Greatest Short Releases
by 
ForegroundNoise 
A love letter to those musical journeys that are cut intentionally short.
Back in 2018 when we were flooded with 25-minute releases whose creators insisted were 'albums' and not EPs, I was struck by our strange obsession with musical megalomania.
I remember reading a comment online re. Kids See Ghosts that read: "it's amazing that the only difference between an album and an EP now is what the artist says it is". Certainly artistic intent matters. But personally I find separating formats along these lines completely non-sensical. Daytona is an 'album' that clocks in at 21:08; should we regard it as a different category to the Signals, Calls, and Marches EP, which is only 20 seconds shorter?
Meanwhile there have been plenty of EPs that far exceed the requisite length to be considered an 'album', (Autechre's EP7, 12 Rods' Gay?, Sufjan's All Delighted People EP), not to mention that the category seems also subject to the mood of the artist.
All this doesn't even begin to get into the tricky business of mixtapes, which like EPs had a strict basis for the format though now emerge as shorthand for album off-cuts (Quadeca's Scrapyard) or more light-hearted releases (e.g. FKA twigs' Caprisongs).
Why is it so important for these artists to make these distinctions? And if size doesn't matter, what even sets apart an "album" from an "EP" in the modern age?
Back in the physical era this kind of question wasn't even intelligible, but with the line between these two formats blurrier than ever (just look at how certain releases on this site flit between the two categories), I reasoned for my own cataloguing to draw a hard barrier between the two: everything 30:00 or over can be considered for my AotY lists, and anything under the half-hour mark classified as a "short release". I know 30 minutes is no less arbitrary, but I think this sits at a good ball park. Please feel free to recommend your favourite EPs/shorter albums!
Others that aren't eligible as per BEA's album guidelines would include SPK - Mekano / Contakt / Slogun (1979), Yōran - Montparnasse (1981), Interpol - Interpol (2002) and Lil Ugly Mane - Uneven Compromise (2012).
FN xx
- Chart updated: 08/01/2024 13:15
- (Created: 06/27/2019 22:03).
- Chart size: 20 albums.
There are 2 comments for this chart from BestEverAlbums.com members and Greatest Short Releases has an average rating of 87 out of 100 (from 1 vote). Please log in or create an account to leave a comment or assign a rating.
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avant-folk • chamber folk
(Reprise, 29:44)
10/10
"You are beautiful and you are alone"
____________________________________________________________________________ [First added to this chart: 06/28/2019]
avant-folk • chamber folk
(Reprise, 29:44)
10/10
"You are beautiful and you are alone"
____________________________________________________________________________ [First added to this chart: 06/28/2019]
Year of Release:
1970
Appears in:
Rank Score:
1,879
Rank in 1970:
Rank in 1970s:
Overall Rank:
Average Rating:
Comments:
____________________________________________________________________________
post-rock
(Kranky, 28:36)
9/10
"'Don't get loud?' I says 'I've got every right to get loud.'
I says, 'You can't do a god damn thing about it, because I'm expressing myself in your court, and there is nothing you can do about it.
You think you're god because you have a robe and you can put people up the goddamn river for 20 years? Well you're not.'
And I left it at that"
____________________________________________________________________________ [First added to this chart: 06/28/2019]
post-rock
(Kranky, 28:36)
9/10
"'Don't get loud?' I says 'I've got every right to get loud.'
I says, 'You can't do a god damn thing about it, because I'm expressing myself in your court, and there is nothing you can do about it.
You think you're god because you have a robe and you can put people up the goddamn river for 20 years? Well you're not.'
And I left it at that"
____________________________________________________________________________ [First added to this chart: 06/28/2019]
Year of Release:
1999
Appears in:
Rank Score:
2,225
Rank in 1999:
Rank in 1990s:
Overall Rank:
Average Rating:
Comments:
____________________________________________________________________________
contemporary folk
(Island, 28:22)
9/10
"Which will you hope for?
Which can it be?
Which will you take, now
If you won't take me?"
____________________________________________________________________________ [First added to this chart: 06/28/2019]
contemporary folk
(Island, 28:22)
9/10
"Which will you hope for?
Which can it be?
Which will you take, now
If you won't take me?"
____________________________________________________________________________ [First added to this chart: 06/28/2019]
Year of Release:
1972
Appears in:
Rank Score:
16,869
Rank in 1972:
Rank in 1970s:
Overall Rank:
Average Rating:
Comments:
____________________________________________________________________________
abstract hip hop • experimental hip hop
(Tan Cressida, 24:39)
9/10
"Flashing through the pain, depression this is not a phase
Picking out his grave, couldn't help but feel out of place"
____________________________________________________________________________ [First added to this chart: 08/05/2019]
abstract hip hop • experimental hip hop
(Tan Cressida, 24:39)
9/10
"Flashing through the pain, depression this is not a phase
Picking out his grave, couldn't help but feel out of place"
____________________________________________________________________________ [First added to this chart: 08/05/2019]
Year of Release:
2018
Appears in:
Rank Score:
2,026
Rank in 2018:
Rank in 2010s:
Overall Rank:
Average Rating:
Comments:
5. (=)
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garage punk
(In The Red, 29:09)
9/10
"I won't stop
Until your dead
Because of voices in my head"
____________________________________________________________________________ [First added to this chart: 06/28/2019]
garage punk
(In The Red, 29:09)
9/10
"I won't stop
Until your dead
Because of voices in my head"
____________________________________________________________________________ [First added to this chart: 06/28/2019]
Year of Release:
2006
Appears in:
Rank Score:
413
Rank in 2006:
Rank in 2000s:
Overall Rank:
Average Rating:
Comments:
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emoviolence
(Witching Hour, 11:43)
9/10
"Your wife hates you
We're doing donuts on your lawn
It's hard to look good
All the time, isn't it?
Drag the bones out
Drag them, one by one
Drag the bones out
Drag them, one by one
'This wine tastes so sweet'
Well, it tastes like turpentine to me
Tastes like turpentine
Turpentine
Drag the bones out
Drag them, one by one
Drag the bones out
Drag them, one by one"
____________________________________________________________________________
emoviolence
(Witching Hour, 11:43)
9/10
"Your wife hates you
We're doing donuts on your lawn
It's hard to look good
All the time, isn't it?
Drag the bones out
Drag them, one by one
Drag the bones out
Drag them, one by one
'This wine tastes so sweet'
Well, it tastes like turpentine to me
Tastes like turpentine
Turpentine
Drag the bones out
Drag them, one by one
Drag the bones out
Drag them, one by one"
____________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________
post-minimalism
(EMI, 29:47)
8/10
____________________________________________________________________________ [First added to this chart: 06/28/2019]
post-minimalism
(EMI, 29:47)
8/10
____________________________________________________________________________ [First added to this chart: 06/28/2019]
____________________________________________________________________________
emo • experimental rock
(n/a, 21:16)
8/10
"Don't you know, you're tearing me apart
Yeah, my insides with your antique brand of clumsiness
The halls, they reek of your scent
Oh, please crawl out
And tell me where have all your buffalo gone"
____________________________________________________________________________ [First added to this chart: 08/19/2020]
emo • experimental rock
(n/a, 21:16)
8/10
"Don't you know, you're tearing me apart
Yeah, my insides with your antique brand of clumsiness
The halls, they reek of your scent
Oh, please crawl out
And tell me where have all your buffalo gone"
____________________________________________________________________________ [First added to this chart: 08/19/2020]
____________________________________________________________________________
indie folk
(NMH, 24:25)
8/10
"My dream girl don't exist
At the age of five she slit her wrist
She didn't know that I'd be hanging around
So her parents buried her in the ground"
____________________________________________________________________________ [First added to this chart: 05/21/2021]
indie folk
(NMH, 24:25)
8/10
"My dream girl don't exist
At the age of five she slit her wrist
She didn't know that I'd be hanging around
So her parents buried her in the ground"
____________________________________________________________________________ [First added to this chart: 05/21/2021]
____________________________________________________________________________
afrobeat
(Coconut, 25:21)
8/10
"Zombie no go go, unless you tell 'em to go (zombie)
Zombie no go stop, unless you tell 'em to stop (zombie)
Zombie no go turn, unless you tell 'em to turn (zombie)
Zombie no go think, unless you tell 'em to think (zombie)"
____________________________________________________________________________ [First added to this chart: 06/28/2019]
afrobeat
(Coconut, 25:21)
8/10
"Zombie no go go, unless you tell 'em to go (zombie)
Zombie no go stop, unless you tell 'em to stop (zombie)
Zombie no go turn, unless you tell 'em to turn (zombie)
Zombie no go think, unless you tell 'em to think (zombie)"
____________________________________________________________________________ [First added to this chart: 06/28/2019]
Year of Release:
1977
Appears in:
Rank Score:
1,979
Rank in 1977:
Rank in 1970s:
Overall Rank:
Average Rating:
Comments:
Total albums: 20. Page 1 of 2
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Greatest Short Releases composition
| Decade | Albums | % | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1930s | 0 | 0% | |
| 1940s | 0 | 0% | |
| 1950s | 0 | 0% | |
| 1960s | 0 | 0% | |
| 1970s | 4 | 20% | |
| 1980s | 1 | 5% | |
| 1990s | 3 | 15% | |
| 2000s | 6 | 30% | |
| 2010s | 4 | 20% | |
| 2020s | 2 | 10% |
| Artist | Albums | % | |
|---|---|---|---|
|
|
|||
| Murmuüre | 1 | 5% | |
| Nico | 1 | 5% | |
| Mach-Hommy | 1 | 5% | |
| Godspeed You! Black Emperor | 1 | 5% | |
| Joanna Newsom | 1 | 5% | |
| Nick Drake | 1 | 5% | |
| Modest Mouse | 1 | 5% | |
| Show all | |||
| Country | Albums | % | |
|---|---|---|---|
|
|
|||
 |
12 | 60% | |
 |
2 | 10% | |
 |
1 | 5% | |
 |
1 | 5% | |
 |
1 | 5% | |
 |
1 | 5% | |
 |
1 | 5% | |
| Show all | |||
Greatest Short Releases chart changes
| Biggest fallers |
|---|
| Down 1 from 6th to 7thDialoghi Del Presente by Luciano Cilio |
| Down 1 from 7th to 8thDemo? by The Brave Little Abacus |
| Down 1 from 8th to 9thFerris Wheel On Fire by Neutral Milk Hotel |
| New entries |
|---|
| Jeromes Dream / Orchid by Jeromes Dream / Orchid |
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| Top 14 Greatest Music Albums | lucygd1 | Overall chart | 2012 | |
Greatest Short Releases similarity to your chart(s)
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Other custom charts by ForegroundNoise
ForegroundNoise has shared 12 more fun charts with the community. Browse them all here.| Title | Source | Type | Published | Country |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Greatest Short Releases | ForegroundNoise | Custom chart | 2024 | |
| 2000s: The 25 Best Underrated Albums | ForegroundNoise | Custom chart | 2025 | |
| 2010s: The 25 Best Underrated Albums | ForegroundNoise | Custom chart | 2025 | |
Greatest Short Releases ratings
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Showing all 1 ratings for this chart.
| Rating | Date updated | Member | Chart ratings | Avg. chart rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ! | 11/18/2020 19:22 | DJENNY | 4,336 | 100/100 |
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Greatest Short Releases comments
Showing all 2 comments |
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From
ForegroundNoise 03/09/2021 13:03 | #267116
ForegroundNoise 03/09/2021 13:03 | #267116
@DommeDamian thank you will check it out!
Helpful? (Log in to vote) | 0 votes (0 helpful | 0 unhelpful)
From
DommeDamian 03/09/2021 09:57 | #267115
DommeDamian 03/09/2021 09:57 | #267115
Downsided by No Comment.
Helpful? (Log in to vote) | +1 votes (1 helpful | 0 unhelpful)
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