Extended Play (EP)

An extended play, known in English as 'extended play' or EP, is a type of music recording that contains more than one or two tracks but does not reach the length of a full album (LP). It typically comprises three to six tracks, with a total duration of around thirty minutes or less.

EPs serve various purposes: emerging artists use them to present their debut work without the expense and time required for an album; established artists use them to fill the gap between album releases; some bands choose the EP as a regular release format.

History and origins

The term comes from the era of vinyl records. The small 7-inch record played at 45 revolutions per minute normally carried one track per side. Manufacturers developed a larger format that could hold two tracks per side—this gave rise to the term 'extended play'. The EP thus became known by its physical dimensions, after the measurement became standard in the industry and market.

The boundary between EP and album

There is no universal standard for the boundary. The organizations that track sales and chart music—each has its own criteria that combine track count and total duration. For this reason, the same recording may be classified as an EP in one country and as an album in another.

The EP in the digital era

Following the growth of digital sales and streaming services, the cost of producing a short recording fell significantly. This made the EP a standard tool for ongoing release, especially among independent artists and in hip hop, K-pop, and independent rock music. Some streaming services do not clearly distinguish between EP and album, using only the term 'release'.

Related terms

By comparison: a 'single' is a release of one or two tracks; a 'mixtape' is a release that typically falls outside the formal commercial structure; 'mini-album' is an alternative term used in many places instead of EP, particularly in East Asia.