Another insight is the complex role of record labels in archiving and sometimes suppressing music, impacting our understanding of musical legacies. The book adopts a journalistic approach, blending research with accessible writing to appeal to music enthusiasts and students of musicology. It is structured in three parts, beginning with an introduction to unreleased music, progressing through case studies of specific artists and genres, and concluding with implications for music preservation and copyright law.
By analyzing bootleg recordings and leaked tracks alongside archival research, the book treats unreleased music as an integral part of an artist's creative output, deserving study and preservation.