How long should an album be?

A E J O T Z · Posted: Sat Nov 26, 2011 11:40 am Post subject: How long should an album be?

I know there's no right answer. I'm just looking for some different ideas. I remember one of Stereolab's CDs being criticized for being too long. But I also remember some rock albums from my youth that were, disappointingly, barely 30 minutes total.

A web search resulted in mostly pop listeners (of course) who seemed to agree that 30-40 minutes was good. In this age of 80 minute CD capacities that seems short to me.

I'd like to know how electro-music people view this question.

Also, as in the case of the above mentioned Stereolab album, I have to ask, "why can't you just play half of it at a time?" Apparently that's too much work for some people. On the other hand, I have that album and, yeah, it seems to go on longer than the elevator music in hell.

Uncle Krunkus · Posted: Sat Nov 26, 2011 8:22 pm Post subject:

To me, it depends on what type of CD it is.
If it's a group of songs which are designed to be listened to together, in a certain order, all at one time, then I think around 45min is a good length, give or take 5-10 mins. Beyond that, and the connectivity becomes harder to endure. Your ability to listen actively does become fatigued over this kind of timespan. Trying to hold someone's undivided attention for more than an hour is a bit pretentious. Even the opera has an intermission.

But,.....
If it's a collection of tracks which are not related, and will more than likely be added to an enormous music library and accessed randomly, then, the more the merrier! Laughing

Fill the medium,..... why not?

onewayness · Posted: Mon Nov 28, 2011 11:13 am Post subject:

I think there's no right answer, although I think for myself, I'm unlikely to release anything that's much over 45 minutes. Which I guess, for me, I guess is a function of old 70s LP's being my sort of Platonic ideal for how long an album should be.

adam / onewayness

Acoustic Interloper · Posted: Mon Nov 28, 2011 4:24 pm Post subject:

53.27 minutes.

darkvortex · Posted: Mon Nov 28, 2011 8:32 pm Post subject:

This is a tricky one which (in my experience) is widely and frequently debated.

My personal preference is for between 45-60 minutes. Most of my Crystal Dreams ambient albums end up being about 50 minutes and that's without any particular planning. I just go with what feels right.

v-un-v · Posted: Tue Nov 29, 2011 2:33 am Post subject:

A good yard stick is Revolver by the Beatles. The length is just right. The tracks all being 3 to 4 minutes, absolutely perfect.

Unless you're doing classical music of course.

The compact disk was made to hold the entire of Beethoven's 9th symphony- the most popular at the time in Japan.

I heard some TD influenced music the other day. It went of for about 30mins per track. It was so tediously boring and predictable after 5 mins or so. But then tracks by CAN especially on Tago Mago go on forever, but never become boring.

I suppose it also depends on how much grass you've just inhaled too?? Laughing

ocp · Posted: Tue Nov 29, 2011 4:01 am Post subject:

Here's an interesting Wikipedia page on the attention span.

Acoustic Interloper · Posted: Tue Nov 29, 2011 6:22 am Post subject:

audiodef · Posted: Tue Nov 29, 2011 6:24 am Post subject:

Whatever feels right to you. You're the artist. You're creating a little world and inviting people to participate. If they don't like it for any reason - oh, well. Since "if it's not one thing, it's another", applies, never use any given criteria as an excuse to worry about audience reaction - and that includes length.

Winstontaneous · Joined: Oct 31, 2008 Posts: 37 Location: Berkeley, CA

paggos · Joined: May 25, 2011 Posts: 10 Location: United States

Whatever paints the whole picture for you. Music is an art, and an art is very subjective...so yeah, if you can get that whole urge out of you in 10 songs, then it's fine...or 2 songs..whatever it may be, as long as you're satisfied with the outcome...thats my opinion.