Illegal musical recording, e.g.

BOOTLEG

Think of a sneaky way to sell live concert tracks without the artist’s permission.

The clue refers to an unauthorized or illegally made recording of music, often sold without the artist's permission. "Bootleg" is the term for these kinds of recordings, which might be live concerts or studio tracks distributed without proper licensing. The word itself comes from the old practice of smuggling goods hidden in the leg of a boot, tying into the idea of something being illicit or under the table. It’s a straightforward definition with no wordplay—just a common term in music and pop culture.