Extended play

An extended play record, often referred to as an EP, is a musical recording that contains more tracks than a single, but is usually unqualified as an album or LP.[1][2][3] EPs generally do not contain as many tracks as albums, and are considered "less expensive and time-consuming" for an artist to produce than an album.[3] An EP originally referred to specific types of vinyl records other than 78 rpm standard play (SP) and LP,[4] but it is now applied to mid-length CDs and downloads as well.

Ricardo Baca of The Denver Post said, "EPs—originally extended-play 'single' releases that are shorter than traditional albums—have long been popular with punk and indie bands."[5] In the United Kingdom, the Official Chart Company defines a boundary between EP and album classification at 25 minutes of maximum length or four tracks (not counting alternative versions of featured songs, if present).