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Thinking of releasing your music? Perhaps the first question is should you release a single, EP or album? In this article, we will go through the differences between and the advantages of the different formats, as well as the strategies that create the best conditions for your music.
The music industry today
In statistics from Ifpi on music sales in Sweden, we can see that digital music sales in 2022 accounted for 94% of total revenue. Physical formats, such as LPs and CDs, accounted for only 6% of revenue. That’s a big difference from the early 2000s when CD sales were at their peak. Simply put, the music doesn’t sell as much today through physical releases. In a sense, consumption of recorded music today functions more as a way to promote other more favorable products related to music. This can, for example, be things like merchandise and live shows. With that in mind, it is now more important than ever to release music often, to increase the chances of discovery on streaming platforms.
More and more artists are releasing multiple singles at frequent intervals and topping playlists by constantly being up-to-date with new music. The number of albums released has therefore decreased over the years.
What are the differences?
We can start with the most obvious differences between the different editions. They may vary slightly between different platforms, but generally they are broken down as follows:
- A single contains between 1-3 songs, where the songs have a total running time of under 10 minutes.
- An EP can contain between 4-6 songs, and generally has a total running time of under 30 minutes.
- An album is often 6 songs or more, with a total running time of over 30 minutes.
Release a Single
We at KMR Studios recommend, if you are a new artist who has yet to release music, to release a single as your first music release. The benefits of releasing a single are many, so we’ve divided them into three different areas:
Learn the process of producing music
A big factor that affects music projects is often the budget. Although you might be able to record everything at home, it can feel safe to use the expertise of professionals. It can speed up your development and help you avoid many common pitfalls. You can decide on this before each project and there is always a solution for your particular project. When releasing a single, it’s good to remember that:
- The total cost is lower. For a single you don’t need as much studio time, time for mixing and mastering etc. Which means that the overall cost of the project is lower.
- You get a feel for releasing your music. It can be scary to release something for the first time. Instead of being weighed down by the pressure that can come with releasing a full album, it’s easier to take the first step with a single. When the first single is released, you’ve got a feel for the whole process and can tackle your next music project with confidence.
Find your sound
When you’re new as an artist, a lot of pieces need to fall into place and feel right. You have to express who you are through your music, which takes time. Since you will develop your sound over time, there are several advantages to releasing singles at the beginning:
- It’s easier to experiment. Maybe you have a few songs that have completely different sounds, and are unsure if you have found exactly what “your sound” is? Whether you have it or not, you can always try releasing them as singles and see what your listeners appreciate.
- You are not competing against yourself. The more songs you release at the same time, the more they compete against each other for attention, you avoid this by releasing one song at a time.
- You get continuous feedback. When you release singles and release them often, you can see how they are received over time. Maybe listeners like your first single better than your third? It becomes easier to follow how your sound evolves, which can lead you back to your roots or to explore new areas.
Find your audience
It’s also important to think about your audience. If you don’t yet have a large number of listeners – and want to reach new listeners with your music – releasing a single can be extra good. The advantages of the single are that:
- You have a greater chance of being discovered. Many listeners come across new music through playlists such as ‘Discover Weekly’ or ‘New Music Friday’. Releasing singles gives you more chances to get into different playlists. This is because:
- Singles are appreciated by streaming platforms. They want continuous music releases. The more often you release music, the more often it can get a chance to be seen. Since it’s much quicker to release singles than big EPs and albums, it’s singles that the platforms prefer.
- You get feedback from your listeners. It’s easier to see how your music is received through a single, because then there aren’t as many songs competing against each other within the same release.
- Easier to plan recurring music releases. By scheduling music releases throughout the year, you can keep your listeners coming back to your music and becoming fans over time. It’s easier to plan recurring music through multiple singles because they’re not as time-consuming as an album.
Release an EP
If you are considering releasing an EP, at KMR Studios we like to think of artists who have released a single before. Maybe you’ve released a single before that you liked the sound of? Or do you have some songs that didn’t quite fit on an album – then an EP could be the right solution. Now is the time to:
Get comfortable in the process of producing music
Compared to a single, an EP can cost a little more. But it’s a good hybrid between a single and an album. Releasing an EP after releasing singles before comes with advantages:
- Develop your story. With one or more singles, you have different stories that you can tie together. You can easily do this through an EP. The advantage of an EP compared to an album is that the number of songs you need to produce will not be as many. It allows you to save on your costs, but still express a longer story like an album.
- You know how a release works. Now you may be somewhat more comfortable with what is needed to carry out a music release. You can take advantage of your skills from having released singles, and perhaps you can reuse material from the previous releases to save time.
Develop your sound
You may have some older songs that are close to your heart – then these can get a boost from being re-released as you refine your own sound. Now there is room to experiment and you can do this by:
- Release a new version. Your sound will have developed after a few singles, and maybe it’s time to lift your previous songs, so they can reflect how you sound today.
- It makes it easier to keep up with your planning for your releases. Releasing your songs in new iterations, perhaps with a few changes, can save you time. This allows you to maintain the plan you set for yourself.
Get to know your audience
To have a cohesive feel to your EP, it’s good if you build it around a specific song. Maybe there is a single that your listeners particularly enjoyed? Then it may be good to think of:
- Collecting the songs that your listeners like. If you’ve released a few singles and want to give them a second chance in the spotlight, it might be wise to put them on an EP.
- The first song on the list gets the most plays. Something that is important to remember is that the first song in a playlist usually gets the most plays. This is where the listener decides if they want to continue listening to the playlist or switch to something else. Then it is good if the first song is one that the listener recognizes and likes.
- An EP is aimed at your own audience but also at new listeners. When it comes time to release an EP, it’s likely that you have a number of listeners who want to hear more of your music. But maybe you are at the beginning of your career and still want to reach even more listeners? An EP meets both of those criteria quite well, as EPs can also get good distribution on streaming platforms.
Release an album
Nowadays, releasing an album is not as beneficial, as the project cost rises and the time between releases becomes longer. But there are some exceptions and ways to be strategic with an album release. We at KMR Studios recommend that you have released a few songs before and are familiar with the process of music production itself before embarking on an album project.
You are well acquainted with the process of producing music
When it comes to releasing albums, the costs increase, but when you have the experience of previous releases, this process goes more smoothly. Also, not all costs increase when producing an album:
- The cost per song is lower. The total studio time may be longer and causes the total cost of the music project to be greater than for a single or an EP. However, making several songs in one and the same project reduces the cost of mixing and mastering per individual song. The cost of publishing will also be lower because the album only requires a cover, for example, regardless of whether you self-publish or through a record label. If you have more questions about distribution, you can read more about this under release music.
You have found your sound
After releasing a few singles and maybe an EP, you’ve had time to fully develop your sound. Now may be the time to showcase your sound in its entirety, and take your listeners out on a longer experience. The album can contain songs that have stood out over the years, brand new songs, or a mix of both. Together on an album, they can help you convey a new story.
- Show who you are. An album tells a whole story, and reflects your development and your effort. An album is a big project and to have completed it is a great reflection of your artistry.
- Introduce a concept. When you release an album, it can also be a good time to make it a concept. On a concept album, for example, the songs can lead into each other, which provides the listening experience with a clear, red thread to follow through the album.
Your audience gets to know you
When it’s time to release an album, we at KMR Studios believe it’s good if you as an artist are at a stage where you already have a small listener base. They are more than happy to listen through your songs, which makes it more likely that they will listen through every song on your album. It is also a:
- Great tool to promote a tour. Tours still revolve a lot around the artist’s new album, giving the audience a clear picture of what songs they can come and listen to during a live show. It can also make it easier for someone to book you for shows, as an album can more easily convey your overall sound as an artist.
- Great tool for promoting merchandise. In connection with album releases, your audience can get something extra by buying merchandise, which gives you as an artist more income.
Release your music
Whether you’re thinking about starting your music career or you’ve already started, we at KMR Studios are here to support you all the way. When you collaborate with experts to create your music, you can take advantage of their expertise to accelerate your career. Contacts are made and new doors open, so don’t hesitate to contact those already active in the music industry.
In order for the music you create to gain listeners, not only good music is required, but nowadays a lot of marketing. This applies regardless of whether you release a single, EP or album. In order for your music to be heard, it must first be seen. If marketing feels tricky, there is always help to get, as we at KMR Studios deliver materials that can help you with your release.
Regardless of whether it feels right to you to release a single, EP or album, the most important thing is to actually release the music. There is not a solution that is objectively right, so start from your own goals with your music when applying what you read in this article. We at KMR Studios are here if you want a more customized solution designed around you and your upcoming music project. Get in touch with us by clicking the button below, or read more about how we help artists with their music projects.
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