You are correct on all accounts, Sarge.
The Beatles, especially with Sgt Pepper, got folks to consider the album as the thing to buy. Also Days of Future Past by The Moody Blues, which came out shortly after Sgt Pepper. And The Who pushed the concept album to new heights with Tommy.
Yes, The Doors broke the -3- minute barrier with Light My Fire. I was a (very small time) DJ at the time and I immediately threw away the rule book. My two hour show would always begin with a Beatles song. At both half-hour marks I would play a long (>5 minute track) so I could go outside on the fire escape and have a "smoke." Then at the top of the second hour I would always play a Rolling Stones tune.
I still find things on the Sgt Pepper cover that I've missed. (Or perhaps had forgotten. If you remember the sixties you weren't really there.) At one point I had over 3,000 LPs. I'm now down to about 700-800. Plus about 100 45s. I have less than 50 CDs. Most of my digital music has been converted from vinyl, which has truly been a pain. But I know exactly where in a track I'm going to hear a scratch. And when I listen to that same track on a CD, I find myself waiting for the scratch and never hear it.
[Getting back to the topic at hand...]
While I really can't use WTF for more than a few minutes, I like the reasoning for it's development. Thanks again.