Perhaps such a question has already been asked but I'm sure that many have been disappointed with material announced but never released, mine is called "Levon and the Hawks - From Bacon Fat to Judgment Day" 8CD + DVD (Other Peoples Music) Levon and the Hawks: From Bacon Fat to Judgement Day But there are over time many singles, albums, CDs, Boxes in the same situation ....
Years ago I heard that Let It Be was to be released on DVD WITH the original book in the package. I guess it was not an official announcement.
Sometime it's not a bad thing. Laurie Lindeen of Zuzu's Petal wrote a fine book called Petal Pusher, A Rock and Roll Cinderella Story. I'd read she was thinking about writing another book about the trials and tribulations of living with a rock star (Paul Westerberg). I'm glad she had the wisdom not to do it.
Rufus Wainwright: 'Northern Stars', a 2017 live recording of songs solely by Canadian writers. This has obviously been released, albeit in extremely limited numbers for V.I.P. concert guests only. Rufus has promised a general release but so far nothing has happened. With his Hadrian opera premiering next month, the forthcoming 'All these Poses' tour 2018/19 and an new studio album announced for release next year, I fear this will fall by the wayside.
The Zack De La Rocha (ex-Rage Against The Machine frontman) solo album. With input from Questlove, Roni Size and many others, along with co-production by DJ Shadow and Trent Reznor, this album had the potential to be huge. Now however, I think its time may have passed... Also, the Rhino Handmade edition of a massively expanded reissue of the J. Geils Band's "Live" Full House. They were even taking pre-order reservations for it, if I remember correctly...
In the book that comes in the Freddie Mercury Solo Collection, it says that a Queen Anthology would come, and waiting...
Four or five years ago Guided by Voices annonced a rarities compilaton CD but scrapped it. Some of those songs showed up on Suitcase 4 but others are still unreleased (or only released as 7" b-sides).
The plug being pulled on the remaining Sinatra capital albums sacd’s. In The Wee Small Hours in particular.
Too many Prince almost-releases to mention. Crystal Ball (1987). Crystal Ball 2 (2000). Roadhouse Garden. The Dawn. Even 20ten Deluxe. He was a master at it.
I've posted about this before, but in 2003 when RPM released "94 Baker Street: Pop Psych Sounds of Apple", the liner notes mentioned an upcoming 2-CD Iveys demo compilation, "How High the Sky". I asked the label about it in May, 2004 and received a reply that said they were still working on it, hoping for a year-end release. Since then, not a word. The release of this CD is one of my biggest hopes.
Not sure if it was announced but I was very disappointed that a third volume of the Beatles' 'Capitol Albums' series wasn't issued.
Either in the 70s or 80s, I seem to recall McCartney talked about releasing an album of previously unreleased tracks but I never heard any more about it beyond that magazine article or interview.
I'm sure Neil fans have quite a list of albums that would apply here. On a rather different front, I recall talk "from inside sources" about a My Bloody Valentine box set being planned that would include their pre-Creation material, but of course that amounted to zilch.
The last disc from the Jeff Beck - Beckology box set being cancelled. Supposedly, it was going to include some live special guest appearances and studio session appearances among the tracks.
Neil Young. Enough said on that. Ryan Adams has quite a few. Blackhole anyone? Stevie Wonder has at least three albums due to be released over the past 5-10 years.
Probably only mattered to me and 2 other people, but Jill Sobule had her 2nd album in 1991 produced by Joe Jackson and MCA refused to release it after her first album bombed. The 2nd album is a little bit better than her pretty dismal debut. Then her third album, the self-titled one came out in 1995, and featured her two minor hits I Kissed a Girl and Supermodel. And, as posted above, the granddaddy of them all, Smile by The Beach Boys.