How do you prefer your music – short and catchy, or sprawling and immersive? Just like musical tastes themselves, preferences for song length are incredibly diverse. While some gravitate towards punchy tracks, others are drawn into the expansive worlds created by longer compositions.
No matter where you stand on the song length spectrum, the question of the Longest Song Ever is undeniably intriguing. Just how far can musical duration be stretched? Driven by this curiosity, we’ve delved into the annals of music history to uncover some truly exceptional and lengthy pieces that have been released over the years.
A Brief History of Song Lengths: From Vinyl to Streaming
In today’s music landscape, a song around three and a half minutes is often seen as the sweet spot – a length considered ideal for capturing and holding listener attention without overstaying its welcome. It’s a length that feels almost instinctively “right” for a popular song. But where did this seemingly arbitrary three-minute “rule” come from? Let’s take a quick trip back in time.
In the late 19th and early 20th centuries, the dominant format for music recording was the flat record, commonly known as a “78” among vinyl aficionados. This name came from its 78 revolutions per minute speed. However, due to limitations in storage technology, these early discs could only hold a relatively short amount of audio – typically around three to four minutes per side, depending on the disc’s size.
The 1950s saw the rise of the 45-rpm record, which quickly superseded the 78. While superior in many ways, the 45 still had a similar time constraint, generally accommodating about three minutes of music per side, depending on the song’s sonic range.
During this era, if artists and bands wanted their music played on the radio, they essentially had to release their songs on 45s. (Fun fact: This is the origin of the term “single,” referring to a record with just one song on each side). The 45 became the cornerstone of popular music, being more accessible and affordable. Many iconic British Invasion, R&B, Motown, and Rock & Roll hits were initially released as 45s, including singles from legends like Elvis Presley, The Beatles, The Rolling Stones, and Pink Floyd. (PS: It’s worth noting that even within these constraints, artists like Bob Dylan, Led Zeppelin, Rush, Pink Floyd, and Jimi Hendrix were already experimenting with longer songs, some exceeding ten minutes).
But as technology advanced beyond 78s and 45s, with digital media and vast cloud storage now offering virtually limitless space, why has the three-minute song norm persisted? Theoretically, artists today have the freedom to create tracks of any length. Yet, if anything, popular song lengths are actually shrinking. This trend likely reflects the age of music streaming and instant online gratification, leading to shorter attention spans and a demand for quickly digestible content.
Diving into the Deep End: The Longest Songs on Record
The concept of the “longest song ever” is surprisingly multifaceted. It could refer to a track that stretches for years, a composition that has been continuously playing for decades, or even a song that, despite its length, manages to break into the mainstream charts. It’s a diverse and fascinating area of musical exploration.
(Friendly Disclaimer: Prepare to be amazed. The lengths of some of the songs you’re about to discover are truly mind-blowing). Ready to have your perception of song length redefined? Hold on tight as we delve into some of the longest songs ever conceived.
The Officially Longest Song Ever Recorded
The official title for the “longest song ever recorded” belongs to The Rise and Fall of Bossanova by PC III, a duo from the United States. According to Guinness World Records, Kelley and Michael Bostwick, the minds behind PC III, shattered the previous record by an astounding ten hours. This monumental track, clocking in at 13 hours, 23 minutes, and 32 seconds, was released in November 2016 and continues to hold the official record. Imagine a song that starts playing at 6:00 AM and continues uninterrupted until 7:23 PM!
The Guinness World Record certificate for the longest officially released song, 'The Rise and Fall of Bossanova' by PC III, highlighting its duration of over 13 hours.
However, as impressive as a 13-hour song is, it pales in comparison to some of the lengths reached by “unofficially released” musical pieces.
The Unofficial King: The Longest Song of All Time
While PC III’s track holds the official record, the title of the “longest song ever” arguably belongs to Bull of Heaven’s Like a Wall in Which an Insect Lives and Gnaws.
Prepare yourself: this song is a staggering 5 years, 258 days, and 8 hours long in its entirety. Yes, you read that correctly – over five years of continuous music! Visualizing a music video for this track is almost impossible. It’s questionable if anyone possesses the stamina, willpower, or sheer lifespan to listen to the entire song from beginning to end, but its existence is undeniably mind-boggling.
Interestingly, Bull of Heaven, consisting of Clayton Counts and Neil Keener, are no strangers to creating exceptionally long compositions. They’ve been producing lengthy tracks since 2008. Other notable epics in their catalog include 116: Rituals of the Elements and Feasts of the Times and 043: He Is Cruel and Moves with Great Cunning, which stretch for over four days and thirteen hours respectively.
Beyond Duration: Longest Running and Chart-Topping Songs
Now that we’ve explored sheer length, let’s consider other dimensions of “longest songs.”
The Longest Running Song Ever: A Millennium-Long Composition
Did you know that there’s a musical piece, known as Longplayer, that has been playing continuously since the dawn of the 21st century, and is designed to play for a millennium without repeating?
On December 31, 1999, a composition by Jem Finer began playing in a lighthouse in England. It is designed to play without repetition until the year 2999, completing a full 1000-year cycle. Longplayer is truly a song for the ages, intended to span over 30 generations.
Longplayer is the result of extensive research into musical systems. It is built from six compositions that follow precise yet simple rules, creating a 1000-year long piece that is theoretically non-repeating. This project is a remarkable fusion of music, technology, and long-term thinking.
The Longest Song to Hit the Billboard Charts
We’ve explored the longest recorded, the longest ever, and the longest running songs. But what about exceptionally long songs that have achieved mainstream recognition by charting on Billboard?
According to Guinness World Records, the “longest song ever to enter the Billboard Hot 100” is Fear Inoculum by progressive metal band Tool. Released in August 2019, this track clocks in at 10 minutes and 21 seconds. While seemingly short compared to day-long or year-long songs, in an industry where chart-topping hits are becoming increasingly concise, Fear Inoculum‘s chart success is a significant achievement.
Previously, the record for the longest Billboard charting song was held by David Bowie’s 2016 hit, Blackstar, at 9 minutes and 57 seconds. Tool surpassed Bowie, with Fear Inoculum debuting on the Billboard Hot 100 at number 93. Despite setting this record, Fear Inoculum was actually the second shortest track on Tool’s album of the same name.
From Bizarre to Beloved: Exploring More Long Songs
Let’s delve into some other noteworthy long songs, ranging from the truly unusual to the widely acclaimed.
The Bizarrely Long: Flaming Lips’ 24-Hour Skull Song
What if you were told about an experimental rock band that created a 24-hour long song? After the songs we’ve already discussed, this might seem almost ordinary. However, the Flaming Lips, a psychedelic rock band, released their 24-hour track in a truly unique way in 2011.
Believe it or not, 7 Skies H3 was sold on pen drives encased in five actual human skulls. Not plastic Halloween decorations, but real human skulls! Truly bizarre! These five limited edition skulls sold out instantly, despite a price tag of $5,000 each.
Popular Long Songs You Might Actually Listen To
Stepping back towards more conventional musical experiences, here are some popular and critically acclaimed long songs that many music lovers have actually listened to and enjoyed:
- “Rime of the Ancient Mariner” by Iron Maiden (13:39): Iron Maiden daringly transformed Samuel Taylor Coleridge’s 18th-century poem into a 13-minute heavy metal epic. “Rime of the Ancient Mariner” is a classic example of narrative songwriting in metal.
- “Shine on You Crazy Diamond” by Pink Floyd (26:01): This sprawling Pink Floyd masterpiece is a poignant tribute to Syd Barrett, a former band member. Originally appearing on the album Wish You Were Here, “Shine on You Crazy Diamond” is a fan favorite and a staple of classic rock radio.
- “Coma” by Guns N’ Roses (10:16): Guns N’ Roses guitarist Gilby Clarke described “Coma” as the band’s most challenging song to learn. “Without a doubt, Coma. I still don’t know it. It’s like this 15- or 20-minute song with no repeats.” This song is a dramatic and intense journey.
- “Dogs” by Pink Floyd (17:05): Originally written by David Gilmour in 1974 and initially titled “You Gotta Be Crazy,” “Dogs” is another Pink Floyd epic from the Animals album. It’s a complex and layered track blending cynicism with dreamlike musical passages.
- “In my Time of Dying” by Led Zeppelin (11:06): No list of great songs, long or short, would be complete without Led Zeppelin. Their rendition of the traditional gospel song, “In My Time of Dying,” from the album Physical Graffiti, is a powerful and bluesy epic.
From songs that stretch for years to those that break chart records despite their length, the world of music holds incredible diversity. The “longest song ever” is not just one thing, but a spectrum of amazing musical achievements. Whether you prefer short, sharp musical bursts or immersive, extended journeys, the exploration of song length reveals the boundless creativity and ambition of musicians across genres and generations. What will be the next record-breaking song to capture our attention and challenge our perceptions of musical duration?
