The music industry is booming in recent years. There are a number of song releases. While some songs are released as an album, others may be released as extended play records. Although an album and an extended play record is a composition of musical recordings, they have comparable differences.
Extended Play vs Album
The main difference between extended play and album is that an extended play record is usually shorter in length as compared to an album. Most of the time, an extended play record is usually half the length of an album.
Extended play refers to music recordings that are usually four to six tracks long. Extended play records are commonly used by punk and independent bands. At present, an extended play record is any musical recording that is approximately half the length of an album. The main purpose of using an extended play record is to grow a fan base.
Album is a musical recording collection that can be downloaded, as a CD or a record. The audio formats used in an album include non-audio printed format, vinyl records, 8-track tape, compact cassette, compact disc, and MP3 albums. The length of an album varies considerably. Another name of an album is a long play record or LP.
Comparison Table Between Extended Play and Album
What is an Extended Play?
An extended play refers to a musical recording that generally consists of more tracks than a single but fewer than an album or LP record. A short form of an extended play record is EP. An extended play record usually consists of four or five tracks. Therefore, it is less expensive and time consuming as compared to producing albums.
Earlier, an extended play connoted only 78 rpm standard play and LP. However, it is only recently that it also refers to CDs and downloads. Over the years, EPs have become a convenient marketing strategy employed by pop musicians primarily due the popularity of music streaming and music downloads. The duration of music in an extended play record is usually 10 to 25 minutes.
An extended play record has approximately four to six tracks. For instance, famous portals like Spotify consider something as an extended play provided it has only four to six tracks. An extended play record usually gives a taste of the music. Artists use an extended play record to serve several varying purposes. For one, an artist may use it as a multi-track debut after her first single.
Another purpose of an extended play record may be to act as a stopgap between albums. Lastly, an extended play record may have a use to enjoy a mix of recordings that don’t work well when clubbed into an album. Furthermore, each platform such as Spotify, iTunes, and Apple Music has its own specific criterion of classifying something as an extended play record.
What is an Album?
An album refers to a collection of audio recordings. Usually, an album is published as a collection on compact discs, audio tapes, vinyl, or other mediums. Albums have served as the most prominent form of recorded music expression from the mid-1960s till the present century. Traditionally, the word album connoted a collection of several items housed in a book format.
The location where an album is created varies. While a studio is the dominant setting for making albums, other locations include fields, houses,concert venues, or a mix of places. The time required to make an album varies, ranging from a few days to several years. Additionally, there are several steps involved in the making of an album.
The album making process usually commences with live dubbing in studios. Such studios are created to eliminate reverberation and absorb sound. An album varies greatly in length. While it may be as short as containing only five records, it may go on to become a double album as well. An album may at times include a bonus track which is an extra piece of music.
Some common types of albums are studio, live, solo, and tribute or cover. Studio albums are those which are recorded in a studio setting. Live albums are those that are done in a single take. Conversely, solo albums are those that are recorded by a former or current member of a musical group. Lastly, tribute albums are the cover versions of instrumental compositions or songs.
Main Differences Between Extended Play and Album
- An extended play record is a shorter version of an album.
- An extended play record takes fewer hours of composition as compared to an album.
- An extended play record is often called a mini-album. On the other hand, an album is always a full track.
- An extended play may be less expensive to produce than an album.
- While one of the most famous extended play is Thriller by Michael Jackson, the most famous album is Ugly Kid Joe by Hard Rock Band.
Conclusion
Therefore, an extended play and album vary on several grounds. The first extended play record came into use in 1952 in the United States of America by EMI. On the other hand, albums of musical recordings were first introduced in the early 20th century. There is a detailed procedure involved in making an album.
While an extended play record may be an ideal option for a mock recording or to attract a fan base, albums are helpful to artists as they help them to create long-lasting artistic impacts in the music industry as well as among the audience. To conclude, an extended play and album have several points of difference.
References
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Album
- https://diymusician.cdbaby.com/releasing-music/what-is-an-ep/