an album. Because of this, punk and indie bands have loved using them for a long time. In K-pop and J-pop, people often call these releases mini-albums.

In the past, EPs were physical plastic discs. The most common ones were 7-inch records that played at 45 rpm. These records were different from standard singles. They used narrower grooves to fit more music on the disc. This allowed them to hold up to 7.5 minutes of music on each side.

Some EPs were even larger, like 12-inch discs. These larger EPs usually had between three and five tracks. They could play for more than 12 minutes. Some companies even released EPs in cassette tapes or 10-inch vinyl formats.

The history of the EP began in the 1950s. RCA Victor introduced the format in the United States in 1952. This was done to compete with the new long-play LPs. A few years later, a company called EMI released the first EPs in Britain in April 1954. In Sweden, EPs became very popular during the late 1950s. In fact, EPs made up about 85% of the music market there. Many famous stars used this format to reach fans. Elvis Presley released 28 different EPs between 1956 and 1967.

Different places had different rules for what counted as an EP. In the United States, the Recording Industry Association of America says an EP is a release under 30 minutes with three to five songs. However, the Grammy Awards have different rules. They say any release with five or more songs and over 15 minutes of music is an album. In the United Kingdom, the rules are also specific. The Official Chart Company calls a record an album if it has more than four tracks. This is helpful for knowing how music is ranked on charts.

Today, EPs have changed along with technology. We no longer just use vinyl records to listen to them. Now, EPs are common as digital downloads and music streams. Pop musicians use them as a smart way to stay busy. They can release an EP to give fans music between big albums. Some artists even try to release one big album in several small pieces. For example, Miley Cyrus once planned to release a trilogy of EPs. This helps fans get more music in smaller, frequent doses.

An extended play, commonly known as an EP, is a musical recording format. It occupies a specific middle ground in the music industry. An EP contains more tracks than a single but fewer tracks than a full album. Today, EPs often include up to eight tracks. Their total playing time usually ranges from 15 to 30 minutes.

Unlike a full album, an EP is often less cohesive. This means the songs might not all follow one single theme. Artists often view EPs as less expensive and less time-consuming to produce. Because of this, the format has been very popular with punk and indie bands. In some musical cultures, like K-pop and J-pop, EPs are called mini-albums.

The mechanics of the EP changed as technology evolved. Originally, the term referred to a specific type of 45 rpm phonograph record. In the 1950s, 7-inch 45 rpm singles could only play about four minutes per side. To compete with the new long-play (LP) records, RCA Victor introduced Extended Play 45s in 1952. They achieved this by using narrower grooves on the disc. This was done by lowering the cutting levels or using sound compression. These technical changes allowed each side to hold up to 7.5 minutes of music.

Crucially, these discs could still be played on a standard 45 rpm phonograph.

There are several distinct types of EP releases. Early EPs were often compilations of singles or samplers of an album. They were typically played on 7-inch discs with two songs on each side. Some EPs were even larger, such as 12-inch versions. These larger discs usually held between three and five tracks and played for over 12 minutes. There were also 10-inch vinyl formats and cassette versions. In the era of compact discs, a new type called the maxi single emerged. These often featured four or five tracks and could play for up to 25 minutes. While similar in length to an EP, maxi singles focus on one main song with other tracks acting as B-sides.

The history of the EP shows its global impact. RCA introduced the format in the US in 1952. EMI brought the first EPs to Britain in April 1954. The format saw massive success in certain regions. In Sweden, EPs were incredibly popular in the late 1950s. They actually made up about 85% of the entire music market there. In the United States, Elvis Presley was a major force for the format. He released 28 EPs between 1956 and 1967. Many of these releases topped the Billboard EP chart during its short existence. In the UK, artists like The Beatles and Cliff Richard were very prolific with EPs.

Defining an EP can be difficult because different organizations use different rules. In the United States, the Recording Industry Association of America uses specific numbers for certification. They define an EP as a release under 30 minutes with three to five songs. However, the Recording Academy has different standards for the Grammy Awards. They consider any release with five or more songs and a runtime over 15 minutes to be an album. The United Kingdom also has its own rules for sales charts. The Official Chart Company classifies a record as an album if it has more than four tracks. They also label it an album if the playing time exceeds 25 minutes.

Many notable examples highlight the versatility of the EP. The Beatles released the Magical Mystery Tour film soundtrack as a double EP in 1967. This set included six songs spread across two 7-inch discs. In the late 1970s, the punk rock movement caused a strong revival for the format. Bands like the Buzzcocks used EPs to release new, original material. The British band Cocteau Twins also used the format heavily, releasing ten EPs between 1982 and 1995. Some artists even use the format to release an album in pieces. For example, Jessie J released her fourth album as four separate EPs in just four days.

Today, the EP is a vital tool in the digital and streaming era. It has become a common marketing strategy for pop musicians. Artists use EPs to remain relevant by delivering music in consistent timeframes. This helps them provide content between major studio albums. Some artists use EPs to extend the life of a previous album. They might add a few new tracks to the end and release them as a standalone EP. This strategy helps keep fans engaged without the cost of a full new album. The EP remains a flexible bridge between the quick single and the long album.