[mb-users] Are 12" releases considered EPs?

[Lauri Watts]

On 10/17/06, Jason Bouwmeester <jbouwmeester at gmail.com> wrote:
> > I seems to me like you're stuck right in the middle.  I've seen 4 track
> > singles with 1 or 2 tracks and some different versions of those tracks, 6
> > track EPs where most all songs were different, but 4 different tracks could
> > go either way.  If the artist site or an official source doesn't specify
> > just flip a coin and go with it.  EP's can be such a case by case basis do
> > what you think is right and if anybody has any issues it can be changed
> > later (if they can come up with any proof more than their own opinion).

This is really long and boring and technical. But here goes anyway.

The traditional reason to put out singles, is to sell albums.  To sell
albums, ideally you want to get in the sales charts, because then you
will get radio airplay, and people will want the album.  To get in the
sales charts, you have to 'qualify' under certain rules, and releases
that don't qualify, are not technically 'singles', by industry
standards.  So, here's the rules, for one country at least, and by
default it's what gets released in several others.

The official UK Singles chart rules.  Releases that don't comply with
these requirements are not eligible for the singles chart.  Note
however, these rules are a LOT stricter than they used to be, and only
apply to current (new) releases, more on that in a bit.  Also, these
rules are from the UK, the rules in germany and holland are looser
than this, including longer playing time and more tracks permitted.
In reality, most bands only get one version of a single for europe
wide release.

(The times are max playing time, "tracks" are defined as unique track
titles: a single can have 5 tracks, where there are three songs, and
two remixes of the first, so long as they all come in under the
permitted time for the format)
a) "2 Track" CD Compact Disc Minimum 1.20 10 minutes and no more than
two audio tracks. No multimedia content.
b) "Maxi" CD/DVD Compact Disc/DVD Minimum 1.79 20 minutes and no more
than three tracks plus remixes of those tracks.
c) 7-inch Vinyl up to 7" Minimum 0.50 20 minutes and no more than three tracks.
d) 12-inch Vinyl over 7" Minimum 1.99 20 minutes and no more than
three tracks plus remixes of those tracks.
e) Cassette Tape Minimum 1.20 20 minutes and no more than three tracks.
OR
Remix Single: One title and any number of remixes to a maximum of 40 minutes
Applies to any of the above formats with the exception of "2 Track" CD
singles as
defined in Section 1a.
f) Multimedia CDs/DVDs All other Chart eligibility rules apply.
Disc must play on all standard audio CD/DVD equipment. Multimedia
element permitted.

The really interesting thing (and why I referred to us old folks, the
rules changed _drastically_ about 8 years ago.

    *  Before 1998 it was allowed to include up to 4 different songs
(with "B-sides") up to 25 minutes, and to put a maximum of 40 minutes
playing time on one format if it only contained remixes of the title
track.
    * That's why for example THE ORB released a single "Blue Room"
which was exactly 39:59 long, or that's why THE PET SHOP BOYS and many
many other artists used to release two-part-CD-singles around this
time, one with "B-sides" less than 20/25 minutes, and one with remixes
up to 40 minutes.

You can find out quite a lot more from here
http://www.tursa.franken.de/cin_rules.html

The chart rules above are from the official UK site:
http://www.theofficialcharts.com/chart_rules.php

There are other sets of rules for things like the dance singles chart.

The US has always had stricter rules than the UK, which is one reason
US indie artists are much more likely to issue EP's than a single, or
than their UK counterparts are; if they aren't going to chart with a
single _anyway_, there's no particular need to stick to the very
restrictive rules laid out to qualify for 'single' status.

You can formulate a basic set of rules though.  If it's european, pre
1997, and under 40 minutes long, and contains remixes it's still a
single unless it says otherwise.  And if it's european, pre 1997, and
under 25 minutes long, it doesn't matter how many songs are on it,
it's _still_ a single.  Unless the band says otherwise.

Regards,
-- 
Lauri Watts