Why don’t they just call it an LP, instead of EP or Mixtape?

[notbritneyspears]

I know the difference between an EP, Mixtape & an LP, what I don’t understand is how they don’t just call an EP (when it has 5 or 6 songs already) or a Mixtape (with more than a dozen songs), an LP (full length studio album). 

 

Clearly, an LP sells more than a mixtape or an ep, not to mention fans and the GP prefer to buy this.

 

It’s the same when it comes to a soundtrack single, for some reason fans don’t support it as much (with very few who succeeded).

 

Enlighten me please..

 

Also, I hate it when an artist call a song a remix but it’s literally the same song no new arrangements or instruments but added verse or vocal, but that’s a different rant. lol 

 

 

 

 

[IRunAway]

It all has to do with the total runtime.

[PokemonSpears]

because if they tried to sell 5-6 tracks as a LP people would riot

[IsraeliMatt]

The explanation is in the names, extended play vs. long play. Some music organizations (I'm pretty sure Spotify and ARIA, the Australian music organization, being among them) have clear rules about what the difference is between EPs and LPs, and time is the most significant criteria. EP's are sometimes like an addendum to a previous album like Gaga's 'The Fame Monster' which at 34 minutes actually has enough minutes to be considered an LP... it's called an EP probably because at 8 songs it's shorter than the standard number of songs, which is 10. Another factor could be fan expectations. If an artist announces a new album and then drops too few songs that last less than 30 minutes, I guarantee some will feel misled and irritated. It's good to be honest about what the product is. I don't mind an EP if it's good. I've purchased some. 

[aoki.loid]

ep has 5-6 songs that don’t reach the runtime 2 make an lp 🤭

a mixtape is a record that has little label help so it’s probably just appeals 2 the label more if it’s called an mixtape 🤭

[Wendy Williams]

12 hours ago, notbritneyspears said:

I know the difference between an EP, Mixtape & an LP, what I don’t understand is how they don’t just call an EP (when it has 5 or 6 songs already) or a Mixtape (with more than a dozen songs), an LP (full length studio album). 

 

Clearly, an LP sells more than a mixtape or an ep, not to mention fans and the GP prefer to buy this.

 

It’s the same when it comes to a soundtrack single, for some reason fans don’t support it as much (with very few who succeeded).

 

Enlighten me please..

 

Also, I hate it when an artist call a song a remix but it’s literally the same song no new arrangements or instruments but added verse or vocal, but that’s a different rant. lol 

 

 

 

 

LP is whole album, EP are just a few songs as "taste" = minialbum, mixtape are some random songs released in one.

[Bo da toe]

Some of y’all are close but let me help you out here. An EP (extended play) is 2-7 songs OR less than 30 min total runtime, an LP (long play) is 8+ songs or more than 30 min total run time.

A mixtape is entirely different as they’re usually independent projects with no commercial push. A mixtape is usually given away for free and therefore can contain uncleared songs/samples. Some mixtapes do get commercial release but it’s usually due to the success of the artists (ex. Beam Me Up Scotty, MC & Her Dead Petz).

Thats the most common standard anyway. Nowadays artists kinda use the terms incorrectly. JoJo called her last project a mixtape and a “capsule project” while it’s classified as an EP on Spotify yet meets the criteria for LP. Artists like Drake also call label supported projects “mixtapes” because they aren’t cohesive or don’t have a specific theme or aren’t considered “commercial.”

As for the remix comment you can thank miss J. Lo for that.When Jennifer released the ****** Remix of Im Real and it was a completely different song from the original Billboard made the rule that a remix has to share a certain amount of similarities to count towards the original songs points. Mariah Carey used to re record new vocals for her remixes until this happened. I agree that they shouldn’t call it a remix if it’s just adding a feature however, production changes plus a new verse/feat (ala Boys Co-Ed Remix) would count as a new song for billboard. So if Kill Bill fest Doja Cat had different production it wouldn’t have counted for the OG going #1. However dance remixes that use the album vocals over a new beat/track count towards the original because it’s the same vocals- which is why Taylor drops dance remixes to get number 1. Also why most acoustic versions use the album version vocals these days.

Edited May 7, 2023 by Bo da toe

[X_M]

20 minutes ago, Bo da toe said:

Some of y’all are close but let me help you out here. An EP (extended play) is 2-7 songs OR >30 min total runtime, an LP (long play) is 8+ songs or <30 min total run time.

LP is longer than a EP, I think you got the order wrong