The best EPs of all time
It’s like a single… only you get more of it! Let’s take a look at the best examples of extended play quality…
Happy Mondays – Madchester Rave On EP (1989)
- Hallelujah
- Holy Spirit
- Clap your hands
- Keep raving
It was somewhat overshadowed by the 12″ remix by PauL Oakenfold, but the original EP made it onto Monday’s Top Of The Pops with Kirsty MacColl. And Clap Your Hands is enjoyably chaotic.
Nice montage – Madchester Rave On EP.
Image: Alamy
Buzzcocks – Spiral Scratch (1977)
- Tear down
- Time is up
- boredom
- friends of mine
This self-funded (£500) and self-released 7-inch was produced by the legendary Martin ‘Zero’ Hannett and kick-started the UK’s homegrown independent music scene, eventually selling around 16,000 copies. It’s also funny, energetic and quintessentially Manchester.
Buzzcocks – cover artwork of “Spiral Scratch”.
Image: Alamy
The Beatles – Magical Mystery Tour (1967)
- Magical Mystery Tour
- Your mother should know
- I am the walrus
- The Fool on the Hill
- Flying
- Blue Jay Way
The Fab Four had a string of best-selling EPs in the ’60s, but in the post-Sgt. Pepper era the format went into decline. They went on tour with a band – a DOUBLE EP set that would showcase the songs from their new TV movie. American couldn’t handle it and put together an album of the songs instead.
Cover artwork of “Magical Mystery Tour” by the Beatles.
Image: Alamy
Kings Of Leon – Holy Roller Novocaine (2003)
- Molly’s Chambers
- Wasted time
- California is waiting
- Wicker chair
- Holy Roller Novocain
This was the first time the world heard of KOL. This is a strong collection of songs in their original versions. Was later reissued on beautiful red vinyl for Record Store Day 2011.
Kings Of Leon – Holy Roller Novocaine EP.
Image: Press
Primal Scream – Dixie Narco (1992)
- Things are looking up
- Stone my soul
- Take me home
- Screech adelica
This EP was supposedly released to promote the track “Movin’ On Up”, but actually contains the title track from the LP “Screamadelica”, which at almost 11 minutes was too long to fit on the actual album.
Primal Scream – Dixie Narco EP artwork.
Image: Press
Arctic Monkeys – Who the hell are Arctic Monkeys (2006)
- The afternoon view
- Cigarette smoker Fiona
- Despair in the departure hall
- No buses
- Who the hell are Arctic Monkeys?
Instead of releasing The View From The Afternoon as a third single, Alex Turner decided to release a five-track EP. And the songs are just as strong as the debut album. Beautiful.
Arctic Monkeys – cover artwork “Who The Fuck Are Arctic Monkeys”.
Image: Press
The Clash – Cost of Living (1979)
- I fought against the law
- Groovy times
- Gates of the West
- Capital Radio
- The cost of living advertisement
It was released between the albums Give ‘Em Enough Rope and London Calling and gave the world the excellent cover of I Fought The Law. The artwork is beautiful too.
Cover artwork of The Clash – Cost Of Living.
Image: Alamy
Radiohead – My Iron Lung (1994)
- My iron lung
- The Trickster
- Lewis (abused)
- Punchdrunk – Lovesickness – Sing Along
- Permanent daylight
- Lozenge of Love
- They never wash after themselves
- Crawling (acoustic)
Released between Pablo Honey and The Bends, this EP contains outtakes from the sessions for the latter album and was released in a variety of formats, the most common being the 8-track CD, and shows the band developing a more sophisticated sound after the straightforward rock of their debut.
Radiohead – cover artwork of “My Iron Lung”.
Image: Press
The Last Supper – The Last Supper (1992)
- Gravity Grave
- A man named Sun
- She is a superstar
- Endless life
- Feel
Recorded when they were still Verve, this was the first release from Richard Ashcroft and his band. It contained material that did not appear on an album. It is a standalone mini-album and features the early space rock style that the band loved so much.
The Verve – cover artwork of the EP “The Verve”.
Image: Press
Inspiral Carpets – Plane Crash EP (1988)
- Keep the circle upright
- Theme by Cow
- Seeds of doubt
- Garage full of flowers
- 96 tears
Before storming the charts with This Is How It Feels, Clint Boon’s indie heroes released their debut EP on the Playtime label. It gave free rein to the band’s 60s psychedelic roots and included a cover of the garage rock classic 96 Tears.
Inspiral Carpets – cover artwork of the EP “Plane Crash”.
Image: Press
REM – Chronic Town (1982)
- Wolves, Lower Saxony
- Gardening at night
- A kind of carnival (freight wagons)
- 1,000,000
- Stumble
With this five-track album of ’60s-style strumming and cryptic lyrics, Stipe, Buck, Mills and Berry established themselves as America’s most fascinating band. The buzz they generated made the band’s first LP, Murmur, one of the most eagerly awaited debuts of the era.
REM – cover artwork of the Chronic Town EP.
Image: Press
Nirvana – Hormoaning (1992)
- Turn around
- Aneurysm
- T-7
- Son of a weapon
- Even in his youth
- Molly’s lips
When the grunge legends toured Australia and Japan in 1992, the record company released this exclusive EP to generate some interest. Alongside two original tracks that had already been released as B-sides, the band covered songs by Devo, The Wipers and Kurt Cobain favorites The Vaselines, including live favorite Molly’s Lips.
Nirvana – “Hormoaning” cover.
Image: Press
U2 – Three (1979)
- Out of control
- Stories for boys
- Boy-Girl
The ‘2’s very first release, back when they were enthusiastic young post-punks in Dublin trying to sound like Joy Division. Two of the songs later ended up on their debut album Boy, but Boy-Girl didn’t make the record.
U2 – Three EP artworks.
Image: Press
Muse – Muscle Museum (1999)
Muse – Muscle Museum EP artwork.
Image: Press
- Muscle Museum
- Sober
- U.N
- Unintentional
- Instant messaging service
- Muscle Museum No. 2
Following their self-titled debut EP, the Teignmouth trio moved closer to the typical Muse sound with their second outing, with most of the songs appearing on their debut album Showbiz later that year.
Biffy Clyro – The kids who show up today will rock tomorrow
- 57
- Hope for an angel
- Only boy
- Less The product
Recorded after Biffy released their debut single ‘Iname’ and Stow College’s Electric Honey label invited them to record tracks for a full EP, it was released in June 2000 and is a great example of the angry young Biffys. And look where they are now…
Biffy Clyro – EP artwork by “thekidswhopoptodaywillrocktomorrow”.
Image: Press
The Strokes – The Modern Age (2001)
- The modern
- Last night
- Just legal
Only a measly three tracks, but enough to spark a bidding war between record companies. The songs were re-recorded for the debut album Is This It, but it was this EP that started the hype.
Artwork of the EP “The Strokes – The Modern Age”.
Image: Press
Joy Division – An Ideal for Living (1978)
- Warsaw
- No love lost
- Leader of the men
- Mistake
Before they morphed into Manchester giants Joy Division, these punk teenagers recorded this scratchy quartet of punk songs as an answer to the Buzzcocks’ Spiral Scratch. The songs are pretty raw, and the original 7″ was awful, with a cover that was kind of Nazi-esque. The 12″ reissue was better – and had more cryptic cover artwork.
Joy Division – An Ideal For Living EP artwork.
Image: Press
Manic Street Preachers – New Art Riot (1990)
- New art uprising
- Disassemble it
- Last exit yesterday
- Teens 20/20
Following the self-financed release of their debut single, “Suicide Alley,” in 1988, the original trio was joined by guitarist and lyricist Richey Edwards for this incendiary selection. As you can imagine, it caused quite a stir in the press.
Manic Street Preachers – New Art Riot EP artwork.
Image: Press
Coldplay – The Blue Room (1999)
- Bigger, stronger
- No panic
- See you soon
- High speed
- Such a rush
Chris Martin and the boys’ second EP (following the previous year’s Safety) featured the original version of Parachutes album opener Don’t Panic. It was their first release after signing with Parlophone and was originally released in a press run of just 5,000 copies.
Coldplay – artwork of the EP “The Blue Room”.
Image: Press
Pulp – The Sisters (1994)
- Babies
- Your sister’s clothes
- seconds
- For him and her
This EP, which also included the classic Babies – a remix of a two-year-old song – was Jarvis Cocker’s band of misfits’ biggest hit to date. Their next single was Common People.
Pulp – artwork of the EP “The Sisters”.
Image: Press
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