Definitions of (Single), (Maxi CD), (EP), etc.
Got a CD in your hand, and not entirely sure how to tag it? Here's the official word on what's a (Single), what's a (Maxi CD) - mostly a new format - and what's an (EP) and what's an album.
This is pretty fuzzy, but it's the best I can do. I intend this to be as close to the definitive word as we can reasonably argue, but a lot of flexibility is implied. It's based on the rules used by the Official UK charts, so it isn't all that arbitrary. Discussion and clarification is welcome, as some of the boundaries are obviously a little bit blurry (for example older "remix singles" should probably be tagged as (Maxi CD) now, although no-one is likely or required to absolutely insist on that, or retag rips in such cases).
Generally, the word of the artist overrides this. That doesn't work for the charts, but we're not the charts. If it makes sense, it's OK - try to make your rip consummate with the artist's word.
In particular, the rules changed fairly recently, which belies the change in CD Single marketing we see recently. And although these are the UK rules, their effect is basically global (often with some delay), except in gratuitous cases of localization.
(Single):
-
1 or 2 tracks (A-side, A-side and one remix, or A-side and B-side), ≤10 minutes (600 seconds) total playing time, no multimedia crap.
These rules came into full effect 2004 (phased in from 20th October 2003), and because of the change, a very large leeway is allowable in tagging for older releases as many older Singles, if released now, would be Maxi CDs; you can tag them (Single), unless they're new. Older "remix singles" featuring more than 3 mixes should probably be tagged (Maxi CD) as that more closely reflects their status.
The older rules:
2001-2003: ≤20 minutes (1200 seconds) total playing time, up to 3 tracks, plus as many remixes (of the A-side only) that you can fit in the total 20 minutes, multimedia content allowed but included in total playing time and must play on standard CD/DVD equipment.
1998-2001: ≤20 minutes (1200 seconds) total playing time, up to 3 tracks.
Before 1998: ≤25 minutes (1500 seconds) total playing time, up to 4 tracks.
(Maxi CD):
- EITHER A:
"Maxi Single": ≤20 minutes (1200 seconds) total playing time, up to 3 tracks (A-side plus two remixes, A-side & B-side plus one remix, or A-side, B-side, C-side); OR
"Remix Single": ≤40 minutes (2400 seconds) total playing time, featuring an A-side and any number of remixes but no B-sides.
Maxi CDs are mostly a newer format, but on closer examination they hark back to the remix singles from before 1998, and the practice of releasing a Single with a B-side and a remix single. Although not labeled as such, it may be more appropriate to tag these older remix singles as (Maxi CD) also (to avoid confusion with the "truer" with-a-B-side single), although it is not insisted upon.
Before 1998: a "remix single", ≤40 minutes (2400 seconds) total playing time, NO B-sides (all tracks must be remixes of the A-side).
(EP):
- Not a (Single) or (Maxi CD), but distinctly not long enough to be an album;
Usually 5-8 tracks, usually 20-40 minutes total playing time, tracks usually form a contiguous whole and flow smoothly into each other, so may be multiple parts of one long composition;
Definition is sketchy, but the artist is always right - if it's labeled an EP, it's an (EP).
EP is rather ambiguous. It's Extended Play, which refers to the old vinyl type, which obviously isn't relevant to us, but gives an indication. They're counted along with LPs (albums - which we tag without a suffix) as albums by the charts (in which they therefore rarely appear). They're basically a short album. If a Single or Maxi CD breaks the rules by being "too fat" for the charts, it may be counted as an EP, especially if the tracks flow together (or they're actualy labelled as or treated as parts of a whole work).
Album:
-
Anything that's not a (Single), (Maxi CD), or (EP).
Albums are tagged without a suffix - just the album name. Most releases are albums, or treated as such (audiobooks for example), most (though not necessarily all) Various Artists works and compilations are albums.
Soundtrack:
- These are tagged just like a standard Album, without a suffix, just the album name. They usually, although definitely not always, feature various artists. Soundtracks can belong to many things; movies, TV shows, even games. They can vary from the actual film scores, to almost unrelated compilations featuring "music from" or "inspired by" a production.
A reminder: A (Maxi CD) may be a (Maxi CD), but (Disc 1) is always (Disc 1), and never (CD 1).
Sources: The Official UK Chart Company - Rules For Chart Eligibility (Edition 7) (PDF) and personal conversations and quite a bit of exasperated research.