Top 10 Posthumous Hit Songs
For this list, we're taking a look at the biggest, most well known hits to come out after a singer or band member's death.
#9: “I Could Fall in Love” Selena
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Nicknamed the Queen of Tejano music, Selena was a bestselling artist, a Grammy winner and one of the most influential Latin musicians of all time. During the 1990’s she was one of the biggest artists on the planet, but that all ended when she was shot and killed by the former president of her fan club in March of 1995. “I Could Fall in Love” was released later that year to considerable critical and commercial success. The lead single off of her fifth and final album, “I Could Fall in Love” was one of two songs from the album to become a posthumous hit, with the other being “Dreaming of You”.
#8: "You Know You're Right" Nirvana
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One of the most influential bands of the 20th century, Nirvana galvanized a generation of young music lovers and catapulted grunge rock to the top of the music world. “You Know You’re Right” was recorded just three months before Kurt Cobain committed suicide but it would take eight years for the track to receive a wide release. This was due to a disagreement between Cobain’s widow Courtney Love and his former band mates Dave Grohl and Krist Novoselic. When the song was finally released in 2002 it dominated the alternative music charts, staying at number 1 for four straight weeks. Worth the wait? We think so.
#7: “Hypnotize” The Notorious B.I.G.
On March 1st, 1997 Biggie Small’s dropped this now-iconic track on the world and eight days later he was dead - murdered in a drive-by shooting. The song reached the number one spot on the Billboard Hot 100 and in doing so became just the fifth posthumously released track to accomplish the feat. But Biggie wasn’t done. His single “Mo Money Mo Problems” was released a few months later and also managed to nab the top spot on the Hot 100; making Biggie the first and, to date, only person to have two posthumously released number one singles.
#6: "Buffalo Soldier" Bob Marley & The Wailers
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The second track off of his 1983 posthumously released album “Confrontation”, “Buffalo Soldier” remains one of Bob Marley’s most beloved songs. While it may not have been as successful as some of the other songs on our list it has still managed to carve out a nice little spot for itself in music history as one of the most iconic posthumous tracks of all time. It’s the kind of song that’s impossible to listen to without cracking a smile thanks to its easygoing beat, powerful lyrics and of course, Marley’s soothing voice.
#5: "Me & Bobby McGee" Janis Joplin
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One of the defining artists of the 1960s and a member of the notorious “27 club”, Janis Joplin died of a heroin overdose on October 4th, 1970. While she left behind an impressive musical catalog she still managed to surprise fans with the release of this Kris Kristofferson cover song in the winter of 1971. “Me & Bobby McGee” was not just a posthumous number one hit for the raspy voiced singer; it was the only number one hit of her entire career. Few musicians sang with the passion of Janis Joplin and as such she will always be regarded as one of the best of her generation.
#4: "Love Will Tear Us Apart" Joy Division
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When Joy Division lead singer Ian Curtis committed suicide in June of 1980 the world lost one of its greatest poets. Curtis infused his songs with truth; passion and a desire to express that which pained him. Never was this more apparent than on “Love Will Tear Us Apart”, the moody, melancholic track released shortly before his death. The song became the bands first to land on the UK Singles Chart and has since been featured in a slew of films and TV shows. Curtis’ widow even had the songs title inscribed on his tombstone. In 2004 Rolling Stone included “Love Will Tear Us Apart” on its list of the “500 Greatest Songs of All Time”.
#3: "Changes" 2Pac feat. Talent
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There have been more posthumously released Tupac albums than ones released during the rappers lifetime, so it goes without saying that we had a lot of options when it came to which of his posthumous tracks we wanted to feature.Alas we’re going with “Changes”, the iconic 1998 song that dove deep into the systemic problems that were plaguing black America in the 1990s. The song was a chart topper for the murdered rap superstar and further cemented him as the genre’s preeminent storyteller…even if he was no longer around to defend the title.
#2: "A Change Is Gonna Come" Sam Cooke
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Yet another example of an artist taken before his timeSam Cooke was tragically shot and killed in 1964, only 11 days before the release of “A Change Is Gonna Come”. The song has since become one of his most famous and in the wake of his death became a runaway hit on the charts. Over the years everyone from Bob Dylan to Tina Turner has covered “A Change Is Gonna Come” and in 2007 it was selected by America’s Library of Congress for inclusion in their National Recording Registry, which preserves songs that are culturally, historically, or aesthetically important. A posthumous hit? You could say that. Before we unveil our top pick, here are a few honorable mentions: "Songbird" Eva Cassidy "Time in a Bottle" Jim Croce “What I Got” Sublime "SOS" feat. Aloe Blacc Avicii "Self Care" Mac Miller
#1: ("Sittin’ on) The Dock of the Bay" Otis Redding
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On December 10th, 1967 the music world lost one of its brightest stars in Otis Redding. The victim of a plane crash, Redding had spent the past few years churning out hit songs, earning him the nickname The King of Soul. One of the last songs he ever was recorded was “(Sittin’ On) The Dock of the Bay” and it would go on to become the first posthumously released single to top the Billboard Hot 100 in history. The easy listening track is truly a treat for the ears, which is probably why Rolling Stone listed it as the 26th best song of all time. Honestly, we think it should have been higher.
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