A double album is an audio album of sufficient length that two units of the medium in which it is sold (especially records and compact discs) are necessary to contain the entirety of it. A schematic representation of hearing. ... An album is a collection of related audio tracks, released together commercially in an audio format to the public. ... 33â…“ LP vinyl record album from the 1960s A gramophone record (also phonograph record, or simply record) is an analogue sound recording medium consisting of a flat disc with an inscribed modulated spiral groove. ... The Compact Disc logo was inspired by that of the previous Compact Cassette. ...

The double album was a much more common format during the vinyl LP era than during the CD era. A single LP had two sides, each of which could be no longer than half an hour (and sound quality was better when less music was crammed onto each side.) Most LPs were between 30 and 45 minutes in length. A single CD can be as long as about 80 minutes. Hence, many old 2-LP albums have been re-released as a single CD. 33â…“ LP vinyl record album from the 1960s A gramophone record (also phonograph record, or simply record) is an analogue sound recording medium consisting of a flat disc with an inscribed modulated spiral groove. ... The Compact Disc logo was inspired by that of the previous Compact Cassette. ...

Recording artists often think of double albums as a single piece artistically; however, there are exceptions such as Pink Floyd's Ummagumma, one live album and one studio record packaged together, and OutKast's Speakerboxxx/The Love Below, consisting of one practical solo album by each member of the hip-hop duo. Particularly in the compact disc era, artists sometimes will release albums with bonus discs, featuring studio out-takes, alternate mixes, or other material that would not typically be suitable album material but which would be of interest to fans (e.g., The Beatles' Let It Be... Naked, which featured a bonus disc of studio chatter and jamming entitled Fly on the Wall). Pink Floyd are an English band noted for progressive rock music, philosophical lyrics, classical rock compositions, sonic experimentation, innovative cover art and elaborate live shows. ... Ummagumma is a progressive and psychedelic double album by Pink Floyd released in 1969. ... A live album is a musical recording containing recorded concert performances. ... OutKast is an American hip hop duo based out of Atlanta, Georgia. ... Speakerboxxx/The Love Below is the name of the 2003 double album by the two members of the hip hop group OutKast, each disc a solo project. ... Hip hop music (also referred to as rap or rap music) is a style of popular music. ... The Beatles were a pop and rock music group from Liverpool, England, who continue to be held in the very highest regard for their artistic achievements, their huge commercial success, and their ground-breaking role in the history of popular music. ... Let It Be… Naked, released on November 18, 2003, is a remastered and remixed version of the original session tapes from the 1970 Let It Be album by the Beatles. ...

The first ever double album was Dave Brubeck's At Carnegie Hall. The first rock double album, and first studio double album, ever released is believed to have been Bob Dylan's Blonde on Blonde in 1966, although at the same time Dylan was recording the album, Frank Zappa and the Mothers of Invention were at work on the double album Freak Out!, released two months after Blonde On Blonde. The first rap double album was 2pac's All Eyez On Me. Brubeck in 1954 David Warren (Dave) Brubeck (born December 6, 1920 in Concord, California) is an American jazz pianist who has written a number of jazz standards, including In Your Own Sweet Way and The Duke. ... At Carnegie Hall is a jazz album by The Dave Brubeck Quartet, released in 1963 (see 1963 in music); it was recorded at the famed Carnegie Hall in New York City. ... A recording studio is a facility for sound recording. ... Bob Dylan (born Robert Allen Zimmerman on May 24, 1941) is an American singer-songwriter, musician and poet whose enduring contributions to American song are often compared, in fame and influence, to those of Stephen Foster, Irving Berlin, Woody Guthrie, and Hank Williams. ... Blonde on Blonde is a rock and roll album by Bob Dylan, generally believed to be the genres first double album. ... 1966 (MCMLXVI) was a common year starting on Saturday (the link is to a full 1966 calendar). ... Frank Vincent Zappa (December 21, 1940 - December 4, 1993) was an American rock/jazz fusion musician, composer, and satirist. ... Freak Out! is the debut album of Frank Zappa and his group, the Mothers of Invention. ... Years after his death, Tupac Shakur is still considered one of the most influential hip hop artists of all time. ... All Eyez on Me is an album by American rapper Tupac Shakur, released on February 13, 1996 (see 1996 in music). ...

Since then, the double album format has been more often used for live albums for which material is often plentiful. The format is also frequently used for concept albums. A live album is a musical recording containing recorded concert performances. ... It has been suggested that concept EP be merged into this article or section. ...

There were only a few examples during the vinyl-LP era of a sesquialbum, i.e., a one-and-a-half album. Johnny Winter released a three-sided album on two 12-inch discs, with the flip side of the second disc being blank. The vinyl release of Pavement's "Wowee Zowee" also had only 3 sides of music. The Monty Python album Matching Tie and Handkerchief was originally issued with two concentric grooves with different programs on side B. Elvis Costello and The Clash (amongst other 1980s acts) would sometimes release early pressings of their albums with extra material on a 45 rpm single. Leonard Cohen wanted to do the same with his album Recent Songs but Columbia rejected the idea. Vinyl products (such as these records) come in many colors. ... LP or lp may stand for: Look up LP and lp in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ... Johnny Winter album cover Johnny Winter (born John Dawson Winter III on 23 February 1944 in Beaumont, Texas) is an American blues guitarist and singer, well known for his albinism, as well as his musical skills. ... Pavement may refer to: Pavement (material): An American English term referring to the durable surfacing of roads and walkways. ... Wowee Zowee was the third studio album by Pavement. ... The Monty Python troupe in 1970. ... The Monty Python Matching Tie and Handkerchief was the fourth album by the Monty Python comedy group, released in 1973. ... Declan Patrick Aloysius MacManus, aka Elvis Costello. ... The Clash was a British rock group that existed from 1976 to 1986. ... Look up single in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ... Leonard Norman Cohen, CC (born September 21, 1934 in Montreal, Quebec, Canada) is a Canadian poet, novelist, and singer-songwriter. ... Recent Songs was the sixth studio album by Leonard Cohen, released in 1979. ...

The triple album contains three units of the medium; the first one of note in the rock era was George Harrison's All Things Must Pass. Packages with more units than that are generally called boxed sets. George Harrison, MBE (24 February 1943 – 29 November 2001) was a popular British guitarist, singer, songwriter, record producer, and film producer, best known as a member of The Beatles. ... All Things Must Pass is a triple album by George Harrison recorded and released after the break-up of The Beatles. ... A boxed set (often erroneously referred to as a box set) is one or more musical recordings, films, or television programs that are contained in a box. ...

In the late 1980s, the compact disc, which can carry more music than a typical vinyl long play record, became the most common format on which to sell music. Albums which were originally packaged as double records are often sold on a single compact disc, such as the aforementioned Blonde on Blonde, The Who's Tommy, The Rolling Stones' Exile on Main Street, and Prince's 1999 (though not in all cases, such as the Beatles' White Album). Also, albums of the compact disc era are often longer than those of previous decades, and are sometimes packaged on two records if vinyl copies are produced. In general, an album is usually referred to as a double album when its audio content requires two units of the prominent format of its time period. Thus, double albums are less prominent in the compact disc era than in previous decades. MacGyver - 1980s hero The 1980s decade refers to the years from 1980 to 1989, inclusive. ... The Who is a British rock band that first came to prominence in the 1960s. ... Tommy (1969) is one of The Whos two full-scale rock operas, (the other being Quadrophenia) and the first musical work explicitly billed as a rock opera. ... The Rolling Stones are a British rock band that rose to prominence during the British Invasion in the 1960s. ... Exile on Main Street is a 1972 (see 1972 in music) album by the rock and roll band The Rolling Stones. ... Due to technical limitations, some web browsers may not display some special characters in this article. ... 1999 (MCMXCIX) was a common year starting on Friday, and was designated the International Year of Older Persons by the United Nations. ... The White Album redirects here. ...

The concept of a double album is one that sparks much critical debate. Some see them as a testament to a bands creativity although they are also seen as self indulgent and bloated. It is freqent that double albums come at a time in a band's career when they have achieved much success and possibly believe that what everything they do will be "Gold" and fans will buy it. Many double albums are released to much divide in critical opinion and in hindight the question "would this be better as a single album" is asked. Despite this criticism, many double albums are met with praise or seen as classics some time after their release.

See also

• List of double albums
• Category:Double albums
• Category:Triple albums