Eminem’s fake obituary stunt promotes upcoming album “The Death of Slim Shady”

Readers of the Detroit Free Press last week were stunned to read an obituary dedicated to the late, great Slim Shady; but fear not - Marshall Mathers a.k.a Eminem has not died; far from it. 

The stunt took place to help generate more hype for Eminem’s long-awaited 11th studio album, “The Death of Slim Shady,” which is rumoured to be dropping this summer.

The obituary read: “Fans ‘will never forget’ controversial rapper. A product of Detroit who began his career there as a rogue splinter in the flourishing underground rap scene of the mid to late 1990s, Shady first became a household name in 1999 with the debut of his playfully deranged single ‘My Name Is,’ which — along with its uniquely eye-catching video — exposed the young artist and his lyrics to a wider audience.”

“Ultimately, the very things that seemed to be the tools he used became calling cards that defined an existence that could only come to a sudden and horrific end. His complex and tortured existence has come to a close, and the legacy he leaves behind is no closer to resolution than the manner in which this character departed this world. May he truly find the peace in an afterlife that he could not find on Earth.”

No dates were given regarding an official release date, however, given the nature of the promotional tool and the significance of its placement in the Detroit paper, we would hazard a guess it’s more of a “sooner” rather than a “later” date at this point.

But is Eminem’s promotional tactic one of music’s more wilder approaches to announcing or releasing an album? NationalWorld takes a trip back in time to some other “revolutionary” or “different” approaches to an album release.

What are some other stunts musicians have undertaken to promote an album release?

Lorde's Onion Rings Instagram Account

Ahead of the release of her album “Melodrama,” Aotearoan musician Lorde ran a secret Instagram account where she reviewed onion rings from around the world. The account, @onionringsworldwide, was a playful and personal project that gained media attention, revealing the singer's identity behind it. 

The move once again demonstrated the playful nature of Lorde’s personality while also somehow drawing more attention to the release of “Melodrama” rather than solely demonstrating the musician's affinity for the fried onion delicacy. 

David Bowie's "The Next Day" Billboard Campaign

The late, great David Bowie promoted his 2013 album "The Next Day" through a series of enigmatic billboards and street posters worldwide. These billboards featured the album cover—a defaced version of his "Heroes" album artwork—alongside the phrase "Where Are We Now?" 

The cryptic approach created buzz and speculation, drawing attention to his surprise return to the music scene, shortly before he died in 2016 at the age of 69.

Taylor Swift's Secret Sessions

Taylor Swift is known for her "Secret Sessions," where she invites select groups of fans to her homes to listen to her albums before their public release. The exclusive and intimate experience has created a strong bond between Swift and her fans, generating immense loyalty and word-of-mouth promotion. It has been particularly notable for albums like "1989" and "Reputation."

Coldplay's Treasure Hunt for "A Head Full of Dreams"

In the lead-up to the release of "A Head Full of Dreams," Coldplay organized a global treasure hunt where fans could find pieces of art related to the album. Participants who successfully completed the hunt were rewarded with exclusive merchandise and access to secret shows. 

Beyoncé's Surprise Album Drop

Before Taylor Swift revealed she would be dropping a new album at an awards ceremony, Beyoncé went one better in 2013 when she released her self-titled album without any prior announcement. 

The surprise drop on iTunes included music videos for each track, a move that revolutionized album releases. This album featured hits like "Drunk in Love" and "***Flawless." 

Radiohead's "In Rainbows" Pay-What-You-Want Model

Where were you when you discovered that Radiohead were going to let you pay what you wanted for the 2007 album, “In Rainbows?” The iconic British alternative act surprised everyone in the industry when they announced they would be releasing their seventh studio album across a range of formats through their website.

But the kicker was that they would be offering the album digitally for a “pay-what-you-want” model, similar to that artists can achieve with Bandcamp, which depending on how you looked at it was a revolutionary take on how music should be released, while others felt it cheapened the hard work of smaller bands who relied on a price mark for music, who now would need to contend with bigger acts to dictate the price of their art leading to inequity within some circles.

U2's "Songs of Innocence" Free Release on iTunes:

Hands up who woke up on September 9 2014, looked at their iPhone and wondered when they downloaded the new U2 album, “Songs of Innocence.” Me too. 

The group collaborated with Apple to provide users of their iTunes service a gift - their brand new album, free of charge. The gesture however backfired when many iPhone and Apple users complained how intrusive it was that an artist would purposefully send music to someone without them wanting it. 

It led to even more of a debacle when Apple had to issue instructions on how to remove the album and avoid it being re-downloaded again, with Bono stating in a 2022 interview with The Guardian “​​'I take full responsibility. I'd thought if we could just put our music within reach of people, they might choose to reach out toward it. Not quite.”