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42-918: Two Gentlemen is a 1997 EP by The Sea and Cake . This 1990s indie rock album-related article is a stub . You can help Misplaced Pages by expanding it . Extended play An extended play (EP) originally referred to a specific type of 45 rpm phonograph record other than 78 rpm standard play (SP) and 33 rpm long play (LP), but as of 2024 , also applies to mid-length CDs and downloads as well. EPs are considered "less expensive and time-consuming" for an artist to produce than an album, and have long been popular with punk and indie bands. In K-pop and J-pop , they are usually referred to as mini-albums . EPs were released in various sizes in different eras. The earliest multi-track records, issued around 1919 by Grey Gull Records , were vertically cut 78 rpm discs known as "2-in-1" records. These had finer grooves than usual, like Edison Disc Records . By 1949, when

84-659: A New World LP on an EP that was marked "Part 1". A second EP was planned, but never appeared; only the sleeve was printed. The first double EP released in Britain was the Beatles ' Magical Mystery Tour film soundtrack. Released in December 1967 on EMI's Parlophone label, it contained six songs spread over two 7-inch discs and was packaged with a lavish color booklet. In the United States and some other countries,

126-536: A Secret " (sung by George Harrison ), then a recent UK chart hit in a version by Billy J. Kramer with the Dakotas , and " There's a Place " (sung by Lennon and McCartney). All four tracks were recorded on 11 February 1963 in sessions that resulted in the bulk of the Please Please Me album. The sleeve photograph, described by The Telegraph as "one of the key images of the 1960s, seeming to promise

168-405: A double EP could usually be more economically and sensibly recorded on a single vinyl LP . In the 1950s, Capitol Records had released a number of double EPs by its more popular artists, including Les Paul . The pair of double EPs (EBF 1–577, sides 1 to 8) were described on the original covers as "parts ... of a four-part album". In 1960, Joe Meek released four tracks from his planned I Hear

210-543: A further album in this format, 1985's " Drinking Gasoline ", on the Virgin Records label. Double EPs can also contain the work of multiple artists split across different sides, akin to split albums . An example of this is the Dunedin Double EP, which contains tracks by four different bands. Using a double EP in this instance allowed each band to have its tracks occupying a different side. In addition,

252-478: A new era in which youthful energy and vitality would triumph over drab postwar austerity", shows the Beatles jumping in the air at a bombsite off Euston Road , London. It was taken by Fiona Adams , a young photographer keen to "break away from the conventional Hollywood-style of stage and studio shot", on a twin-lens Rolleiflex camera on 18 April 1963. The shot was featured in Boyfriend magazine before it

294-401: A pair of 7-inch discs recorded at 45 or 33 1 ⁄ 3 rpm , or two 12-inch discs recorded at 45 rpm. The format is useful when an album's worth of material is being pressed by a small plant geared for the production of singles rather than albums and may have novelty value which can be turned to advantage for publicity purposes. Double EPs are rare, since the amount of material record-able on

336-487: A popular show-stopper, according to Alan Smith of the New Musical Express . After the Beatles included "Twist and Shout" as the last track on their debut album Please Please Me , EMI received a deluge of requests for its issue as a single. British record shops were reported to be similarly "besieged" by customers asking for the song. The popularity of the Beatles version of the song boosted British sales of

378-480: A single song, instead resembling a mini album. EPs of original material regained popularity in the punk rock era, when they were commonly used for the release of new material, e.g. Buzzcocks ' Spiral Scratch EP. Ricardo Baca of The Denver Post said in 2010, "EPs—originally extended-play 'single' releases that are shorter than traditional albums—have long been popular with punk and indie bands." Contemporary EPs generally contain up to eight tracks. In

420-439: A standard 45 rpm phonograph . In the early era, record companies released the entire content of LPs as 45 rpm EPs. These were usually 10-inch (25-cm) LPs (released until the mid-1950s) split onto two 7-inch EPs or 12-inch (30-cm) LPs split onto three 7-inch EPs, either sold separately or together in gatefold covers. This practice became much less common with the advent of triple-speed-available phonographs. Introduced by RCA in

462-410: A trilogy of three EPs, beginning with She Is Coming , stated: "By delivering a trio of EPs throughout a period of several months, Miley is giving her fans more of what they want, only in smaller doses. When an artist drops an album, they run the risk of it being forgotten in a few weeks, at which point they need to start work on the follow-up, while still promoting and touring their recent effort. Miley

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504-478: Is doing her best to game the system by recording an album and delivering it to fans in pieces." However, this release strategy was later scrapped in favor of the conventional album release of Plastic Hearts . Major-label pop musicians who had previously employed such release strategies include Colbie Caillat with her fifth album Gypsy Heart (2014) being released following an EP of the album's first five tracks known as Gypsy Heart: Side A three months prior to

546-427: Is the mini-LP , which was a common album format in the 1980s. These generally contained 20–30 minutes of music and about seven tracks. A double extended play is a name typically given to vinyl records or compact discs released as a set of two discs, each of which would normally qualify as an EP. The name is thus analogous to double album . As vinyl records, the most common format for the double EP, they consist of

588-677: The Liverpool Echo , considered "A Taste of Honey" the EP's highspot. An anonymous writer in the Coventry Standard called it "a worthwhile mini-album", while Gerry G. of the Pontypridd and Llantrisant Observer believed that had the Beatles released a single of "Twist and Shout" two months earlier instead, it "would have been better policy and a certain chart topper". In a retrospective review, Bruce Eder of AllMusic described

630-633: The Record Mirror also printed EP charts. The popularity of EPs in the US had declined in the early 1960s in favor of LPs. In the UK, Cliff Richard and the Shadows , both individually and collectively, and the Beatles were the most prolific artists issuing EPs in the 1960s, many of them highly successful releases. The Beatles' Twist and Shout outsold most singles for some weeks in 1963. The success of

672-457: The Twist and Shout EP were reported to total at over 100,000 by its day of release on 12 July 1963. It topped the national EP chart compiled by Record Retailer for 21 non-consecutive weeks beginning 27 July 1963 and ultimately spent 64 weeks on the chart. It was certified silver, for more than 250,000 sales, on 13 August 1963, having become the biggest-selling EP of all time to that point in

714-537: The 1950s. Examples are Elvis Presley's Love Me Tender from 1956 and "Just for You", " Peace in the Valley " and " Jailhouse Rock " from 1957, and the Kinks ' Kinksize Session from 1964. Twelve-inch EPs were similar, but generally had between three and five tracks and a length of over 12 minutes. Like seven-inch EPs, these were given titles. EP releases were also issued in cassette and 10-inch vinyl formats. With

756-516: The 1980s) were introduced in 1970, with tracks selected from an album and packaging resembling the album they were taken from. This mini-LP format also became popular in America in the early 1970s for promotional releases, and also for use in jukeboxes . In 2010, Warner Bros. Records revived the format with their "Six-Pak" offering of six songs on a compact disc. Due to the increased popularity of music downloads and music streaming beginning

798-524: The 45 rpm single and 33 1 ⁄ 3 rpm LP were competing formats, 7-inch 45 rpm singles had a maximum playing time of only about four minutes per side. Partly as an attempt to compete with the LP introduced in 1948 by rival Columbia , RCA Victor introduced "Extended Play" 45s during 1952 . Their narrower grooves, achieved by lowering the cutting levels and sound compression optionally, enabled them to hold up to 7.5 minutes per side—but still be played by

840-458: The EP in Britain lasted until around 1967, but it later had a strong revival with punk rock in the late 1970s and the adaptation of the format for 12-inch and CD singles. The British band Cocteau Twins made prolific use of the EP format, releasing ten EP's between 1982 and 1995. In the Philippines , seven-inch EPs marketed as " mini-LPs " (but distinctly different from the mini-LPs of

882-521: The UK. It later sold over 650,000 copies. Despite being more expensive than a single, the EP was so successful that it became the first EP to enter the top ten of the NME Singles Chart , peaking at number four. Two more EPs, The Beatles' Hits and The Beatles (No. 1) , were commissioned by August. A competing Beatles EP on Polydor , produced in Germany for export, was issued to

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924-504: The US in 1952, EMI issued the first EPs in Britain in April 1954. EPs were typically compilations of singles or album samplers and were played at 45 rpm on 7-inch (18-cm) discs, with two songs on each side. The manufacturing price of an EP was a little more than that of a single. Thus, they were a bargain for those who did not own the LPs from which the tracks were taken. RCA had success in

966-551: The United Kingdom, an EP can appear either on the album or the single chart. The Official Chart Company classifies any record with more than four tracks (not counting alternative versions of featured songs, if present) or with a playing time of more than 25 minutes as an album for sales-chart purposes. If priced as a single, they will not qualify for the main album chart but can appear in the separate Budget Albums chart. An intermediate format between EPs and full-length LPs

1008-529: The United States, the Recording Industry Association of America , the organization that declares releases "gold" or "platinum" based on numbers of sales, defines an EP as containing three to five songs or under 30 minutes. On the other hand, The Recording Academy 's rules for Grammy Awards state that any release with five or more different songs and a running time of over 15 minutes is considered an album, with no mention of EPs. In

1050-424: The advent of the compact disc (CD), more music was often included on "single" releases, with four or five tracks being common, and playing times of up to 25 minutes. These extended-length singles became known as maxi singles and while commensurate in length to an EP were distinguished by being designed to feature a single song, with the remaining songs considered B-sides , whereas an EP was designed not to feature

1092-480: The band's debut album Please Please Me . Rush-released to meet public appetite, the record topped the UK EP chart for twenty-one weeks, the biggest-selling EP of all time in the UK to that point, and became so successful that it registered on the NME Singles Chart , peaking at number four. The EP's cover photograph, featuring the Beatles jumping in a London bombsite , has been described by The Telegraph as "one of

1134-493: The band's displeasure on 21 June 1963. Entitled My Bonnie , it contains four 1961 Hamburg recordings of the Beatles with Pete Best , three of which feature the English rock and roll musician Tony Sheridan on lead vocals. The Twist and Shout EP was reissued as part of The Beatles EP Collection vinyl box set in 1981. The box set received a CD release in 1992. Tony Barrow, writing under his pseudonym Disker in

1176-507: The earlier Isley Brothers recording that inspired it, first released in the UK in July 1962, and led to the release of a version by Brian Poole and the Tremeloes on Decca . The Beatles and George Martin did not consider "Twist and Shout" single material; they were opposed to lifting songs off Please Please Me , Paul McCartney believed it "a bit too off-beat to be commercial" and Lennon

1218-443: The format with Elvis Presley , issuing 28 EPs between 1956 and 1967 , many of which topped the separate Billboard EP chart during its brief existence. Other than those published by RCA, EPs were relatively uncommon in the United States and Canada, but they were widely sold in the United Kingdom, and in some other European countries, during the 1950s and 1960s. In Sweden, the EP was a popular record format, with as much as 85% of

1260-406: The full album; and Jessie J 's fourth studio album R.O.S.E. (2018) which was released as four EPs in as many days entitled R (Realisations) , O (Obsessions) , S (Sex) and E (Empowerment) . The first EPs were seven-inch vinyl records with more tracks than a normal single (typically four of them). Although they shared size and speed with singles, they were a recognizably different format than

1302-404: The groove on the physical record could be wider and thus allow for a louder album. In the 1960s and 1970s, record companies released EP versions of long-play (LP) albums for use in jukeboxes . These were commonly known as "compact 33s" or "little LPs". The jukebox EP was played at 33 1 ⁄ 3 rpm, was pressed on seven-inch vinyl and frequently had as many as six songs. What made it EP-like

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1344-549: The key images of the 1960s". " Twist and Shout ", written by Phil Medley and Bert Berns and first recorded by R&B vocal group the Top Notes , typically closed the Beatles' set during their 1963 tour of Great Britain with Roy Orbison . The band based their version of the twist song on the US hit version by the Isley Brothers recording and its "pounding beat" and "bloodcurdling John Lennon screams" made it

1386-415: The late 2000s, EPs have become a common marketing strategy for pop musicians wishing to remain relevant and deliver music in more consistent timeframes leading to or following full studio albums. In the late 2000s to early 2010s, reissues of studio albums with expanded track listings were common, with the new music often being released as stand-alone EPs. In October 2010, a Vanity Fair article regarding

1428-535: The market in the late 1950s consisting of EPs. Billboard introduced a weekly EP chart in October 1957, noting that "the teen-age market apparently dominates the EP business, with seven out of the top 10 best-selling EPs featuring artists with powerful teen-age appeal — four sets by Elvis Presley, two by Pat Boone and one by Little Richard ". Other publications such as Record Retailer , New Musical Express ( NME ) , Melody Maker , Disc and Music Echo and

1470-618: The record as "pretty daring as a summary of highlights from their debut album", citing the "uncommonly raw rock & roll" title track. Eder considered the Beatles' EPs "more substantial as artifacts of their British output than most EPs were for most other bands" and highlighted the "excellent cover art, with superb photos of the group and actual notes on the back, like an LP". The EP was the first record Elvis Costello bought with his own money, while John Robb of post-punk band The Membranes has described it as "the first time any kind of pop music got into my consciousness". The packaging of

1512-621: The seven-inch single. Although they could be named after a lead track, they were generally given a different title. Examples include the Beatles ' The Beatles' Hits EP from 1963, and the Troggs ' Troggs Tops EP from 1966, both of which collected previously released tracks. The playing time was generally between 10 and 15 minutes. In the UK they came in cardboard picture sleeves at a time when singles were usually issued in paper company sleeves. EPs tended to be album samplers or collections of singles. EPs of all original material began to appear in

1554-531: The songs are spread across two 12" 45 rpm discs. Also, the vinyl pressing of Hail to the Thief by Radiohead uses this practice but is considered to be a full-length album. In 1982 Cabaret Voltaire released their studio album " 2x45 " on the UK-based label Rough Trade , featuring extended tracks over four sides of two 12-inch 45 rpm discs, with graphics by artist Neville Brody . The band subsequently released

1596-426: The songs were augmented by the band's single A- and B-sides from 1967 to create a full LP –a practice that was common in the US but considered exploitative in the UK. The Style Council album The Cost of Loving was originally issued as two 12-inch EPs. It is more common for artists to release two 12-inch 45s rather than a single 12-inch LP. Though there are 11 songs that total about 40 minutes, enough for one LP,

1638-689: The trend noted post-album EPs as "the next step in extending albums' shelf lives, following the "deluxe" editions that populated stores during the past few holiday seasons—add a few tracks to the back end of an album and release one of them to radio, slap on a new coat of paint, and—voila!—a stocking stuffer is born." Examples of such releases include Lady Gaga 's The Fame Monster (2009) following her debut album The Fame (2008), and Kesha 's Cannibal (2010) following her debut album Animal (2010). A 2019 article in Forbes discussing Miley Cyrus ' plan to release her then-upcoming seventh studio album as

1680-538: Was chosen for the EP. Adams went uncredited on the packaging. In 2009, the photograph was included in the National Portrait Gallery 's exhibition Beatles to Bowie: The 60s Exposed ; curator Terence Pepper described it as "one of the defining images of 20th-century culture". Liner notes were provided by Tony Barrow , who wrote that the EP presents "four contrasting facets of the quartet's vocal and instrumental ingenuity". Advance orders of

1722-475: Was concerned about how often he would have to sing it. In a compromise to meet demand, EMI commissioned the Twist and Shout EP as a "special release". Side one of the EP features the title track (sung by Lennon) and " A Taste of Honey " (sung by McCartney), a Broadway song written by Bobby Scott and Ric Marlow that was first recorded in a vocal version by Billy Dee Williams in 1961. Side two contains two Lennon-McCartney originals, " Do You Want to Know

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1764-483: Was that some songs were omitted for time purposes, and the most popular tracks were left on. Unlike most EPs before them, and most seven-inch vinyl in general (pre-1970s), these were issued in stereo . Twist and Shout (EP) Twist and Shout is the first UK extended play by the English rock band the Beatles , released in the UK on EMI 's Parlophone label on 12 July 1963. It contains four tracks produced by George Martin that were previously released on

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