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Post subject: How many songs for an album
Posted: Thu Jun 22, 2017 1:25 pm
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Aspiring Musician
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Ok... I know the whole concept of an album/CD/Record is rapidly becoming outdated... but since I'm holding on and self-releasing albums/CDs. Back when I was a teen and listening to David Bowie and Roxy Music, it seemed that albums generally had 10 tight songs. Obviously, there is no hard and fast rule, but just curious what other people... or I guess if you have some really long or short tracks, what overall album length... ten four minute songs seems just about right to me.

Thoughts?

:)

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Post subject: Re: How many songs for an album
Posted: Thu Jun 22, 2017 1:34 pm
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That seems about right to me. In the 90s and early 2000s, when CDs were the primary format for albums, it seemed (at least to me) like bands were generally making their albums a bit longer (presumably since you could fit a bit more music on a single cd than on a vinyl lp). Now that vinyl has made a comeback (and there is less focus on selling albums altogether), the total run time for albums appears to have shrunk back down to around the 30-40 minute mark.


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Post subject: Re: How many songs for an album
Posted: Thu Jun 22, 2017 6:57 pm
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Just looked at a dozen or so of my favorite albums on iTunes and they range from 40 to 1 hour and 5 minutes. IMO 40 minutes of good music on a first album shouldn't be a stretch.


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Post subject: Re: How many songs for an album
Posted: Thu Jun 22, 2017 8:39 pm
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Depends on how long the songs are. I've seen albums with 2 songs and albums with as many as 25 on one disc. Call it 40 minutes. In the 60's American Albums were 10- 12 songs, European 12-14 songs


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Post subject: Re: How many songs for an album
Posted: Sat Jun 24, 2017 8:32 am
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Mark, I agree with about 40 minutes. Vinyl LPs have their following and they have a resurgence of followers so never say never for the 35 - 40 minute copy. CD's at 40 - 45 minutes (Sony made 74 minute CDs to copy record all of Beethoven's 9th symphony), and cassettes (original or dubbed) could end up single or double albums at 45 minutes or less a side on a 90 minute tape even today. Longer EPs have been known to be of lower quality depending on format. These all may be formats that are getting rarer; but, they are considered mature and still have value.

As for digital . . . The sky's the limit, but the industry tends to believe 40 minutes is pretty much embedded in our DNA and so it goes. YMMV.

Besides, when you add your greatest hits to a double album, 74 - 80 minutes is pretty long, and fits on a lot of those mentioned formats, and that is good in case your preferred one waves goodbye. :wink:

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Post subject: Re: How many songs for an album
Posted: Sat Jun 24, 2017 10:27 am
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Go the *Deluxe CD* route and put on 14.

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Post subject: Re: How many songs for an album
Posted: Sat Jun 24, 2017 3:01 pm
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Miami Mike wrote:
Go the *Deluxe CD* route and put on 14.
Mike has a point here. If you stretch out the songs to what Mike said you will still be able to format the 40 minutes a side if and when you want or need to. You will then have to edit your song selection though (which is common anyhow). It just adds a little more attention paid to different versions possible. :wink:
FSB

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Post subject: Re: How many songs for an album
Posted: Mon Jun 26, 2017 12:20 pm
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Fender Strat Brat wrote:
Mark, I agree with about 40 minutes. Vinyl LPs have their following and they have a resurgence of followers so never say never for the 35 - 40 minute copy. CD's at 40 - 45 minutes (Sony made 74 minute CDs to copy record all of Beethoven's 9th symphony), and cassettes (original or dubbed) could end up single or double albums at 45 minutes or less a side on a 90 minute tape even today. Longer EPs have been known to be of lower quality depending on format. These all may be formats that are getting rarer; but, they are considered mature and still have value.

As for digital . . . The sky's the limit, but the industry tends to believe 40 minutes is pretty much embedded in our DNA and so it goes. YMMV.

Besides, when you add your greatest hits to a double album, 74 - 80 minutes is pretty long, and fits on a lot of those mentioned formats, and that is good in case your preferred one waves goodbye. :wink:

FSB


Was already thinking when I do my "greatest hits" redos or maybe acoustic, it will be a "double record set!" :)

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Post subject: Re: How many songs for an album
Posted: Sat Jul 08, 2017 10:42 pm
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Mark there are no wrong answers. You are recording an album/CD, it should be all good.
An example would be the band 311. Their album/CD Transistor has 21 tracks and is 67:69 minutes long.

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