10 Legendary Artists & Their Controversial Posthumous Albums

Introduction

Posthumous albums are a fascinating corner of music history. When an artist leaves us, their unreleased work often becomes a source of both excitement and debate. Will these albums honor their legacy, or are they simply a way for record labels to capitalize on a name? The mystery surrounding these releases is undeniable. For fans, it’s often a bittersweet chance to hear a beloved voice one last time. Yet, the question always lingers: would the artist have wanted this?

One thing is clear: the demand for music from departed legends is always strong. Let’s delve into ten such albums and the stories behind them.

10. Amy Winehouse – Lioness: Hidden Treasures (2011)

Fans watched with heavy hearts as Amy Winehouse, a star celebrated for her incredible album Back to Black, struggled with addiction. Her public image unfortunately shifted from talented musician to tabloid focus. Many hoped new music would redirect attention to her artistry. However, producer Mark Ronson had admitted in 2008 that she wasn’t in a condition to record. Even a James Bond theme song project for Quantum of Solace was scrapped before she could lay down vocals.

After her passing, the memory of Amy Winehouse the struggling individual faded, replaced by the image of a uniquely talented, soulful singer. Naturally, an album followed. Lioness: Hidden Treasures was compiled by producers Ronson and Salaam Remi, along with her family. However, because she hadn’t been able to record much new material, many tracks were from sessions before her debut album, Frank. At that time, she was still developing her sound. As a result, the album didn’t quite capture the magic of Back to Black, leaving that masterpiece as her defining, singular hit.

9. Jeff Buckley – Sketches for My Sweetheart the Drunk (1998)

Listening to Sketches for My Sweetheart the Drunk comes with a specific understanding: Jeff Buckley explicitly did not want these songs released. He found the recording process for what was meant to be his follow-up to the 1994 cult classic Grace incredibly difficult. He ultimately discarded these recordings, intending to start fresh.

He had only produced a few tracks when he died in a tragic, almost poetic manner. Buckley decided to swim in Mississippi’s Wolf River, famously wearing Doc Martens and reportedly singing Led Zeppelin’s “Whole Lotta Love.” He was caught in the wake of a passing barge and drowned. His mother inherited his estate and tried to honor his wishes when Sony planned to release the scrapped sessions. She managed a compromise: a second disc featuring demos from just before his death was included. While not ideal, many feel the world benefits from having more of Jeff Buckley’s music, even if it’s viewed more as a document of his creative journey than a finished artistic statement—more like a diary entry than a full story.

8. The Doors – An American Prayer (1978)

It might surprise some to learn that The Doors released three albums after Jim Morrison’s death. However, only one, An American Prayer from 1978, prominently featured the iconic frontman. This unique album consisted of Morrison’s poetry readings, with the surviving band members creating musical accompaniment.

Reception was divided. Many questioned whether Morrison would have approved. Paul Rothschild, a longtime producer for The Doors, harshly criticized it, calling it “the rape of Jim Morrison” and comparing it to cutting up a Picasso into tiny pieces. In contrast, John Haeny, the engineer who originally recorded Morrison’s poetry, defended the project. He stated, “I want people to understand that this album was made by those people who were closest to Jim, both personally and artistically. Everyone had the best intentions.” Haeny believed Morrison would have been pleased and appreciated their heartfelt dedication to his work.

7. Queen – Made in Heaven (1995)

With Made in Heaven, there’s less ambiguity: Freddie Mercury actively wanted a posthumous Queen album. Aware his time was short, Mercury dedicated himself to recording as much as possible. Brian May recalled that once they knew their time with Freddie was limited, they made the most of every moment he felt well enough to be in the studio. “We basically lived in the studio for a while,” May said, “and when he would call and say, ‘I can come in for a few hours,’ our plan was to just make as much use of him as we could.” Mercury encouraged the band to give him material, saying, “I will leave you as much as I possibly can.”

Producer David Richards noted that Mercury, who usually waited for songs to be complete before adding final vocals, knew he wouldn’t have that luxury. Despite his efforts, the band still had less than a full album’s worth of new material. They turned to older demos and vocals from Mercury’s solo projects to complete it. The result, Made in Heaven, is a somewhat bittersweet collection, a patchwork of different eras and efforts, but one clearly driven by Mercury’s final wishes.

6. Michael Jackson – Michael (2010) and Xscape (2014)

Given Michael Jackson’s increasing reclusiveness before his death, a new album after 2001’s Invincible seemed unlikely. However, soon after he passed, his estate struck a massive $250 million deal with Epic Records for ten “lost” Michael Jackson albums. The first of these was 2010’s Michael. This release was quickly mired in controversy. Jackson’s family, many fans, and producer Will.i.am alleged that three songs didn’t feature Michael Jackson’s voice at all, but rather that of an impersonator named Jason Malachi. Malachi even briefly admitted this on Facebook before retracting the statement, claiming his account was hacked.

The situation led to a class-action lawsuit against Sony Music. The record label controversially argued that the First Amendment allowed them to attribute songs to an artist, even if the attribution wasn’t accurate. Perhaps due to this backlash, only one more “lost” album has appeared since: 2014’s Xscape. This album played it much safer, featuring just eight tracks, all with well-documented origins, having been recorded for previous albums but ultimately not used.

5. David Bowie – Toy (2021)

The global outpouring of grief following David Bowie’s death in 2016 was a testament to his impact. As a massive Bowie fan, one might have expected his passing to be just another celebrity news item, quickly forgotten. Instead, it became a moment of worldwide collective mourning. His final album, Blackstar, released just two days before his death, hit number one in 27 countries. This success naturally tempted those managing his estate to release more material quickly.

EPs, box sets, and live albums followed at a steady pace, but a full-length unreleased studio album took five years to emerge. Toy was recorded in 2001 and had actually leaked online in 2011, so dedicated fans were already familiar with it. Nevertheless, its official release, beautifully remastered and packaged by producer Tony Visconti and the original musicians, was a welcome event. The mystery remains why it wasn’t released in 2001; Bowie cited issues with his record label, but why it stayed shelved after those issues were resolved is still an unanswered question.

4. Tupac Shakur – Numerous Posthumous Releases

Tupac Shakur’s posthumous discography is extensive, to say the least. It includes titles like The Don Killuminati: The 7 Day Theory (1996), R U Still Down? (Remember Me) (1997), Still I Rise (1999), Until the End of Time (2001), Better Dayz (2002), Loyal to the Game (2004), and Pac’s Life (2006).

With seven posthumous studio albums compared to five released during his lifetime, Tupac likely holds some kind of record. The Don Killuminati was recorded just a month before his death and released two months after. Pac’s Life was timed for the tenth anniversary of his passing. The sheer volume of releases in the decade following his death even fueled conspiracy theories that he was still alive. The real explanation was simpler: Tupac was an incredibly prolific workaholic. Stories about his work ethic are legendary. The Don Killuminati was his second album released in 1996, a year in which he also starred in three films. Labelmate Snoop Dogg mentioned Pac recording tracks at an astonishing rate, sometimes one every twenty minutes, adding with a somber note, “To me, it was like, why is he working so fast and so hard and trying to finish these records up? He had to know [he would die soon].”

3. John Lennon and Yoko Ono – Milk and Honey (1984)

Completing Milk and Honey was deeply personal for Yoko Ono. Unlike many posthumous albums, this one didn’t try to create an illusion that John Lennon was still actively making music. It was conceived as a follow-up to their 1980 album, Double Fantasy. The project was understandably paused after Lennon’s tragic death, and Yoko Ono wasn’t able to resume work on it until 1983.

The album features an alternating sequence of songs by Lennon and songs by Ono. Hers are polished, commercially oriented, and contemporary for the time. In poignant contrast, Lennon’s tracks are more casual, somewhat rough, and preserved exactly as he left them. This serves as a stark, honest testament to his absence, making the album a unique and heartfelt tribute.

2. George Harrison – Brainwashed (2002)

Brainwashed was a project George Harrison worked on, in various stages, for nearly fifteen years. A terrifying home invasion in 1999, where Harrison was stabbed by a mentally disturbed intruder, must have deeply affected him, drawing chilling parallels to the murder of his bandmate John Lennon. Reports suggested his attacker had an irrational obsession with The Beatles, similar to Lennon’s killer.

Harrison, who had already battled aggressive throat cancer, became intensely focused on completing the album. He shared every detail of his plans with his son, Dhani Harrison, and producer Jeff Lynne. This meticulous planning proved invaluable when Harrison’s cancer returned in 2001. Dhani and Jeff Lynne were able to follow his exact timetable, even using the studio sessions Harrison had pre-booked, to finish Brainwashed according to his vision.

1. Johnny Cash – American V: A Hundred Highways (2006) and American VI: Ain’t No Grave (2010)

The collaboration between Johnny Cash and hip-hop producer Rick Rubin, founder of Def Jam, was incredibly successful. Their American Recordings series yielded beloved tracks like Cash’s covers of Nine Inch Nails’ “Hurt,” Soundgarden’s “Rusty Cage,” and Depeche Mode’s “Personal Jesus.” These recordings revitalized Cash’s career and introduced him to a whole new generation of fans. The demand for new work from this partnership was immense.

Rubin is known for his meticulous production. On earlier albums in the series, this perfectionism created a powerful contrast with Cash’s raw, unvarnished sound. However, on American V and VI, Cash’s voice was often a pained, frail rasp. Even Rubin’s skilled production couldn’t always compensate for this. On American V, this created an evocative portrayal of weariness and mortality. But by American VI, it often made for a very difficult listen. The Los Angeles Times even called it Cash’s “hospice record,” a description that, while perhaps accurate, didn’t lessen its sadness. Both Rick Rubin and Cash’s son, John Carter Cash, have mentioned that more recordings exist from these sessions, hinting at future releases in the American Recordings series.

Conclusion

Posthumous albums occupy a unique space in music. They can be a precious gift to grieving fans, offering one last connection to a cherished artist. They can also be seen as commercial ventures, sometimes released without clear evidence of the artist’s consent or in a state they wouldn’t have approved. As we’ve seen, the stories behind these albums are as varied as the music itself, ranging from carefully planned final statements to collections of unfinished sketches. They remind us of the enduring power of music and the complex legacies legendary artists leave behind.