Whether it’s the longest or the shortest, you cannot deny the unique ability of songs to touch our souls. Songs have the power to move the emotions of people, and whether the goal of the song is to inspire you or make you sad, songs have always been there to motivate us in ways that other things could not. This is why songwriting is considered an art form. Have you ever wondered about the process it takes to write a song? Just as you might have imagined, it takes years of experience, passion, hard work, creativity, and a lot of editing. That is why creating long songs is a feat on its own.
Now have you ever asked yourself, “what is the longest song in the world?” It’s actually longer than the group of eight-minute songs you may have listened to. In truth, the longest songs ever recorded exceed up to hours in length. We’re aware that making one three-minute song is hard enough, but it’s almost impossible to make one that is an hour. However, because of the talented people that exist in this world, these songs do exist. That’s why we have gone out of our way to list them all for everyone to read about. Included in this article are the people behind the songs as well as the meaning behind every lyric.
Want to make the longest Spotify playlist or in the mood to find long songs that will help you sleep? Here are the longest songs ever for you to check out.
As Slow As Possible
Song Length: 2001–2640
Artist: Cage
The “Organ2 / (As SLow aS Possible)” may be the most unique entry on this list of the longest songs ever. Just like Greta Van Fleet’s “Lover, Leaver (Taker, Believer)” this song is a performance. However, the organ’s performance has not ended even though the performance began in the year 2001. “ASLSP” on the organ is a different type of duration since the performance will not end until the year 2640. It is a musical piece created by John Cage, an American music composer, music theorist, artist, and philosopher. Cage wrote the piece for the musical instrument organ as an adaptation for his composition “ASLSP” in the piano it was created in 1985. The performance of “ASLSP” in the piano version lasts 20 to 70 minutes depending on the pianist.
The organ performing this piece resides in St. Burchardi church in Halberstadt. The next change of the note in its performance started on the 2nd of February, 2022. While the organ itself is due for 2640. There have been other performances aside from the organ in St. Burchardi church. Diane Luchese performed the piece at 8 in the morning and ended it at 11 in the evening of the 5th of February in 2009. To date, Luchese’s performance is the longest individual performance of the piece, gathering 14 hours and a 56-minute performance.
Symphony of the Crown
Song Length: 48:39:35
Artist: Earthena
The world’s longest song is finally here for you in the form of Earthena’s “Symphony of the Crown.” As the longest of all the longest songs ever to date, “Symphony of the Crown” amasses a duration of 48 hours, 39 minutes, and 35 seconds. While songs like “Organ ASLSP” exist, Earthena’s “Symphony of the Crown” proves its right to the throne as Guinness’ Book of World Records acknowledges Earthena winning this round as the longest official song. On Spotify, they made the song into an album and cut it into pieces, with the last part lasting 39:35.
They released the “Symphony of the Crown” on the 1st of October, 2021. Composing the song itself took over a year. Earthena created and officially released the song in King City, Ontario in Canada. The song is filled with synth beats and has a consistent pattern. If you wish to listen to it, it is available on Earthena’s Spotify profile.
The Ring Cycle
Song Length: 15:00:00
Artist: Richard Wagner
Richard Wagner composed the four-part German music drama, “The Ring Cycle”. We also know it as “Der Ring des Nibelungen (The Ring of Nibelung),” “Wagner’s Ring,” and “The Ring.” It took Wagner 26 years to finish his masterpiece from 1848 to 1874. The Ring Cycle’s four parts are “The Rhinegold,” “The Valkyrie,” “Siegfried,” and “Twilight of the Gods.” Wagner created The “Ring Cycle” to be performed together, but it is mostly performed in separate pieces instead.
Out of the longest songs that exist in the world, “Wagner’s Cycle” takes the cake in terms of performance. The entire production of “The Ring Cycle” would take four days in the Opera to accumulate the entire 15 hours of the epic. The songs are loosely based on legends in Germany with Nordic legends and the concept of the Nibelungenlied. Wagner took inspiration from The Song of the Nibelungs, a Middle High German poem that was created in the 1200s. With repetitive harmonies, “The Ring Cycle” shows Wagner’s expertise in leitmotifs.