Mac Miller—an American rapper who found his sound in the young Pittsburgh hip-hop scene—was publicly known to have many unreleased tracks. Throughout his years, Miller released five studio albums and many other EPs and mixtapes. Since his passing in 2018, Miller’s estate has been approving the production and release of various posthumous projects. Releases began with Circles in 2020, which Miller was working on as a companion album to his final album, Swimming. The album’s single, “Good News,” was Miller’s highest-charting song. Miller’s estate also commercially released his mixtapes, KIDS, Faces, and I Love Life, Thank You between 2020 and 2023. His most recent studio album, Balloonerism, was released on January 17, 2025, and the album’s lead single, “5 Dollar Pony Rides,” was released on January 9th.
Critics praised Circles; viewing it as an introspective album, and praising its raw emotion. However, opinions from fans have been mixed. Some view these posthumous releases as a respectful way to honor and cherish Miller’s legacy, while others believe the estate is releasing music too frequently following the artist’s passing. Some fans worry that since Miller is deceased, there is no definite way to confirm that he would’ve wanted these unreleased projects made public. Discomfort has been expressed with the continuous release of new music, feeling that it could potentially exploit Miller’s legacy for commercial gain.
Fans are concerned about Miller’s discography becoming oversaturated and distorting his vision. Many say they would prefer Miller’s legacy to remain intact, with only specific and carefully curated pieces ever seeing the public eye. Concerns about how these releases may impact the artist’s image are especially evident with the looming release of Balloonerism. Some fans question whether the project may not accurately represent Mac Miller’s artistic vision had he been alive to revise it and advise production.
Although fans have presented concerns surrounding ethics, commercialization, and sentiment through social media, many others agree that Miller’s family has handled the release of posthumous albums as respectfully as possible. Each release has been advertised in a way that honors Miller’s life and artistic ability, attempting to share and extend his legacy and immense impact on the music industry. Mac Miller will forever hold a special place in the hearts and minds of fans. His honesty, positivity, and openness connect deeply with listeners who are seeking an authentic role model who deeply cares about his craft and fans.
