In the fiercely competitive music industry, each artist falls under the keen eye of critics. To see a new face come out and make a name for themselves while catering to stern demands, constant pressure to release new music, stay on the charts, meet expectations and push the bar higher with every release is unrealistic. One can imagine the tremendous weight of expectations and anticipation on the shoulders of each music artist. Undoubtedly, it requires burning the candle on both ends if any sort of legacy is to be forged.
For this reason, every artist has to give their fans something unique, something special to find solace in and cherish. In this day and age, artists aren’t merely producing music, they are producing a brand – a brand of music like no other, one only their fans can truly understand, appreciate, embrace and be a part of. Hence, when an artist suffers from an untimely demise, much to the tragedy and tribulation of his/her circle of fans and the wider music industry. They don’t just leave behind earlier albums or collections of music; they leave behind a coterie built upon the identity associated with their persona, their actions, and, most importantly, their music.
While there are a few posthumous works that manage to build on the legacy of the late artist, they tend to merely be attempts by record labels to suck the last stacks of money they can wring from the artist they had signed. Albums like ‘Loyal to the Game’ (2004) by Tupac Shakur, released posthumously with the use of modern studio techniques and addition of contemporary features, absolutely tarnished his west coast hip-hop funk style. In another example, ‘Made in Heaven’ (1995) by Queen was released four years after the death of lead singer Freddie Mercury. It was made using vocals recorded in the last few weeks of Mercury’s life. The product, much to the disappointment of fans, was a schmaltzy and sappy album devoid of the energy so characteristic of Queen.
As can be seen, when an artist chooses to keep their unfinished doodles, tunes, drafts and preliminary jingles or melodies from the world, there is a reason behind it. Only the artist is aware of their creative identity and vision, that not everything they touch turns to gold, and that their legacy - a lifelong endeavour - is not a rub of the green. Consequently, raiding a late artist’s personal unfinished works in the hopes of finding something marketable and then having it modified by producers who lack the artistic vision of the late artist is not only unethical and an insult to their memory but also an incorrect reflection of the expired artist’s artistry. In a way, posthumous releases of an artist are not truly their own, merely a pale imitation of their genius.
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