Posthumous albums reveal unique music history

The iconic guitarist released only three studio albums and a live LP before his death in 1970. But that's nothing compared to his posthumous collection. New live recordings, bootlegs, unpublished tracks and recorded sessions appear in stores almost every year, and 2018 is no exception. The compilation "Both Sides of the Sky" contains 13 songs, 10 of which were previously unreleased.

The legendary American musician's last studio album "Dance Me This" was considered lost before it was finally released in 2015, 22 years after Zappa's death. In 1993, Zappa described the record as "a Synclavier album" that was designed "to be used by modern dance groups." Was it locked away for so long due to its complexity? Only his hardcore fans will probably find it appealing.

The "King of Pop" left behind over 100 unpublished songs, which is a lot of material for those who control the estate. A year after Jackson's death in 2009, the first record "Michael" was released, containing songs pieced together from vocal and track recordings. In 2014, "Xscape" came out with additional unreleased tracks. Both albums received good reviews and placed well in the charts.

When it comes to the best cover version of Leonard Cohen's "Hallelujah," most would agree: that of Jeff Buckley. The American singer-songwriter was working on his second album when he drowned during a freak accident in the Mississippi River in 1997. His mother assembled the previously recorded material, releasing the album "Sketches for My Sweetheart the Drunk" in 1998.

Janis Joplin's fourth studio album "Pearl" was released after her death, but it went on to become her most successful. It was composed of some of her final studio sessions; however, she had still planned to record some vocal tracks. That's why the song "Buried Alive in the Blues" contains no vocals. Around 18 live albums and compilations have been released posthumously after that.

David Bowie recorded an album in 1974 that was atypical of his style. It was titled "The Gouster," which he never released. The songs landed in his archives or on various special editions. Following his death in 2016, a box set called "Who Can I Be Now? (1974-1976)" was released. Among the 10 discs was "The Gouster" — flawless 1970s funk & soul sound, with a whole lot of "Dance Dance Dance."

Natalie Cole made an "Unforgettable" tribute to her famous father Nat King Cole in 1991. Herself already a notable soul and jazz singer, she took the recording he originally made in 1951 and reworked it, adding her voice to create a duet with her father, who died in 1965.

"Chuck" was the title of the last album by the musician, released just a few months after his death in 2017. The album before that dated back to 1979. In the nearly 40 years in-between, the musician said he preferred playing on stage rather than in the studio. He was 90 years old when he passed away.

Her family considers "Lioness: Hidden Treasures" Amy's best album. The 12 tracks on this album released in 2011 include jazz standards, such as "Girl from Ipanema" and "Body And Soul," which she sang together with crooner legend Tony Bennett, as well as till then unreleased original compositions. It reached top spots on the charts.

Three albums were released following Austrian singer Falco's fatal car accident in 1998. "Out Of The Dark (Into The Light)" came out just three weeks after his death. One year later came "Verdammt, wir leben noch," with material from 1987-1995. Then followed "The Spirit Never Dies" with songs from the 1987 "Wiener Blut" sessions.

"American VI: Ain't No Grave" from 2010 was the sixth and last of Cash's "American Recordings" series. The tracks were recorded between May 2003 and September, the month he died. He was, by that time, already severely ill, nearly blind, and relegated to a wheelchair. The songs — cover versions and previously unreleased original compositions — speak of pain, transience and deliverance.

The EP "Deliverance," with six recordings, was supposed to be released in 2017, to mark the first anniversary of the musician's death. However, Prince's estate was granted a temporary restraining order to halt its release. Prince had previously laid out that his songs would not be tampered with after his death. The title song "Deliverance" is all that remains.