An extended play record referred to as an EP, is a musical recording that contains more tracks than a single, but is unqualified as an album or LP. Contemporary EPs contain a minimum of three tracks and maximum of six tracks, are considered "less expensive and time-consuming" for an artist to produce than an album. An EP referred to specific types of vinyl records other than 78 rpm standard play and LP, 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." In the United Kingdom, the Official Chart Company defines a boundary between EP and album classification at 25 minutes of maximum length and no more than four tracks. EPs were released in various sizes in different eras; the earliest multi-track records, issued around 1919 by Grey Gull Records, were vertically cut 78 rpm discs known as "2-in-1" records. These had finer than usual grooves, like Edison Disc Records.
By 1949, when the 45 rpm single and 331⁄3 rpm LP were competing formats, seven-inch 45 rpm singles had a maximum playing time of only about four minutes per side. As an attempt to compete with the LP introduced in 1948 by rival Columbia, RCA Victor introduced "Extended Play" 45s during 1952, their narrower grooves, achieved by lowering the cutting levels and sound compression optionally, enabled them to hold up to 7.5 minutes per side—but still be played by a standard 45 rpm phonograph. These were 10-inch LPs split onto two seven-inch EPs or 12-inch LPs split onto three seven-inch EPs, either sold separately or together in gatefold covers; this practice became much less common with the advent of triple-speed-available phonographs. Some classical music albums released at the beginning of the LP era were distributed as EP albums—notably, the seven operas that Arturo Toscanini conducted on radio between 1944 and 1954; these opera EPs broadcast on the NBC Radio network and manufactured by RCA, which owned the NBC network were made available both in 45 rpm and 331⁄3 rpm.
In the 1990s, they began appearing on compact discs. RCA had success in the format with their top money earner, Elvis Presley, issuing 28 Elvis EPs between 1956 and 1967, many of which topped the separate Billboard EP chart during its brief existence. During the 1950s, RCA published several EP albums of Walt Disney movies, containing both the story and the songs; these featured the original casts of actors and actresses. Each album contained two seven-inch records, plus a illustrated booklet containing the text of the recording so that children could follow along by reading; some of the titles included Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs and what was a recent release, the movie version of 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea, presented in 1954. The recording and publishing of 20,000 was unusual: it did not employ the movie's cast, years a 12 in 33⅓ rpm album, with a nearly identical script, but another different cast, was sold by Disneyland Records in conjunction with the re-release of the movie in 1963.
Because of the popularity of 7" and other formats, SP records became less popular and the production of SPs in Japan was suspended in 1963. In the 1950s and 1960s, EPs were compilations of singles or album samplers and were played at 45 rpm on seven-inch discs, with two songs on each side. Other than those published by RCA, EPs were uncommon in the United States and Canada, but they were sold in the United Kingdom, in some other European countries, during the 1950s and 1960s. Record Retailer printed the first EP chart in 1960; the New Musical Express, Melody Maker and Music Echo and the Record Mirror continued to list EPs on their respective singles charts. The Beatles' Twist and Shout outsold most singles for some weeks in 1963; when the BBC and Record Retailer commissioned the British Market Research Bureau to compile a chart it was restricted to singles and EPs disappeared from the listings. In the Philippines, seven-inch EPs marketed as "mini-LPs" were introduced in 1970, with tracks selected from an album and packaging resembling the album they were taken from.
This mini-LP format became popular in America in the early 1970s for promotional releases, for use in jukeboxes. Stevie Wonder included a bonus four-song EP with his double LP Songs in the Key of Life in 1976. During the 1970s and 1980s, there was less standardization and EPs were made on seven-inch, 10-inch or 12-inch discs running either 331⁄3 or 45 rpm; some novelty EPs used odd shapes and colors, a few of them were picture discs. Alice in Chains was the first band to have an EP reach number one on the Billboard album chart, its EP, Jar of Flies, was released on January 25, 1994. In 2004, Linkin Park and Jay-Z's collaboration EP, Collision Course, was the next to reach the number one spot after Alice in Chains. In 2010, the cast of the television series Glee became the first artist to have two EPs reach number one, with Glee: The Music, The Power of Madonna on the week of May 8, 2010, Glee: The Music, Journey to Regionals on the week of June 26, 2010. In 2010, Warner Bros. Records revived the format with their "Six-Pak" offering of six songs on a compact disc.
Due to the increased popularity of music downloads and streaming beginning the late 2000s, EPs have become a common marketing strategy for pop musicians wishing to remain relevant and deliver music in more consistent timeframes leading to o
"Cool for Cats" was the second single released from the British rock band Squeeze's Cool for Cats album. The song features a rare lead vocal performance from cockney-accented Squeeze lyricist Chris Difford, one of only three occasions he sang lead on a Squeeze single A-side The song edited from the album track, peaked at No. 2 on the UK Singles Chart in 1979, making "Cool for Cats" one of the band's biggest hits. "Cool for Cats" was written about the social scene. Tillbrook recalled, "Originally it was written about the social circle we were moving in at the time, being young and being... we were entirely centered in our own little world. I remember hearing Chris sing those lyrics for the first time and thinking he's just nailed what our lives are about now. It's lovely to be able to look back on that and see how we were as youngsters."The title phrase is a reference to the 1950s/60s UK TV series Cool for Cats, the first British series to feature rock'n' roll music acts. In 1981, the song was used in a commercial for "Smilk".
The commercial featured animated cats and the tagline for the drink was "It's Cool for Cats". In 1992, thirteen years after its initial release, the track "Cool for Cats" was used in a British TV commercial for milk; the song was re-issued in the UK, where it charted at No. 62. From 1989 onwards, the song was used in the TV commercial spots of ültje GmbH, Germany, with German lyrics. "Kaum steh' ich hier und singe" was sung by Austrian actor and entertainer Andrea Steppan. The song was used in the game Rock Band 2. "Cool for Cats" "Model" 1992 UK Re-issueA&M AMCD 694 – Limited Edition Cool Cat Pac "Cool for Cats" "Trust Me to Open My Mouth" "Squabs on Forty Five" Chris Difford – rhythm guitar, lead vocals Glenn Tilbrook – lead guitar Harry Kakoulli – bass Jools Holland – keyboard Gilson Lavis – drums Lyrics of this song at MetroLyrics Squeeze discography at Squeezenet
Raffaëla is the debut album by the Dutch 2006 Idols winner Raffaëla. The album was released on 21 April 2006 in the Netherlands and contains songs Raffaëla sung during her Idols career; the album contains two Dutch songs about pregnancy and a duet with Floortje Smit, runner-up on Idols. The album debuted at #1 in the Dutch Mega Album Top 100, but dropped out of the top 20; the first single released from the album was Right Here, Right Now, covered from Agnes Carlsson, winner of the Swedish Pop Idol. The song was released the day after the Idols final for digital download only. Three days Sony BMG had announced that the song was downloaded over 40,000 times, certifying the single gold before its release. An amazing first achievement for Raffaëla, because of the fact this is the first time something like it happened. A week after the final, the song was certified again; this time it was certified platinum, meaning over 80,000 copies were downloaded already. Her second record in one week. On 17 March 2006, the CD single was released.
The single debuted and peaked at the number one position in the Dutch Top 40 and many other Dutch Mega Charts. "Right Here Right Now" remained her most successful single to date. "Mijn Houten Hart", the second single, recorded with Paul de Leeuw, flopped commercially. The single received little promotion. A music video was made for the song, showing Raffaëla and De Leeuw recording the song in a studio, but due Raffaëla's pregnancy - the doctors advised her not to use her voice for singing in front of a big audience till the baby is born - she is not allowed to sing and promote the song; the song entered the Dutch Mega Top 100 Singles at #63, rose the following week up to #18 and dropped again to #33 in its third week. "All Night Long" "Right Here, Right Now" "Beautiful Surprise" "Voor eeuwig en altijd" "Sisters Are Doing It for Themselves" "Mijn Houten Hart" "Think" "If I Ain't Got You" "Disco Inferno" "Ik Kan Het Niet Alleen" "Jouw ogen" "Straighten Up and Fly Right" "My Lovin'" "Right Here, Right Now" Translation from Dutch to English:"Voor eeuwig en altijd" "Mijn houten hart" "Ik kan het niet alleen" "Jouw ogen" Right Here, Right Now Mijn Houten Hart