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The Ethical Dilemma Of The Posthumous Album
The efficacy of the practice and where labels go wrong
An Ethical Mind Trap
I will be frank, posthumous albums creep me out and I do not believe that they’re morally right to make. Unless an artist knowingly makes a posthumous project, like Queen or Bowie, I do not appreciate a family, label, or estate making that decision for them. I have three main ethical issues with posthumous albums.
My first issue regards privacy. Releasing a posthumous album is like publishing a person’s journal after they pass. It is an astounding violation of their privacy. Furthermore, musicians make more music than they want to release. This is an organic element of project sessions. Therefore, who are estates or family members to know that the music was intended to ever be released?
Posthumous albums have historically been critiqued as mere cash grabs. This is my second ethical issue. When Island Records released “Lioness: Hidden Treasures” five months after Amy Winehouse’s tragic death, critics lambasted it for blatant commercial dishonesty. Most of the songs on the album were unfinished demos from a collection of unreleased music. If Island Records really wanted to honor Amy’s memory, why would they release music that she never intended the world to hear?
