Jimi Hendrix posthumous discography

This article is about recordings released after Hendrix's death. For releases during Hendrix's lifetime, see Jimi Hendrix discography.
Jimi Hendrix posthumous discography
Studio albums13
Live albums28
Singles28
Soundtrack albums2
Anthologies and retrospective albums19
EPs and special releases27
Official bootlegs23

Jimi Hendrix (1942–1970) was an American guitarist whose career spanned the years between 1962 and 1970.[1] His posthumous discography includes recordings released after September 18, 1970. Hendrix left behind many recordings in varying stages of completion.[2] This material, along with reissues of his career catalogue, has been released over the years in several formats by various producers and record companies. Since Experience Hendrix, a company owned and operated by members of the Hendrix family, took control of his recording legacy in 1995,[3] over 15 Hendrix albums have appeared on the main US albums chart.[4] Several of these have also placed on charts in more than 18 countries around the world.[5]

At the time of his death, Hendrix was recording songs for a fourth studio album.[6] He was working on enough material for a double album and had sketched out possible track lists.[7][8] However, only about six songs were nearing completion, with an additional twenty or so in different stages of development.[9][10][11] The first attempt at presenting Hendrix's fourth studio album, a single LP record titled The Cry of Love, was released in 1971 and reached number three on Billboard's album chart.[4] A second attempt titled Voodoo Soup, with some different songs and a new audio mix, was released in 1995 and appeared at number 66.[4] In 1997, Experience Hendrix restored the original mixes and added several songs for a third release:[12] the double-album length First Rays of the New Rising Sun, the first to use one of Hendrix's proposed titles,[13] reached number 49.[4]

In addition to songs planned for a fourth studio album, numerous demos, studio outtakes/alternate takes, and jams have been released.[14] Albums of concert performances and compilations focusing on various aspects of Hendrix's work have been issued. From 1970 to 1992, his record companies Reprise Records in the US and Track Records/Polydor Records in the UK continued to handle his recordings.[14] MCA Records took over in 1992, during the controversial tenure of subsequent producer Alan Douglas.[2] Since 2010, Sony/Legacy Recordings has been distributing the releases produced by Experience Hendrix.[15] Besides legitimate releases, many bootleg and grey market albums have appeared over the years.[16] Many of these have been reissued several times with different album titles, packaging, and song titles.[17] Some purporting to feature Hendrix as a sideman have been shown to be fake.[18][19] To meet the demand, Dagger Records was established in 1998 to issue "official bootlegs" of albums "that don't meet the technical recording criteria"[20] and standards for mainstream release.[21] These have included live recordings from various points in his career as well as demo and rehearsal recordings.[2]

  1. ^ McDermott, Kramer & Cox 2009, pp. 22, 247.
  2. ^ a b c Unterberger, Richie. "Jimi Hendrix: Artist Biography". AllMusic. Retrieved October 1, 2014.
  3. ^ "Experience Hendrix". Jimihendrix.com (official website). Retrieved October 1, 2014.
  4. ^ a b c d Cite error: The named reference Billboard 200 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  5. ^ Cite error: The named reference Other album charts was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  6. ^ McDermott & Kramer 1992, p. 294.
  7. ^ Roby 2002, pp. 207–208.
  8. ^ McDermott & Kramer 1992, pp. 274–275.
  9. ^ Roby 2002, p. 207.
  10. ^ McDermott & Kramer 1992, pp. 274–276.
  11. ^ Shapiro & Glebbeek 1990, p. 441.
  12. ^ Roby 2002, pp. 208–209.
  13. ^ Roby 2002, p. 266.
  14. ^ a b Shapiro & Glebbeek 1990, pp. 539–553.
  15. ^ "Sony Music Entertainment and Experience Hendrix announce an exclusive licensing partnership for legendary Jimi Hendrix catalog". Jimihendrix.com (official website). August 28, 2010. Retrieved October 1, 2014.
  16. ^ McDermott 1998, p. 4.
  17. ^ Shapiro & Glebbeek 1990, pp. 569–585.
  18. ^ Shapiro & Glebbeek 1990, pp. 569, 574.
  19. ^ Roby 2002, p. 26.
  20. ^ McDermott 1998, p. 1.
  21. ^ Cite error: The named reference Dagger was invoked but never defined (see the help page).