Avicii's Family Is Releasing A Posthumous Album To Honor The Late DJ's Memory

Avicii and his impact on music will not be forgotten any time soon. On Friday, April 5, the family of the late DJ announced that a posthumous Avicii album will be released in June, with its lead single, "S.O.S" dropping on April 10. According to a feature in the New York Times, the album — titled Tim after the DJ's birth name, Tim Bergling — will consist of songs that Avicii had been writing and producing in the months before his tragic death in April 2018.

The DJ, who rose to fame with his hit song "Wake Me Up" in in 2013, was found dead of an apparent suicide last year, April 20, 2018, in Muscat, Oman. In a statement following his death, Avicii's family opened up about how much the late musician loved his work, but stated that his international fame caused him a great deal of stress and hardship. "Our beloved Tim was a seeker, a fragile artistic soul searching for answers to existential questions," the Bergling family wrote at the time.

"When he stopped touring, he wanted to find a balance in life to be happy and be able to do what he loved most — music. He really struggled with thoughts about Meaning, Life, Happiness. He could not go on any longer. He wanted to find peace," the statement read.

The statement continued, "Tim was not made for the business machine he found himself in; he was a sensitive guy who loved his fans but shunned the spotlight. Tim, you will forever be loved and sadly missed. The person you were and your music will keep your memory alive. We love you."

As part of their mission to keep Avicii's music and memory alive, the family teamed up with the musician's friends and collaborators to finish up the album that he was working on before his death, even recruiting "Wake Me Up" singer Aloe Blacc to perform the hook on "S.O.S." Tim will also feature an appearance from Coldplay frontman Chris Martin, and is made up of songs that were "75 to 80%" finished by Avicii himself, according to the Times.

The DJ himself teased the new music included on Tim back in 2017, in a letter to fans that he shared on his website after announcing his decision to stop touring in 2016. "Last year I quit performing live, and many of you thought that was it. But the end of live never meant the end of Avicii or my music. Instead, I went back to the place where it all made sense — the studio," he wrote at the time, according to Billboard. "The next stage will be all about my love of making music to you guys. It is the beginning of something new. Hope you'll enjoy it as much as I do."

In addition to releasing Tim, the Bergling family will continue to honor the late DJ with the formation of the Tim Bergling Foundation, which "will initially focus on supporting people and organizations working in the field of mental illness and suicide prevention," according to a press release announcing the foundation, via Variety. “Tim wanted to make a difference," the statement continued. "Starting a foundation in his name is our way to honor his memory and continue to act in his spirit."

Despite his tragic death in 2018, it's clear that Avicii's music and memory will, indeed, live on, thanks to the love and hard work of his family, friends, fans and collaborators.

If you or someone you know is experiencing suicidal thoughts, call the National Suicide Prevention Hotline at 1-800-273-8255 or text HOME to the Crisis Text Line at 741741. You can also reach out to the Trans Lifeline at 877-565-8860 or the Trevor Lifeline at 1-866-488-7386, or to your local suicide crisis center.