The Longest Song Ever Was Almost 6 Days Long (2024)

Songs typically range anywhere between three to 10 minutes long, depending on the genre. However, modern mainstream music commonly sees tracks hover around three and a half minutes, with artists and producers rarely choosing to move the needle.

But when it comes to tracks you won't catch on the radio, the longest song ever recorded will test your listening endurance.

Contents

1. A Quick Look at Long Songs
2. Longest Rock Song: 'The Whirlwind'
3. Longest Pop Song: 'Apparente Libertà'
4. Longest Officially Released Instrumental Song: Liu Ji
5. Most Bizarre 'Longest Song'? More Like Most Bizarre Release
6. Overall Longest Running Song: 'Long Player'
7. 7 Popular 'Long Songs' That Aren't Record-Breakers

Pinpointing the longest song ever recorded is a matter of some debate, with some songs lasting hours, days, or even years. Notably lengthy tracks occur across genres, including rock and classical.

Some of the longest songs ever recorded include experimental music pieces and ambient music tracks, as well as "unofficially released" tracks by lesser-known artists.

And the Record Goes to...

As of May 2023, "Shri Ramcharitmanas" by Dr. Jagdish Pillai is the longest single song ever recorded and officially released according to the Guinness World Records, with a total playing time of 138 hours, 41 minutes and 20 seconds.

He sang "Shri Ram Charit Manas," a 16th-century poetic work by Goswami Tulsidas in the Awadhi language. Pillai — a Vedic science teacher at Banaras Hindu University and scholar of ancient Indian religious texts — paired the epic poems to a melody in a single track.

The Previous Record Holder

Previously, Kelley and Michael Bostwick held the record for the longest song ever recorded, "The Rise and Fall of Bossanova" by PC III (Pipe Choir Three). Coming in over 13 hours long, you could listen to this single song for the entire length of a flight from Los Angeles to Tokyo.

Rock music has always had a flair for pushing boundaries, and nothing showcases this better than its long songs. Some of the most popular and longest rock tracks take listeners on epic journeys that defy the usual constraints of time.

Take, for instance, "The Whirlwind." This monumental track, which appears as the title piece on Transatlantic's third studio album, has become one of the longest rock songs ever recorded, clocking in at an astounding 77 minutes.

Released on October 23, 2009, "The Whirlwind" is available in multiple formats (including a standard edition, a double-disc special edition and a deluxe edition), catering to fans who appreciate both the original version and its extended explorations.

The length of this song is not just a testament to the band's mental strength and creativity but also a reflection of the genre's capacity for grandiose, sweeping experiences.

The typical pop song hovers around three to four minutes, perfect for radio play and catchy hooks. But some artists like to take a different approach, crafting tunes that defy these norms.

Giancarlo Ferrari's track "Apparente Libertà" has earned the Guinness World Record for the longest recorded pop song. This synth-pop marvel stretches an impressive 76 minutes and 44 seconds, breaking the previous record held by Chris Butler’s "The Devil Glitch," which ran for 69 minutes.

Ferrari’s "Apparente Libertà" is a true feat of endurance and creativity. With over 700 verses spread across 150 pages of score, the song features a blend of repetitive tones, sequencers and trackers.

Classical and instrumental music often embrace grand lengths and intricate compositions that characterize the genre's ever-evolving art form. These tracks can stretch into epic proportions, allowing artists to explore complex themes and lengthy musical narratives.

Examples of long classical songs include "Symphony No. 9" by Ludwig van Beethoven (65 to 74 minutes) and "The Ring Cycle" by Richard Wagner (four individual operas totaling about 15 hours).

The World Record Holder

According to Guinness World Records, the reigning champion in this category is Liu Ji, a concert pianist who performed a mind-boggling 18-hour-long instrumental piece.

This impressive feat took place in Qin Huang Dao, Hebei, China, beginning at 7 am on December 31, 2020, and concluding at 1 am on January 1, 2021.

The experimental rock band The Flaming Lips released a 24-hour single in 2011. The shock factor for the day-long song, "7 Skies H3," was in how the song was released: The band first sold the song via hard drives embedded in real human skulls.

There were only five of these bizarre track packages available for sale, but they immediately sold out at $5,000 each. The Flaming Lips later released the track to the public on Halloween.

Imagine a musical composition that stretches over a millennium, evolving slowly and subtly with each passing year. This is the vision behind Jem Finer’s "Long Player."

Conceived as a groundbreaking piece of art, "Long Player" is designed to play continuously for 1,000 years without ever repeating itself. This project is a testament to Finer's creativity but also to the possibilities of blending musical composition with cutting-edge technology.

Crafted to be a slow and gradual progression of sound, each moment builds upon the last. The music changes subtly over time — thanks to complex algorithms and sophisticated computer systems — thereby creating a continuously evolving auditory experience.

This unique approach means that the composition will never repeat, offering each listener a completely fresh experience, whether they encounter it today or in centuries to come. This application of technology demonstrates how modern advancements can push the boundaries of artistic expression.

Whether a legendary artist or iconic band, some of the longest songs ever recorded have delighted these musicians' loyal fans.

We created this article in conjunction with AI technology, then made sure it was fact-checked and edited by a HowStuffWorks editor.