Hi
I'll start releasing singles (that will lead up to releasing full albums). While I'm preparing my singles, I'm thinking about which tracks I'll include on my debut album.

What are today's realities regarding the length of a full album?
If my debut album has 15 songs (3-minutes songs), then is a 45-minute album too long? especially for young listeners?

Is it better to release 10-track albums (lasting 30 minutes), because people rarely listen to longer albums?

PS.
I don't have fans yet. Let's assume that people will be brought to my music by discovering my singles - I wonder if they gonna care to check out all 15 songs on the album, or is it better to release shorter albums...

Thanks for your observations of the 'distracted' society

 

I think 45 minutes is the bare minimum but maybe that's just me I have no idea

 

The playing time of an LP (long play) on vinyl is usually around 30 to 40 minutes per side. This means that a double LP can offer up to 80 minutes of music in total. However, the exact length can vary depending on the artist and album.

The playing length of a single in 45 RPM format is usually around 2 to 4 minutes per side. However, this can vary depending on the artist and song

Remember there are still a lot of normal people out there. Some sit at home and listen to records in their entirety. If they have less free time, they might listen to them one by one as an MP3. The hit song belongs on the first page at the beginning.

 

Concerning sound quality, 30 to 40 minutes per side on a vinyl LP is really bad, especially with loud electronic or rock music. You have to cut it with really low level and reduced bass response. In the 80s there were pop samplers with ten tracks per side, they sounded like shit and every light scratch or dust particle was loud as hell.

But as you say 80 minutes per double vinyl, I assume you mean 40 minutes per vinyl, so 20 minutes per side, which is ok.

 

That's a typo. They meant per disc. That's why a double disc then gives you 60 to 80. 22 minutes per side is the absolute maximum you ever want to push a vinyl disc. Ask Genesis and Todd Rundgren who often broke that rule spectacularly with terrible sounding results.

 

I had no idea! Thanks for that. Gotta love Audiosex.

 

each plataform has its standards.
Remember that is the Mastering that will "glue" all the tracks to sounds coesive.
An album may not just be a compilation of tracks

https://support.cdbaby.com/hc/en-us...s-the-difference-between-Single-EP-and-Albums

 

this is why people talks a lot about the hook.
You have to make a f*cking good 7 ~ 15 seconds intros/hooks on your tracks
On Spotify people listen for 7~15 sec max before saying goodbye to you

Its hard.

 

Many LP's and CD's have an average length of 10 to 14 tracks

An inexpensive alternative to the LP is the CD ROM, which you can also burn yourself at home.

The number of music tracks that fit on a CD/DVD depends on the format of the music files and the capacity of the storage medium. An audio CD with 650 MB can hold around 74 minutes of music or around 150 MP3 files. Some CDs offer space for 700 MB of music. A DVD can store 4.7 GB (gigabytes), which is almost five times more music tracks than on a CD.

 

Last edited: Feb 14, 2025

The truth is that young people can't concentrate on something for longer time, they only listen to a few seconds of a composition and then choose the next one that's why max 30 minute albums are ok.
Unfortunately these are the times we live in, everything has already been done, now there are only cheap cover songs

 

Depending on the genre... we had songs where the intro was 5 minutes long and the singer didn't walk on stage until 3 or 4 more

 

The LP format dictated 20 or slightly more minutes per side; ca. 45 minutes in total duration. CD format permitted 74, then 80, minutes in duration (so, formerly-LP album plus bonus tracks, or longer-format music).

Just put your music out in a manner appropriate to the music. I know someone who's used to listening to music by skimming through and skipping over. He wasn't smart enough to listen to my music.

 

That's why back in the analog days 90 minute cassette tapes were often used, because they were fine to record two vinyls, one to each side.

And if you go some years back, a 7 inch reel of "long play" (35 micrometers) tape was about 24 minutes at 15 ips and so was ideal for one side or both sides at 7.5 ips.

 

in my experience its better to release your "debut" album when youve already developed a following. in the time leading up to that, singles and EP's work a lot better in getting motion

but theres no real rule in regards to album length. a body of work is more about how many songs get what youre trying to express across and keep the listener engaged. as long as its over 30 minutes its considered an LP/album. albums from 30mins -2hrs get released today and overall people will listen if they rock with you

 

not sayin' it's a good thing, but releasing 1 proper track with a video is already "too much" for an average audience, nowadays album length should fit into tiktok video which is somewhere around 30-60 seconds, not minutes

 

Maybe it makes sense to release 2 versions of an album:
- Main Edition with standard 3-minute songs (15 tracks x 3 min = 45 min)
and
- Short Edition with snippets of each song. Each snippet would only consist of a verse and chorus and would last under 90 seconds (15 tracks x 60-90sec = 20 min)

 

@a1000 jokes aside I'd say don't trouble yourself with it too much,

if you're unknown, then one good song is more worth than whole album,
on the other hand if you have creative ideas that are worth a full length album then sure go for it,

if you don't have fans yet, then don't expect miracles,
that said if you truly enjoy making music, don't limit yourself to pleasuring the audience you don't (yet) have

 

First, back up your work on several external storage devices so that in case of copyright infringement you can prove that the work is yours.

There are several steps you can take to protect your musical work against copyright infringement:

1. Copyright registration: in many countries, copyright is automatic as soon as you create a work. However, it can be helpful to register your work with a competent authority in order to have clear proof of your authorship in the event of a dispute.

2. Documentation: Record all the processes involved in the creation of your work. These can be sketches, recordings, notes or emails that document the creative process. These can serve as evidence in the event of a dispute.

3. Contracts: If you are working with other artists, producers or labels, make sure that all agreements are put in writing. Clear contracts help to define the rights and obligations of all parties involved.

4. Watermarks and digital fingerprints: For digital works, you can use watermarks or digital fingerprints to mark your music and trace its origin.

5. Publishing: Publish your work through official platforms or labels that can help you protect your rights and monetize your music

6. Legal advice: Consider consulting a copyright lawyer to ensure that you take all necessary steps to protect your rights in the best possible way.

By taking these steps, you can better protect your musical work from copyright infringement.

 

Last edited: Feb 15, 2025

33,33 minutes is the optimal length