The 25 Best Posthumous Albums of All Time

The fifth anniversary of MJ's death sparks a look back.

Got to Be There - Globally known for being the King of Pop, at the root of Michael Jackson's historic and trailblazing career is his love for Black urban culture (from which hip hop springs forth). And Michael Jackson has been down with hip hop since his years with the Jackson 5, when he began helping to expose aspects of the culture to mainstream audiences in the '70s.In honor of the fifth anniversary of his death, check out Mike's key hip hop moments and how he's repped the streets since day one.  (Photo: Phil Walter/Getty Images)
Jimi Hendrix, Live at the Fillmore East - Drawing from the same game-changing live performances as the 1970 Band of Gypsies LP, this album, released in 1999, captures Jimi and blues masters Buddy Miles and Billy Cox tearing down the famous San Fran venue with amazing renditions of "Wild Thing," "Power of Soul" and "Machine Gun."  (Photo:  MCA Records)
Otis Redding, The Dock of the Bay - Released a year after the plane crash that took his life, The Dock of the Bay shows Redding's gut-wrenchingly gritty voice, versatility and lost potential — the unforgettable title track, a creative quantum leap for the icon-to-be, was recorded just days before his death.  (Photo: Atlantic Records)Selena, Dreaming of You - Dreaming of You is a hard listen at times. Recorded in the months before Selena was gunned down by the president of her fan club at the age of 23, it's a heartbreaking testament to a young talent on the verge of superstardom.  (Photo: EMI)

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Born Again - It was five years ago when the King of Pop suffered an untimely death, but it seems like his legacy is stronger than ever with the 2014 release of Xscape, Michael Jackson's second posthumous album. The album, originally recorded in 1991 with L.A. Reid and Babyface during the Dangerous sessions, maintained MJ’s vocals while incorporating modern pop sounds by way of super producers Rodney Jerkins and Timbaland. It received many rave reviews, was compared to the likes of Thriller, and has so far sold 309,000 copies since its May 13 release, according to Nielsen SoundScan.In rememberance of MJ's legacy, we take a look at the best posthumous albums of all time. — Intro by Dominique Zonyeé, reporting by Alex Gale(Photo: Phil Walter/Getty Images)

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