The birth of the 'modern' tribute album is often credited to Record Producer Hal Willner with the ''Amarcord Nino Rota '' LP in 1981 . He followed up with tributes to Thelonious Monk , Disney cartoons, Kurt Weill , Charles Mingus and Harold Arlen .
Some tribute albums are created with a further conceptual twist than a simple collection of covers. These include:
- Albums which aid the artist whose work is being covered. These include ''Where the Pyramid Meets the Eye,'' a tribute Roky Erickson , whose cult fame has not led to financial success, as well as the 2CD ''Orphans of God'', a tribute to the late Mark Heard , a singer/songwriter who's work has been praised by fellow artists such as Bruce Cockburn, Victoria Williams, Sam Phillips and T-Bone Burnett.
- Albums consisting of one artist performing only songs by another artist, such as ''Great Zeppelin'', a tribute album for Led Zeppelin , performed solely by Great White or ''Wicked Grin,'' a collection of Tom Waits songs performed by John Hammond Jr. .
- Albums consisting cover songs done in one style of music, often another style than that of the person being tributed. These include ''Is It Rolling Bob?: A .''
- Albums which recreate a specific album with cover versions of songs from that album. These include ''Legacy: A Tribute to ,'' which recreates Spence's only album ''Oar.''
- Albums consisting of cover songs sung in another language. These include ''Tributo a The Cure - Porque No Puedo Ser Tu'' (1999) and ''Tributo a Queen : Los Grandes del Rock en Espanol'' (1997).
- Albums consisting of cover songs performed by artists who ''influenced'' the band being covered, rather than those influenced ''by'' that band. These include ''''.
- AC/DC - ''A Hillbilly Tribute to AC/DC'' (performed by Hayseed Dixie, 2001)
- Aerosmith - ''The String Quartet Tribute to Aerosmith'' (2003)
- Arthur Alexander - ''Adios Amigo''
- Louis Armstrong - ''The Spirit of St. Louis'' ( The Manhattan Transfer , 2000)
- Burt Bacharach - ''What the World Needs Now...''
- Burt Bacharach - ''To Hal & Bacharach''
- Count Basie - ''OP Plays Count Basie'' ( Oscar Peterson , 1956)
- The Beatles - ''All You Need Is Covers - Songs of the Beatles'' (1999)
- The Beatles - ''Chet Atkins Picks on the Beatles'' (1966)
- The Beatles - ''Come Together: America Salutes the Beatles''
- The Beatles - ''Here comes el Son - Songs of The Beatles with a Cuban Twist'' (2001)
- The Beatles - ''Here Comes the Sun - Reggae Tribute to the Beatles'' (2002)
- The Beatles - ''In My Life'' ( George Martin , 1998)
- The Beatles - ''Let It Be'' ( Laibach , 1988)
- The Beatles - ''LJ Plays the Beatles'' ( Laurence Juber , 2000)
- The Beatles - ''Reggae Tribute to the Beatles''
- The Beatles - '' This Bird Has Flown - A 40th Anniversary Tribute To The Beatles' Rubber Soul ''(2005)
- Black Flag - ''Rise Above''
- Black Sabbath - ''Nativity in Black''
- David Bowie - ''Ashes to Ashes: Tribute to David Bowie'' (1999)
- David Bowie - ''Crash Course for the Ravers: A Tribute to the Songs of David Bowie'' (1996)
- David Bowie - ''Goth Oddity: A Tribute to David Bowie'' (1999)
- David Bowie - ''Goth Oddity 2000: A Tribute to David Bowie'' (2000)
- David Bowie - ''Sound and Vision: The Electronic Tribute to David Bowie'' (2002)
- David Bowie - ''The Dark Side of David Bowie'' (2000)
- David Bowie - ''The David Bowie Songbook'' (1997)
- David Bowie - ''The String Quartet Tribute to David Bowie'' (2002)
- Burzum - '' Visions ''
- Kate Bush - ''I Wanna Be Kate'' (1998)
- Captain Beefheart - ''Fast 'n' Bulbous''
- Mariah Carey - '' Butterfly Melodies '' (2005)
- Carpenters - ''If I Were a Carpenter'' (1994)
- The Cars - ''Tribute: Substitution Mass Confusion'' (2005)
- Celtic Frost -''In Memory of Celtic Frost''
- Eric Clapton - ''Blues Power: Songs of Eric Clapton'' (1999)
- Eric Clapton - ''Pickin' On Clapton'' (1999)
- The Clash - ''Backlash: Tribute To The Clash'' (1999)
- The Clash - ''Burning London - The Clash Tribute'' (1999)
- The Clash - ''City Rockers: A Tribute to the Clash'' (1999)
- Bruce Cockburn - '' Kick At The Darkness ''
- Leonard Cohen - '' Famous Blue Raincoat '' ( 1987 )
- Leonard Cohen - '' I'm Your Fan '' ( 1991 )
- Leonard Cohen - '' Tower Of Song '' ( 1995 )
- Elvis Costello - ''Almost You: The Songs of Elvis Costello'' (2002)
- Elvis Costello - ''Bespoke Songs, Lost Dogs, Detours & Rendezvous'' (1998)
- Elvis Costello - ''The Elvis Costello Songbook'' (Bonnie Brett, 2003)
- Perry Como - ''40 Golden Years''
- )
- The Cure - ''Fictional: A Tribute to The Cure'' (1996)
- The Cure - ''100 Tears - A Tribute to the Cure'' (1999)
- The Cure - ''Tributo a the Cure - Porque No Puedo Ser Tu'' (1999)
- The Cure - ''Disintegrated'' (2000)
- The Cure - ''The String Quartet Tribute to the Cure: Whisper'' (2002)
- The Cure - ''A Night Like This... (A Tribute To The Cure)'' (2003)
- The Cure - ''Electro Cured - An Electro Tribute to The Cure'' (2004)
- The Cure - ''Strange As Angels: A Tribute to the Cure'' (2004)
- The Cure - ''Our Voices - A Tribute To The Cure'' (2004)
- The Cure - ''Lovesong: The Piano Tribute to The Cure'' (2005)
- Ray Davies - ''This Is Where I Belong''
- Def Leppard - ''Tributized''
- Def Leppard - ''Leppardmania''
- Depeche Mode - ''For the Masses''
- Ronnie James Dio - ''Holy Dio''
- Dixie Chicks - ''Pickin' on the Dixie Chicks'' (2000)
- The Doors - ''Stoned Immaculate: The Music of The Doors'' (2000)
- Duran Duran - ''The Duran Duran Tribute Album'' (1997)
- Duran Duran - ''GLUE'' (1999)
- Ian Dury - ''Brand New Boots and Panties'' (2001)
- Bob Dylan - ''A Nod to Bob: Tribute to Bob Dylan on His Sixtieth Birthday'' (2001)
- Bob Dylan - ''A Tribute to Bob Dylan, Vol. 1'' (1991)
- Bob Dylan - ''Any Day Now'' ( Joan Baez , 1968)
- Bob Dylan - ''Blowin' in the Wind: A Reggae Tribute to Bob Dylan'' (2002)
- Bob Dylan - ''Gotta Serve Somebody: The Gospel Songs of Bob Dylan'' (2003)
- Bob Dylan - ''I Shall Be Unreleased: Songs of Bob Dylan'' (1991)
- Bob Dylan - ''Is it Rolling Bob?: A Reggae Tribute to Bob Dylan'' (2004)
- Bob Dylan - ''Portraits of Bob Dylan'' ( Steve Howe , 1999)
- Bob Dylan - ''Positively 12th & K: Bob Dylan Tribute'' (2003)
- Bob Dylan - ''Tangled Up In Blues: Songs Of Bob Dylan - This Ain't No Tribute'' (1999)
- Bob Dylan - ''The String Quartet Tribute to Bob Dylan'' (2003)
- Bob Dylan - ''The 30th Anniversary Concert Celebration''
- The Eagles - ''Common Thread: The Songs of the Eagles'' (1993)
- Emerson, Lake & Palmer - ''Encores, Legends and Paradox''
- Electric Light Orchestra & Jeff Lynne - ''Lynne Me Your Ears''
- Duke Ellington - ''OP Plays Duke Ellington'' (Oscar Peterson, 1953)
- Duke Ellington - ''OP Plays the Duke Ellington Song Book'' (Oscar Peterson, 1959)
- Roky Erickson - ''Where the Pyramid Meets the Eye''
- Finn Brothers - ''She Will Have Her Way'' (2005)
- Fleetwood Mac - ''Legacy: A Tribute to Fleetwood Mac's Rumours'' (1998)
- Ella Fitzgerald - ''Dear Ella''
- The Grateful Dead - ''Deadicated: A Tribute to the Grateful Dead'' (1991)
- The Grateful Dead - ''Fire On The Mountain: Reggae Celebrates The Grateful Dead'' (1996)
- The Grateful Dead - ''Might as Well...The Persuasions Sing Grateful Dead'' (2000)
- The Grateful Dead - ''Pickin' on the Grateful Dead: A Tribute'' (1997)
- The Grateful Dead - ''Pickin' on the Grateful Dead: Vol. 2'' (2000)
- The Grateful Dead - ''Stolen Roses: Songs of the Grateful Dead'' (2000)
- Woody Guthrie and Leadbelly - ''Folkways: A Vision Shared''
- George Harrison - ''Gentle Guitar Dreams'' (2002)
- George Harrison - ''Songs from The Material World - A Tribute to George Harrison'' (2003)
- George Harrison - ''Concert for George''
- Mark Heard - ''Orphans of God''
- Mark Heard - ''Strong Hand of Love''
- Jimi Hendrix - ''A Tribute to Jimi Hendrix''
- Jimi Hendrix - ''Blue Haze: Songs of Jimi Hendrix'' (2000)
- Jimi Hendrix - ''If 6 Was 9: A Tribute to Jimi Hendrix''
- Jimi Hendrix - ''Pickin' on Hendrix'' (1999)
- Jimi Hendrix - ''Revenge: A Tribute to Jimi Hendrix'' (1995)
- Jimi Hendrix - ''In From the Storm: Music of Jimi Hendrix'' (1995)
- Jimi Hendrix - ''Searching for Jimi Hendrix'' (1999)
- Jimi Hendrix - ''Stone Free: A Tribute to Jimi Hendrix'' (1993)
- Jimi Hendrix - ''String Quartet Tribute to Jimi Hendrix'' (2003)
- Jimi Hendrix - ''Tribute to Jimi Hendrix: Acoustic Ladyland'' (2001)
- Jimi Hendrix - ''Voodoo Crossing: A Tribute to Jimi Hendrix'' (2003)
- Iron Maiden - ''A Call to Irons''
- The Jam - ''A Tribute to The Jam''
- Jethro Tull - ''To Cry You a Song''
- Judas Priest - ''Legends of Metal''
- Judas Priest - ''The Beast of Judas Priest''
- Carole King - ''Tapestry Revisited: A Tribute to Carole King.'' (1995)
- Kiss - ''Kiss My Ass''
- Kiss - ''Kiss My Grass'' (performed by Hayseed Dixie, 2003)
- Christine Lavin - ''Big League Babe''
- Leadbelly - "A Tribute to Leadbelly" (1987)
- Led Zeppelin - '' Encomium '' (1995)
- Led Zeppelin - ''Going To California: A Classical Guitarist's Tribute To Led Zeppelin'' (2001)
- Led Zeppelin - ''Great Zeppelin'' (performed by Great White )
- Led Zeppelin - ''Pickin' on Zeppelin: A Tribute'' (2002)
- Led Zeppelin - ''Stairways to Heaven''
- Led Zeppelin - ''Whole Lotta Blues - Songs of Led'' (1999)
- John Lennon - ''The String Quartet Tribute to John Lennon'' (2002)
- John Lennon - ''Working Class Hero: A Tribute to John Lennon'' (1995)
- Nick Lowe - ''Labour of Love: The Music of Nick Lowe''
- Madonna - ''The String Quartet Tribute to Madonna'' (2002)
- Bob Marley - ''A Twist of Marley'' (2001)
- Hank Marvin & The Shadows - ''Twang!: A Tribute to Hank Marvin & the Shadows'' (1996)
- Paul McCartney - ''Coming Up: An Indie Tribute to Paul McCartney''
- Paul McCartney - ''Listen To What The Man Said: Popular Artists Tribute to Paul McCartney''
- Paul McCartney - ''Love in Song - An Atlanta Tribute to Paul McCartney''
- Paul McCartney - ''Tribute to Paul McCartney & Wings'' (Denny Laine)
- Mercyful Fate - ''Curse of the Demon''
- Charles Mingus - '' Mingus '' ( Joni Mitchell , 1975)
- Charles Mingus - ''Weird Nightmare'' (1992)
- Joni Mitchell - '' Back To The Garden '' (1992)
- Thelonious Monk - ''That's The Way I Feel Now'' (1984)
- Thelonious Monk - ''Monk Suite'' ( Kronos Quartet , 1985)
- Thelonious Monk - ''Monk in Motion'' ( Paul Motian , 1988)
- Jim Morrison - ''Mr. Mojo Rising''
- Motörhead - ''Hey Hey We're the Lemmy's'' ( Metallica , 1996)
- Nine Inch Nails - ''Covered In Nails: A Tribute To Nine Inch Nails'' (2000)
- Nine Inch Nails - ''Radiant Decay: A Tribute To Nine Inch Nails'' (2000)
- Nine Inch Nails - ''The Broken Machine: A Tribute To Nine Inch Nails'' (2001)
- Nine Inch Nails - ''Closer To The Spiral: A Tribute To Nine Inch Nails'' (2001)
- Nine Inch Nails - ''Re-Covered In Nails: A Tribute To Nine Inch Nails'' (2001)
- Nine Inch Nails - ''The String Quartet Tribute To Nine Inch Nails'' ( Eric Gorfain , 2002)
- Nine Inch Nails - ''The Piano Tribute To Nine Inch Nails'' (Ark Sano, 2005)
- Nine Inch Nails - ''The String Quartet Tribute to Nine Inch Nails' Pretty Hate Machine'' ( Eric Gorfain , 2005)
- Graham Parker - ''Piss & Vinegar: The Songs of Graham Parker'' (1996)
- Gram Parsons - ''Return of the Grievous Angel'' (1999)
- '' (2003)
- Phish - '' Sharin In The Groove '' (2001)
- Phish - ''Gone Phishin'' (2002)
- Pink Floyd - '' Dub Side Of The Moon '' (2003)
- Pink Floyd - ''Electronic Tribute to Pink Floyd'' (2002)
- Pink Floyd - ''Electronic Tribute to Pink Floyd 2'' (2002)
- Pink Floyd - ''Pigs & Pyramids: Songs of Pink Floyd'' (2003)
- Pink Floyd - ''The Reggae Tribute to Pink Floyd'' (2002)
- Pink Floyd - ''The String Quartet Tribute to Pink Floyd's" Dark Side of the Moon'' (2003)
- Pink Floyd - ''Pickin' On Pink Floyd''
- The Police - ''Regatta Mondatta'' (1997)
- The Police - ''Regatta Mondatta, Vol. 2'' (1998)
- The Police - ''Outlandos D'Americas'' (1998)
- Doc Pomus - ''Till the Night is Gone''
- Prince - ''If I Was Prince: The Tribute Album'' (2001)
- Prince - ''Purple Pain'' (1995)
- Prince - ''Prince Songbook: Symbolism'' (1998)
- Prince - ''A Tribute to Prince: Party O' the Times'' (1999)
- Prince - ''Tribute 2 Prince: Sexykinkyjazzysmooth'' (2001)
- Queen - ''Dynamite with a Laserbeam: Queen as Heard Through the Meat Grinder of Three One G'' (2002)
- Queen - ''Queen En Espanol: Tributo a Queen'' (1996)
- Queen - ''Stone Cold Queen: A Tribute'' (2001)
- Queen - '''' (2005)
- The Ramones - ''Blitzkrieg Over You: A Tribute to the Ramones'' (2000)
- The Ramones - ''Ramones Forever: An International Tribute'' (2002)
- The Ramones - ''We're A Happy Family - A Tribute To The Ramones'' (2003)
- , 2002)
- Jimmie Rodgers - ''The Songs of Jimmie Rodgers: A Tribute''
- The Rolling Stones - ''As Years Go By'' (1999)
- The Rolling Stones - ''Cover You: A Tribute To The Rolling Stones'' (1998)
- The Rolling Stones - ''Paint It Blue: Songs Of The Rolling Stones'' (1997)
- The Rolling Stones - ''Pickin' on the Rolling Stones'' (2000)
- The Rolling Stones - ''Shared Vision: The Songs of the Rolling Stones''
- The Rolling Stones - ''Shared Vision, Vol. 2: The Songs of the Rolling Stones'' (1996)
- Nino Rota - ''Amarcord Nino Rota'' (1981)
- Pete Seeger - ''Where Have All the Flowers Gone''
- The Shaggs - ''Better Than The Beatles'' (2001)
- Smashing Pumpkins - ''Ghost Children: A Tribute to The Smashing Pumpkins (2001)''
- Elliott Smith - ''A Tribute To Elliott Smith'' (2005)
- Elliott Smith - ''To: Elliott From: Portland'' (2006)
- Skip Spence - ''More Oar: A Tribute To Alexander "Skip" Spence''
- Bruce Springsteen - ''Badlands: A Tribute To Bruce Springsteen's'' Nebraska (2000)
- Bruce Springsteen - ''Cover Me: Songs by Springsteen'' (1984)
- Bruce Springsteen - ''Light of Day: A Tribute to Bruce Springsteen'' (2003)
- Bruce Springsteen - ''One Step Up/Two Steps Back: The Songs of Bruce Springsteen'' (1997)
- Bruce Springsteen - ''Pickin' on Springsteen - A Tribute'' (1999)
- Bruce Springsteen - ''Songs of Bruce Springsteen'' (2000)
- Bruce Springsteen - ''The Bruce Springsteen Songbook'' (1996)
- Bruce Springsteen - ''Tribute to Bruce Springsteen: Made in the U.S.A.'' (2001)
- Steve Taylor - '' I Predict A Clone ''
- Terry Scott Taylor & Daniel Amos - ''When Worlds Collide''
- They Might Be Giants - ''Hello Radio'' (2005)
- Thin Lizzy - ''Emerald''
- Richard Thompson - ''Beat the Retreat''
- U2 - ''Ethereal Tribute to U2'' (2002)
- U2 - ''String Quartet Tribute to U2'' (2000)
- U2 - ''The Royal Philharmonic Orchestra Plays U2'' (1999)
- U2 - ''We Will Follow: Tribute to U2'' (1999)
- U2 - ''Zoovenir: Tribute to U2'' (1998)
- Victoria Williams - ''Sweet Relief''
- Venom - ''A Tribute to Venom''
- Tom Waits - ''Temptation'' (performed by Holly Cole ) (1995)
- Tom Waits - ''Wicked Grim'' (performed by John Hammond Jr. ) (2001)
- Weezer - ''Making Noise: A Tribute to Weezer'' (2000)
- Weezer - ''Rock Music: A Tribute to Weezer'' (2001)
- Weezer - ''A Punk Tribute to Weezer'' (2002)
- Weezer - ''Come On and Kick Me: The String Quartet Tribute to Weezer'' (2003)
- Weezer - ''Across The Sea - A Tribute to Weezer'' (2003)
- Kurt Weill - ''September Songs''
- Kurt Weill - ''Lost In The Stars''
- Brian Wilson - ''Making God Smile''
- XTC - ''A Testimonial Dinner: The Songs of XTC'' (1995)
- "Weird Al" Yankovic - ''Prosthetic Lips''
- Neil Young - ''Borrowed Tunes'', released in two volumes as ''Out of The Blue'' and ''Into The Black'' (1994)
- ''
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