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edit lead. I was confused about how an anauthorized performance could be "released" at all in the 20th century, before recording technology existed. examining the article body, the only mention of a pre-20th century I can see is of transcripts of Shakespeare plays, which is interesting but seems like too minor an element to include in the lead, and it requires proper explanation if we do include it
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A ''' bootleg recording''' is an [[sound recording|audio]] or [[video]] recording of a performance not officially released by the artist or under other legal authority. Making and distributing such recordings is known as ''bootlegging''. Recordings may be copied and traded among fans without financial exchange, but some bootleggers have sold recordings for profit, sometimes by adding professional-quality sound engineering and packaging to the raw material. Bootlegs usually consist of unreleased studio recordings, live performances or interviews without the quality control of official releases.
A ''' bootleg recording''' is an [[sound recording|audio]] or [[video]] recording of a performance not officially released by the artist or under other legal authority. Making and distributing such recordings is known as ''bootlegging''. Recordings may be copied and traded among fans without financial exchange, but some bootleggers have sold recordings for profit, sometimes by adding professional-quality sound engineering and packaging to the raw material. Bootlegs usually consist of unreleased studio recordings, live performances or interviews without the quality control of official releases.


The practice of releasing unauthorised performances was established before the 20th century. It reached new popularity with [[Bob Dylan]]'s ''[[Great White Wonder]]'', a compilation of studio outtakes and demos released in 1969 using low-priority pressing plants. The following year, the [[Rolling Stones]]' ''[[Live'r Than You'll Ever Be]]'', an audience recording of a late 1969 show, received a positive review in ''[[Rolling Stone]]''. Subsequent bootlegs became more sophisticated in packaging, particularly the [[Trademark of Quality]] label with [[William Stout]]'s cover artwork. [[Compact disc]] bootlegs first appeared in the 1980s, and [[internet]] distribution became increasingly popular in the 1990s.