Guide
Single vs EP vs album: how many songs each one needs
An EP sits between a single and an album, and the label you see in a store depends on the number of songs and how long they run. You don't always get to choose it, because stores classify your release using their own rules. Here's what those rules are and how to pick the right format.
Updated November 2, 2026
Short answer
An EP, short for extended play, usually has 4 to 6 songs and runs 30 minutes or less. On Apple Music, a single has 1 to 3 songs that are each under 10 minutes. A release with 1 to 3 songs where one runs 10 minutes or more, and the whole thing runs 30 minutes or less, is an EP. Anything longer, or with 7 or more songs, is generally an album. Spotify's rules are similar.
What to do, in order
Count your songs and minutes
Add up the tracks and the total running time, because those two numbers decide the label stores give your release.
Decide what the release is for
A single puts all the attention on one song. An EP gives listeners a small set. An album makes a full statement, but it takes longer and costs more to finish.
Plan which song leads
Spotify puts one song per artist per week in each listener's Release Radar. Pitch the song you most want your followers to hear.
Keep ISRCs if you reuse a single
If a single is going on your later EP or album, use the same audio and the same ISRC, even though the release gets a new UPC.
Match the title on your cover
If your single's cover art shows the album title, some distributors treat that as a conflict. Use the release's own title or no text at all.
Check how it appears
After release day, see what each store calls your release. If a label matters to you, check that service's current guidance with your distributor.
The rules at a glance
Apple publishes its rule in the Apple Music Style Guide. Spotify's rule below comes from CD Baby's description of how Spotify classifies releases.
| Format | Apple Music | Spotify, per CD Baby |
|---|---|---|
| Single | 1 to 3 songs, each under 10 minutes | Up to 3 tracks, under 30 minutes in total |
| EP | 4 to 6 songs, 30 minutes or less; or 1 to 3 songs with one of at least 10 minutes, 30 minutes or less in total | 4 to 6 tracks, under 30 minutes in total |
| Album | Generally anything longer or with more songs | 7 or more tracks, or over 30 minutes in total |
Services can change these rules. Checked on 2 November 2026.
Sources don't all agree on Spotify
Distributors describe Spotify's rule a little differently. Amuse says a Spotify release with 5 or fewer tracks and under 30 minutes is a single or EP, and that 6 or more tracks is an album. CD Baby says 4 to 6 tracks under 30 minutes is generally an EP. If you have exactly 6 tracks and the label matters, ask your distributor before release day.
Your distributor may also use its own labels in its dashboard. CD Baby, for example, treats a one-track release as a single and anything with two or more tracks as an album, even though the stores may label it differently.
What EP and LP mean
EP stands for extended play. LP stands for long play, which is another name for an album. Both terms come from vinyl, but they've stayed in use for digital releases because they tell listeners roughly how much music to expect.
Which should you release?
There's no format that works best for everyone, so think about what you have and what you can promote.
- Choose a single when one song is clearly ready and you want to focus on it.
- Choose an EP when several songs belong together but you don't need a full album.
- Choose an album when the songs work as a whole and you have the budget and time to promote them.
How your format affects Release Radar
Your followers get songs from your new release in Release Radar, but each listener only gets one song per artist per week. Spotify includes a song for up to 4 weeks if a listener hasn't heard it.
Spotify also leaves out re-releases of songs already on the service. If your album repeats singles you've already released, its new songs are the ones to focus on.
How Traxure helps
A release doesn't have to be an album to go missing. Traxure watches singles, EPs and albums the same way. It checks your Spotify profile every 12 hours and your full catalog on 12 platforms every day. If a release goes missing on Spotify, Apple Music, Amazon Music, YouTube Music, Deezer, TIDAL, SoundCloud or Pandora, it emails you the before, the after and a note to your distributor ready to send. Monitoring starts with a seven-day free trial.
The store rules here were checked on 2 November 2026.
Questions artists ask
What is an EP in music?
An EP, or extended play, is a release that's longer than a single and shorter than an album. It usually has 4 to 6 songs and runs 30 minutes or less.
How many songs are on an EP?
Usually 4 to 6. On Apple Music, a release with 1 to 3 songs can also be an EP if one song runs at least 10 minutes and the whole release runs 30 minutes or less.
How many songs make an album?
Stores generally treat 7 or more songs as an album. A shorter release can also count as one if it runs more than 30 minutes.
Is 3 songs a single or an EP?
On Apple Music, 3 songs under 10 minutes each make a single. If one of them runs 10 minutes or more and the release runs 30 minutes or less, it's an EP.
How long is an EP vs an album?
An EP runs 30 minutes or less. Releases over 30 minutes are generally treated as albums, whatever the number of tracks.
Can I put my single on my EP or album later?
Yes. Keep the same audio and the same ISRC so it's still recognized as the same recording. The new release gets its own UPC.
Sources
Traxure
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