On January 17, 2025 the Mac Miller Estate released Miller’s most recent album Baloonerism. This release may come as a surprise to many fans given his passing in 2018. In the music industry, managers may release an artist’s music after their death, or posthumously.
While these projects allow fans to enjoy more music from an artist after their passing, they also may raise significant ethical concerns. Increasingly more posthumous album releases pose the question– do posthumous albums honor an artist’s legacy, or do they exploit their work for financial gain?
A primary ethical concern of this subject is consent. For artists who have unexpectedly passed or did not have any explicit instructions regarding music released after their death, artists may not have intended for all of their music to be released and it risks misinterpreting the artist’s vision.
“I think it’s always really shocking and surprising when an artist that has already passed away releases an album. It’s also exciting for fans but I wonder if this is how they wanted it to be released. I just wonder if the artist was okay with their work being published,” said Jaidee Hernandez, senior.
One of the most potent examples of this is XXXTentacion. Six months after his passing, his family released the incomplete album SKINS shortly followed by Bad Vibes Forever. These albums were strongly disliked by XXXTentaction fans, regarding the albums as “ a collection of odds and ends” and that the album “should have never seen the light of day,”.
On the other hand, releasing music from artists posthumously can serve as a tribute to preserve the artist’s legacy. These projects are able to give fans an opportunity to hear new music from their favorite artists and provide the families with financial support.
When handled carefully to take into account artist’s wishes and intent for their musical projects, they can serve as a meaningful continuation of an artist’s legacy.
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