Does the length of your music actually matter? Here are three major reasons why releasing your music with a shorter song length is better and generally speaking why you as an independent recording artist, rapper, singer or producer would want to give careful consideration to this before releasing your next project or single. I first want to focus on two primary points, and I’ll throw in some bonuses at the end.

Specifically for the independent recording artist or musician who is trying to cut through the clutter of all other music being distributed now online – and even for music producers who are working with artists and/or maybe selling your instrumentals online – why you would want to consider shorter, more compact instrumentals or projects.

First thing’s first. I must mention that whether or not you release a longer, moderate, or shorter length song – it must, above all, be good. You can have a seven minute song that’s garbage – and even if you condense it down to only three minutes – it is still three minutes of garbage. Quality comes first. Always.

Having said that, there are a number of benefits to creating music that has a shorter song length.

To help define what I’m thinking of when I say a “shorter song” – tracks from Hip Hop, Pop or other urban genres or any song that would traditionally in 2:30 – 7:00 minute range.

And so here are a few arguments for why releasing music on the lower end of that spectrum (appx. 2:30-3:30) would help you as an independent to help cut through the music clutter on the web.

Why a Shorter Song Length is Better

1. To Keep Listener Retention

We live in a very ADHD, short attention span world. How many times are you online with multiple tabs open in your browser,  listening to various music on Facebook or other social media platforms – and you lose interest within only a few seconds you’re on to something else? This is how people are digesting and taking in their music, movies and news.

Especially as a new artist or producer and musician, you need to make an impact NOW,  because if someone does click the play button, you want to make sure you capture their attention right away. Because they can just easily bounce off and go to something else fifteen seconds later.

I listen to a lot of music from independent artists and producers on a regular basis and in the past I’ve heard tracks that have been six and seven minutes long from someone that I’ve never heard of before. Realistically speaking, for a potential fan to go through and listen to a seven minute song is just not going to happen.

You could argue and say, “Well, if the song is really dope… and it is really good… and has multiple features.” Of course you have exceptions to every rule.

You may have an extended remix with two or three different features, and it would inherently need to be a longer song. Ultimately, if you are looking for a new fan or to resonate with existing fan, you want to make an impact. You want to get in and get out.

You might think that four, five or six minutes isn’t really a long time. But in the fast-paced world that we live in, it is an eternity.

Over the past several months, I’ve received a lot of music to be played on the live music showcase event. And one of the common critiques I’ve made is that the track did not get to the point soon enough.

A recording artist who is already established in a sense, they have more liberty to put out a longer song because they have leverage built and there will certainly be a core audience that listens, even if everybody does not.

Personally, I am a big fan of songs that are in that two and a half minute to just over three minute range. There may be exceptions where I’m working on a slow tempo song that has an extended bridge and ends up expanding to four or five minutes long. But for me, when I format my hip hop beats I try to keep them as short and “tight” as possible.

Two verses, two hooks, with maybe a little break down or a bridge. Ideally I like to keep it under three and a half minutes if possible. Some of the artists may want to extend the arrangement to a longer version, and it could most definitely be reformatted and changed up later. But I personally like to present it to the artist as a potential short song. I want the artist to say what they have to say and move on to the next one.

2. Replay Factor

If I hear a really great song that’s only two and a half or three minutes long, I’m so much more likely to go back play it again.

And you marketing your music as you have to be conscious of as an independent musician, the benefits of having a replay factor go without saying –  people spinning your record over and over again.

The shorter attention span of people now is something that you cannot deny. It’s something that you must always consider. Not to mention, if your goal is to get some sort of a radio play, having your music tight and concise within that three minute range is going to fit to the radio format and your track will typically work better in the mix of all of the other songs that are getting spun.

BONUS: Short Projects

You’ll also want to consider shorter projects as a whole – whether you’re putting out a mixtape, album or EP.  EPs are great!  The shorter project is going to be better in my opinion most of the time.

Just think about this year – the sheer amount of music has been released on Soundcloud, Datpiff, iTunes, YouTube and the countless other distribution platforms out every single day. How many new artists are putting out mixtapes every single day – EPs, projects, artists trying to sell their music?

Generally speaking, people are moving through music very quickly through music – hopping from artist to artist, song to song, project to project. It’s a constant cycle because there is so much music is being flooded online and offline.

When I was at the A3C Festival and Conference earlier this year, there were a lot of artists passing out their CDs and thumb drives – and some had business cards or flyers with a QR code to access their album from a mobile device.

I remember one in particular, it was literally a THIRTY track mix tape. For up and coming artists that have a very small fanbase, I don’t see this approach being very effective.

There’s NO chance that anyone is going to listen to an entire project that long.  In fact, if you don’t captivate them within the first song or two, they’ll most likely move on to something else.

This is another reason why I love to see artists put out EPs, because by definition they are smaller, more easily digestible projects. Your potential fans will be much more likely to listen to an EP, than to listen to a full link album or an extended mixtape from an unknown artist.

Many of your classic hip hop albums were only ten or twelve tracks. They got in, they got out and concisely conveyed their message.

Again, I am not saying other formats cannot work -this is just my opinion and why I love shorter songs and projects. And this is why I format the majority of my instrumentals in a shorter, condensed format.

In Closing

Hopefully, this article can help you with an upcoming project or single you’re working on, and off your some song length and project length tips to consider before releasing them.

• Focus in the quality of music.
• Make your music condensed and as short as possible.
• Make that impact. Get in, get out. Deliver your message.
• Have a replay factor. It is going to give you the most probability of getting music out there, building your fan base and doing what you love long term.

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