it's just "long play" and it comes from the length of the album indeed. Same goes for EP (extended play) and single. When the groves in vinyl albums are made, t

it's just "long play" and it comes from the length of the album indeed. Same goes for EP (extended play) and single. When the groves in vinyl albums are made, the engineers can decide how close and deep the groves are and what RPM the album is supposed to be played at. Bass heavy tracks for example need deeper groves as they make the needle jump more and if the neighboring groves are too close, the needle might jump to them. This is why 12" vinyls come in different weights and the playtime can vary quite a bit.