Singers who put out new music after death

These artists take "living on through your music" to a whole new level.

ByLA Blake KGO logo
Saturday, May 31, 2014

Queen has just announced that its first album in decades will feature unreleased vocals by Freddie Mercury, who has been dead for 22 years.


The album, which band member Brian May said will probably be called Queen Forever, will be out later this year.

Who else recorded music that was not released during their lifetime? Take a listen.

Freddie Mercury of Queen
New album: Made in Heaven
Released: 1995, 4 years after his death
New album: Queen Forever (tentatively)
Will be released: 2014, 22 years after his death

Michael Jackson
New music: Several albums, including this year's Xscape
Released: Over the years since his death in 2009




Billie Holiday


New album: Last Recordings (originally Billie Holiday)


Released: 1959, days after her death




Biggie Smalls


New album: Life After Death


Released: 2007, 2 weeks after his death

Jimi Hendrix
New albums: Most of his music, including 12 studio albums
Released: Over the years since his death in 1970




Otis Redding


New song: "(Sittin' On) The Dock of the Bay"


Released: 1968, a month after his death




Janis Joplin


New album: Pearl


Released: 1971, months after her death

Kurt Cobain of Nirvana
New music: Several albums
Released: Over the years since his death in 1994




2Pac (Tupac Shakur)


New music: Several albums


Released: Over the years since his death in 1996

John Lennon
New music: The album Milk and Honey with Yoko Ono and two songs with the Beatles
Released: 1984-1995, 4-15 years after his death

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