People just tolerate the first five and a half minutes to get to the last 2 and a half minutes. Or at least that's what I do :).

I remember an ex girlfriend changing the station once right at about that transition. I felt like someone had just stolen my time, like they'd knocked over a card tower I'd been working on.

And Free Bird (1973) is 9 minutes long, and the bane of Guitar Hero sessions. I have seen it explicitly banned from conventions because it is so long.

It isn't the longest Guitar Hero song, but it is probably the best known. And by the way, the infamous "Through the Fire and Flames" is 7:22.

Isaac Hayes had a lot of 12-14 minute long epics. The rise and fall of the key change between the 70’s until the end of the 80’s could be blamed for songs being “longer” during that period as well.

Sad Eyed Lady of the Lowlands (1966) was 11+ minutes long.

Dylan had quite a few of those lengthy ones. Visions of Johanna was 7:30. Stuck inside of Mobile was 7:04. Idiot wind was 7:50. Hurricane was 8:35.

I think some classic rock and oldies singles also had extra long versions.

None of those were singles.

Neither was Stairway.

I just looked up, Hurricane was released as a single. The b-side was... More hurricane.

Rapper's Delight was 14 minutes.