The extended play (EP for short) often gets lumped in with singles and is often considered as a collection of b-sides that weren’t good enough for a proper album, but sometimes an EP ends up being a band’s best or most defining work, or an important evolution in their sound. Here is a list of some EPs that were both highly influential and an important step in a band or artist’s evolution.
Joy Division – An Ideal for Living (1978)
Before Joy Division became the godfathers of post-punk, they were just a punk band, albeit a very good one. An Ideal for Living was important in the evolution of Joy Division, leading them to eventually release their ever-influential debut, Unknown Pleasures. The EP includes a song called Warsaw, which was the band’s original name, which was inspired by David Bowie’s 1977 ambient track Warszawa. The album cover features a member of the Hitler Youth.
Black Flag – Nervous Breakdown (1979)
Black Flag’s debut release and one of the foundational EPs in the development of the hardcore punk genre.
Minor Threat – Minor Threat (1981)
Minor Threat’s debut EP, which was a major influence on hardcore punk and the straight edge lifestyle.
R.E.M. – Chronic Town (1982)
R.E.M.’s first EP and a major influence on 1980s alternative rock, college rock and jangle pop.
The Cure – Japanese Whispers (1983)
A transitional release from The Cure, which saw the band venturing into pop songwriting, following the completion of their dark and nihilistic gothic rock trilogy.
Slayer – Haunting the Chapel (1984)
Haunting the Chapel bridged the gap between Slayer’s raw NWBHM roots found on Show No Mercy and the more extreme thrash metal sound of the following year’s Hell Awaits, which eventually lead to one of the genre’s holy grails, Reign in Blood.
Pixies – Come On, Pilgrim (1987)
Pixies first EP, which lead to their highly-influential debut LP Surfer Rosa. Includes some of their best songs, such as Caribou, Nimrod’s Son and The Holiday Song.
Fugazi – Fugazi (1988)
The first release from Fugazi, which included Ian MacKaye of Minor Threat. An influential EP on the post-hardcore genre.
my bloody valentine – you made me realise (1988)
Following several unsuccessful singles and EPs, my bloody valentine finally struck gold with you made me realise, which would go on to become one of the most influential releases on the shoegaze genre.
Nine Inch Nails – Broken (1992)
Although Nine Inch Nail’s debut album, Pretty Hate Machine, was already much heavier than Trent Reznor’s synthpop contemporaries, Broken is where industrial metal was truly born, with a blending of electronic music, heavy metal guitars, and an absolute sense of dread.
Pavement – Watery, Domestic (1992)
A complimentary collection of songs to their debut album, Slanted & Enchanted, which alongside that album, helped to define 1990s indie rock and slacker rock genres.
TOOL – Opiate (1992)
TOOL’s first release, which featured some of the trademarks that would go on to be refined on their debut LP, Undertow.
Alice in Chains – Jar of Flies (1994)
While it was Alice in Chain’s second acoustic EP (following 1992’s Sap), it proved that extended plays were a commercially-viable form of music, going on to become 4x platinum in the USA, as well as becoming one of the band’s most acclaimed releases.
Aphex Twin – Come to Daddy (1997)
While it may not be as influential as an album like Selected Ambient Works 85-92, Come to Daddy was still another successful release from Aphex Twin during his incredible run between 1992-1999.
At the Drive-In – Vaya (1999)
Vaya bridged the gap between the previous year’s In/Casino/Out and their masterpiece Relationship of Command, which released the following year.
Animal Collective – Fall Be Kind (2009)
A complimentary release to the band’s magnum opus, Merriweather Post Pavilion, which released earlier in the year. This EP also features the first licensed sample of Grateful Dead’s music on What Do I Want? Sky
Charli xcx – Vroom Vroom (2016)
Vroom Vroom saw a major artistic evolution from Charli xcx, following her first two albums which were still heavily-rooted in pop. Here, she began to get more experimental, with a production style that would eventually lead to a masterpiece like 2024’s BRAT.