While one allows the artist to showcase versatility without the pressure of a full album, the other generates visibility, fan engagement, and anticipation for larger projects. Artists use both EPs and singles to achieve different creative and commercial goals. We will explore their strategic impact, and how they are reshaping today’s music industry. What roles have we, by extended use, assigned to EPs and singles in today’s music market?
The Evolution Of Music Releases
Before the proliferation of digital streaming, record labels would invest heavily in creating cohesive albums. Album concepts, sequencing, and storytelling all went into thoughtfully crafted full-length albums and helped to enhance the listener’s experience from start to finish. Although some artists still adhere to this tradition, the industry has changed significantly.
However, we must admit that not every song in an album reaches hit status. There have always been listener favorites, and streaming platforms amplified this by allowing audiences to build personalized playlists from not just one album but multiple artists and albums. With access to vast music libraries, audiences could stream individual songs on demand. As a result, singles rose in prominence as we began to see a shift from album-driven sales. People no longer needed to purchase entire albums. The growth of streaming services, coupled with the influence of social media platforms, where fast, short content with snippets of songs were constantly being consumed, attention-grabbing tracks became highly profitable.
Defining EPs and Singles
EPs
An EP (Extended Play) is a collection of works, typically 4-6 songs long with a playtime of about 15-30 minutes. Some call it a medium-length album, enough to showcase an artist’s range and style without the full commitment of a long-form project. It is not enough to be considered an album but has more content than a single. Recent examples include Asake’s Ololade Asake (2022) and BTS Jimin’s Face (2023).
Singles
Singles, as the name implies, are individual tracks, that are sometimes released as promotional tools to gauge the audience reactions or to generate buzz for an upcoming album. A good example is Victony’s Holy Father. Despite being a track on Mayorkun’s album Back in Office, it was promoted as a single with the intent of drawing attention to the album, and it worked like a charm.
With the proliferation of streaming culture and the use of social media platforms that thrive on short-form content, singles are crucial for achieving viral success, as illustrated by Latto’s Big Energy (2021), which thrived on TikTok with its blend of pop and rap.
Strategic Benefits of EPs and Singles
EPs
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Creative Flexibility:
As stated earlier, EPs help an artist showcase versatility, encouraging creative experimentation without the financial investment of an album. There is also the time it takes to create a full album. Releasing an EP can keep artists relevant, as they can put out new music without lengthy gaps.
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Audience Building And Market Testing:
Established artists use EPs to introduce new material or explore fresh directions in their music. EPs are also effective for introducing emerging artists. They provide a snapshot of an artist’s style and sound, attracting listeners who might not commit to a full album. Examples of successful debut EPs include Ayra Starr’s Ayra Starr (2021) and Ruger’s Pandemic.
Singles
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Streaming and Virality:
Singles have always been utilized as an effective promotional tool and in the age of streaming, they are essential for gaining visibility. Propelled by streaming culture, Artists often release singles regularly to secure playlist placements on platforms like Spotify, increasing exposure and engagement.
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Attention Grabbers:
Singles are designed as attention grabbers. Compared to EPs and full-length albums, singles are less expensive to produce, making them ideal for sustaining an artist’s presence. Because they are more likely to go viral, they align perfectly with social media trends and the consumption patterns encouraged by the streaming ecosystem. Singles provide just the right leverage for playlist placement, enhancing listener engagement.
Conclusion
In this era of digital distribution, streaming is ultimately a game of numbers. As an artist, getting your song onto a major streaming playlist can significantly boost your reach. It is this playlist culture that has pushed artists to focus on releasing standout singles, as frequent releases increase the likelihood of getting noticed.
Incentivized to prioritize songs that could potentially dominate curated playlists, artists and labels have found themselves in a never-ending loop of constantly pushing out singles. As streaming and social media continue to shape music consumption, we will continue to witness within the music space a focus on virality rather than the artistic value that full-length albums represent reflecting our ever-evolving music landscape.
