Hip hop Magazine NME says “Posthumous music” (music released after the death of the musician) is becoming more popular, especially in the rap industry -- just look at recent releases from Juice Wrld, Pop Smoke, and Lil Peep
Another article from NME says we should “let sleeping dogs lie”, and not publish music from dead artists -- they were exploited enough while they were alive
The Guardian agrees. Part of a musician’s artistry is in their decisions to release or trash projects -- fans have no right to the scraps and throwaways the artist never intended to be released
But Diamondback News says there’s “nothing inherently wrong” with releasing posthumous music -- it gives the fans one more chance to appreciate an artist they love
And a blog called “If Ever You’re Listening” says releasing posthumous music is good for society -- fans can use the new tracks to grieve, and the next generation of artists can use them for inspiration
So where’s the line between honoring and exploiting a legacy? The Face says it’s okay to release finished music, but not works in progress
Ok, so who profits? Journalist Armon Sandler says it’s the greedy labels, who aren’t releasing the music in good faith
What about holograms? CBC Canada says the industry is growing, but there are plenty of ethical and legal concerns
Vox says hologram technology has become more advanced, and has increased in popularity -- even living artists are being turned into holograms
The Guardian says pop holograms are “ghost slavery”, and we should be wary of blurring the lines between humans and machines
Rolling Stone notes that VR+AR concerts have become very popular in Asia -- seems like the entertainment and advertising industries see holograms as the future
Some famous songs released after the artist’s death include “Changes” by Tupac, “A Change Is Gonna Come” by Sam Cooke, “Sittin on the Dock of the Bay” by Otis Redding, and “Buffalo Soldier” by Bob Marley and The Wailers