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Since the start of 2005, 22 EPs have appeared on The Billboard 200 or the Heatseekers chart. In 2007 alone, eight EPs-defined by Billboard as releases priced less than $9.99, with five to nine different songs (or fewer than five, if the release is not named after one of the songs)-have entered one of those charts, and six of them came out on independent labels . All told, 15 of the 22 charting EPs have been indies. And the trend has retailers and labels taking notice. (For a major label EP strategy, see story, page 45.)
"I've definitely noticed an uptick in EP sales recently," says Michael Kurtz, executive director of the Music Monitor Network, a coalition of independent regional music chains. "They've emerged as an inexpensive way for fans to get the feel of a band, and for bands to keep their relationships with fans going between records."
Some indies are releasing EPs out of necessity. In July, Sub Pop put out the Flight of the Conchords' "Distant Future" EP to play on the success of their HBO show, because that same success prevented the band from being able to find time to record a fulllength; this week, that EP tops the Heatseekers chart. Meanwhile, many other labels view the EP format as a way for bands to experiment with their sound at a reduced level of risk.
When Beirut released its debut album in spring 2006, its immediate success came as somewhat of a shock to the band's label, Ba Da Bing. Label head Ben Goldberg realized that the band wouldn't be able to quickly turn around a fulllength, but that there were a few songs in the can that would not really fit in with the sound of the next album. "We had a collection of live songs we wanted to record, and we wanted to give people a taste of the live show, so we went ahead and put out the EP," Goldberg says. The risk paid off; the "Lon Gisland" EP charted and has since sold 14,000 copies, according to Nielsen SoundScan.
Goldberg says, "EPs are an opportunity to experiment with things, to test the water and to open up a band's sound. EPs are also more quickly forgotten than full-lengths, so the risk is lower." Despite this, Goldberg still sees major problems with the format. "They're honestly not my favorite things, because they're not cost-effective. They cost as much to make as a regular CD, even though the sale price is lower."
Victory Records head Tony Brummel echoes this viewpoint. Despite releasing Straylight Run's "Prepare to Be Wrong" EP, which has sold 58,000 copies, and Aiden's 24,000-selling "Rain in Hell," Brummel says, "I'm totally not interested in the EP. They're not financially feasible and often tend to lose money. Major retailers charge the same to stocka record, be it an EP, a CD or a single. We've released EPs thinking they would help a band's other albums, and they've done nothing. I think people really want full-lengths."
But Eric Levin, Atlanta-based head of indie retail coalition Alliance of Independent Media Stores, says he's seen a resurgence in 7-inch and vinyl EP sales, and that putting them out is smart from an A&R standpoint.
"The consumer is OK with paying four or five dollars for an EP,"hesays. "Itkeepsthe band's name out there, and because music production and recording has become so much easier, they make more sense to produce now than ever before."
Steven Peterson, of Long Beach, Calif., band Run Doris Run, may be a case in point. "An A&R guy we worked with told us releasing a few EPs was a better move than releasing one full-length, because the more music out there with your name on it, the better," he says. "Besides, we'd rather release five great songs than a full-length with five great songs and five mediocre ones."
In some cases, consumers will also purchase EPs with minimal promotion from the record label-and catering to completists can result in decent numbers. Sub Pop's Steve Manning says that he purchased almost no ads and didn't push interviews for Iron and Wine's 2005 EP "Woman King." Yet it moved 94,000 units, according to SoundScan. The Yeah Yeah Yeahs' "Is Is," released last month, has moved 25,000 units and peaked at No. 72 on The Billboard 200 by offering live recordings of previously unreleased fan favorites.
"When a band has a rabid fan base," says Mike Fratt of six-store Nebraska-based chain Homer's Records, "an EP is a great way for us to keep them coming back and have fresh product on the shelves."
