Introduction
As an aspiring musician, you probably encounter a few confusing hip-hop terms. Several days ago, I thought we were on the same page. It makes sense to my mind now that there is a fundamental difference between an album and a mixtape that could ease my career path in the music industry.
Here, I will point out the important differences between LP, EP, mixtape, and album. If you know these terms, you may have a competitive advantage over other music aspirants.
Let’s hone our music vocabulary to get us noticed in a crowd:
Mixtape
In music, a mixtape is a collection of songs collected from several sources. Hip-hop and R&B artists often release mixtapes to gain public attention within a short time frame. Music mixtapes serve a purpose: assembling a fan base for a musician and dominating the music industry as a whole. In general, unsigned artists use mixtapes as a means to show their talent to the public. Mixtapes are a good option for a variety of reasons:
- A proven method for becoming a renowned musician for unknown artists
- It takes much less time than albums
- Mixtape launches will require a shoestring budget
It’s undeniable that mixtapes are the best tools, but they’re less structured and aren’t as cohesive as albums. Above all, it is illegal to sell mixtapes because of the copyrighted content, and it is illegal in all countries.
Album
Albums are by far the most important ingredient in the recipe for success among musicians. Unlike mixtapes, albums feature well-organized ideas flowing with a background story that resonates with the listener differently. Since the 20th century, albums have been widely used to launch musicians’ careers.
A music album is a long-playing recording of audio that can be stored on a single disc such as a CD or tape.The best way to demonstrate a musician’s expertise is through their albums, which include stellar lyrics and compelling stories. Most people judge artists by the albums they produce that demonstrate their expertise and devotion.
The lyrics, story, cover, and features of the album will all contribute to the success story of the artist. In conclusion, if you’re an artist with a loyal fan base, albums could be your best way to generate income. In contrast, if you’re a newcomer to the industry, albums may be expensive and may not bring expected results.
EP
If you are embarking on a musical journey, you may come across the term EP and wonder what it means? EPs are also referred to as extended playlists. The playlists contain more than one track. EPs can include songs that last longer than thirty minutes or more depending on the style of the artist.
It’s common to refer to EPs as albums, and that’s wrong. EPs are short albums because they have more than one song. Artists often use this tool in the beginning since it is budget-friendly.
L.P
Long playlists are the most effective way to generate revenue. Albums and LPs have similar features and can function as an alternative for one another since the lengths are similar. An LP is a collection of different songs that are well-organized and structured like an album.
In addition to albums, LPs are big projects and could contain more than ten songs. A single LP could contain up to half an hour’s worth of music. LPs are the main concern of every aspiring musician because of their sales-generating strategies. The LPs, however, are accessible in vinyl format rather than a CD from the middle of the twentieth century.
Final Words
Knowing the differences between a mixtape, album, EP, and LP will boost your confidence in the music industry. Once you learn the difference between these terms, they will be with you forever, regardless of how confused you may be at first.
To make a final decision before releasing an album or mixtape, you should familiarize yourself with its features. With mixtapes, beginners can boost their fan bases without spending a lot of money.
However, albums are the best way for professionals to display their artistic skills. So, what music industry tool would you most like to adopt?
Recommended Related Article : Top 6 Music Terms That Will Help You Make It In The Industry
