Are Extended Plays less important than actual albums?

[letmeintomyzone]

I was curious about this. It seems like, you couldn't even make a short list of the most acclaimed EPs of all time, since there's very few "best EPs" lists out there. The closest thing you have is RateYourMusic's EP section. I feel like EPs are often viewed as side-projects or distractions from the "bigger" and "more ambitious" work.

[Jirin]

I just list EPs along with LPs.

Though I get the impression in most cases EPs are meant to be testing the new idea they have for their next LP.

[Gillingham]

Depends what the artist envisioned for the EP.
For acts like Autechre and Burial, EPs are definitely quite important. EPs are more of a go-to format for electronic artists anyway.

[whuntva]

EPs I do not consider any different from LPs.

A five song set can be just as meaningful as a ten song set.

My favorite EP, Jar of Flies, feels just right in its length and never outstays its welcome. It feels like a fine listen at any time and for twenty minutes, moves like a real album.

[Jonathon]

I stand by my belief that the You Made Me Realise EP is head and shoulders above Isn't Anything, and if it were a full length album, would be in the acclaimed top 200.

[BleuPanda]

I think one problem when discussing EPs is that a lot of them have their biggest tracks absorbed into the band's later albums. A few bands even release a collection of their EPs as their first 'album' (for example, The Beta Band has The Three EP's). I imagine this makes it hard for critics to discuss. It would be strange to have both The Three EP's as its own entity alongside the parts that make it up; I wonder how Henrik would handle such a situation, since it would essentially be the same work listed twice.

If it wasn't for this fact, I think EPs would be more widely discussed. Perhaps there is an expectation that these smaller records will simply be re-utilized by the band? Thus critics ignore those EPs that actually do consist entirely of unique work.

[acroamor]

I stand by my belief that the You Made Me Realise EP is head and shoulders above Isn't Anything, and if it were a full length album, would be in the acclaimed top 200.

I agree with this 100%, and would also like to add In a Beautiful Place Out in the Country by Boards of Canada and Slow Riot for New Zero Kanada by Godspeed You! Black Emperor to the same level.

[Moonbeam]

I think it would be awesome to have an EP poll.

[mat.bez.lima]

In general, I believe that yes. The EPs aren't much more than a single. A single have two musics. A EP also don't have much musics: generally just 4 musics.