American release

This version was released in America

United States

The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...

 as a "Slash sticker" labelled 7" and as a cassette with a "Burning Splash" sleeve.

Australian release

The 7" and cassette versions of this release only had tracks 1 & 2, unlike the 12" which featured all 3.

UK & International reissue

Reissue version of the single "Epic". The 7" vinyl and cassette versions only had the first two tracks.

Official Versions

• Epic (Edit) - 4:18 - Epic (What Is It) - Promotional CD, PRO-CD-3913 (1989).
• Epic (LP Version) - 4:51 - Epic (What Is It) - Promotional CD, PRO-CD-3913 (1989).
• Epic - 4:54 - The Real Thing (1989)
• Epic (Radio Remix Edit) - 3:59 - Epic - Promotional CD, PRO-CD-4071 (1990)
• Epic (Live At The Brixton Academy) - 4:55 - Live At The Brixton Academy 1990 (1991).
• Epic (Live At The Forum 1995) - 4:48 - Ricochet CD Single, LACDP 53 / 850 105-2 (1995).
• Epic (Remaster) - 4:51 - The Real Thing, Remastered Edition (2009)

Peak positions

Chart	Peak
Australian Singles ARIA Charts The ARIA charts are the main Australian music sales charts, issued weekly by the Australian Recording Industry Association. The charts are a record of the highest selling singles and albums in various genres in Australia. ARIA commenced compiling its own charts in-house from the week ending 26 June...	1
Modern Rock Modern Rock Tracks Alternative Songs is a music chart in the United States that has appeared in Billboard magazine since September 10, 1988. It lists the 40 most-played songs on modern rock radio stations, most of which are alternative rock songs...	2
Billboard Hot 100 Billboard Hot 100 The Billboard Hot 100 is the United States music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by Billboard magazine. Chart rankings are based on radio play and sales; the tracking-week for sales begins on Monday and ends on Sunday, while the radio play tracking-week runs from Wednesday...	9
Mainstream Rock Mainstream Rock Tracks Hot Mainstream Rock Tracks is a ranking in Billboard magazine of the most-played songs on mainstream rock radio stations, a category that includes stations that play primarily rock music. Modern rock tracks are counted in the Alternative Songs chart.This chart began with the March 21, 1981, issue...	25
UK Singles UK Singles Chart The UK Singles Chart is compiled by The Official Charts Company on behalf of the British record-industry. The full chart contains the top selling 200 singles in the United Kingdom based upon combined record sales and download numbers, though some media outlets only list the Top 40 or the Top 75 ...	25

End of year charts

End of year chart (1990)	Position
U.S. Billboard Hot 100	75

Covers

"Epic" has been covered both in concerts and on the Kerrang!

Kerrang!

Kerrang! is a UK-based magazine devoted to rock music published by Bauer Media Group. It was first published on June 6, 1981 as a one-off supplement in the Sounds newspaper...

 Higher Voltage CD, a compilation of artists covering other songs. Such artists include the Welsh rock band The Automatic

The Automatic

The Automatic , are a Welsh rock band. The band is composed of Robin Hawkins on vocals, bass and synthesizers, James Frost on guitar, synthesizers, backing vocals and occasional bass, Iwan Griffiths on drums and Paul Mullen on vocals, guitar and synthesizer - since 2007...

; the CD was released June 20, 2007. The metalcore

Metalcore

Metalcore is a subgenre of heavy metal combining various elements of extreme metal and hardcore punk. The name is a portmanteau of the names of the two genres. The term took on its current meaning in the mid-1990s, describing bands such as Earth Crisis, Deadguy and Integrity...

 band Atreyu

Atreyu (band)

Atreyu is an American rock band from Orange County, California, formed in 1998. The band consists of vocalist/lyricist Alex Varkatzas, guitarists Dan Jacobs and Travis Miguel, bassist Marc McKnight and drummer/vocalist Brandon Saller...

 also covered the song on their album Lead Sails Paper Anchor

Lead Sails Paper Anchor

-Album:-Singles:-Personnel:* Dan Jacobs– lead and rhythm guitars* Alex Varkatzas – lead vocals, lyrics* Brandon Saller – vocals, drums, percussion* Travis Miguel – rhythm and lead guitars* Marc McKnight – bass guitar, backing vocals...

, and the Swedish indie band Love is All

Love is All

Love Is All is a five-piece indie pop band from Gothenburg, Sweden. It releases songs in English. Paste Magazine has stated that it makes "infectiously lo-fi punk rock laced with saxophone and melodic vocals".-Biography:...

 covered the song on the B-side to their What's Your Rupture?

What's Your Rupture?

What's Your Rupture? is a New York-based independent record label that specializes in small-run vinyl releases. The label gained recognition in 2005 with the release of Love Is All's Nine Times That Same Song and a 12" release of Giddy Stratospheres from The Long Blondes...

 7" "Wishing Well." A master track of the song also appears in the music video game Rock Band. A shortened version of the song is also featured in the racing game, Burnout Paradise

Burnout Paradise

Burnout Paradise is the seventh game in the Burnout racing video game series. It was developed by Criterion Games and published by Electronic Arts. It was released in January 2008 for PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 and on February 5, 2009 for Microsoft Windows...

. The song also appeared in a commercial for the console versions of Street Fighter IV

Street Fighter IV

is a fighting game produced by Capcom. It is the first numbered Street Fighter game released by Capcom since . The coin-operated arcade game was released in Japan on July 18, 2008, with North American arcades importing the machines by August...

, with the announcer stating about the game's "epic return".