What is a Tribute Album?
A tribute album, also called a “cover album,” is when a music group or musician records songs that were first done by a different artist. The new versions are meant to honor or “pay tribute to” the original artist. The original artist is usually very famous or important, and the artist making the tribute album wants to show respect for them.
Why Do Bands Make Tribute Albums?
Bands make tribute albums for different reasons:
- To show how much they like and respect the original artist
- To make money off of songs people already know
- To get more attention and new fans by playing famous songs
- To have fun playing songs they love in their own style
Making a whole album of other people’s songs is a big deal. It takes a lot of time and work. The new band has to learn and record all those songs. And they have to make them sound good in a new way. So bands don’t make tribute albums unless they really want to.
Tribute Bands
Some bands do nothing but play other artists’ songs. They are called “tribute bands”. They make their career out of covering just one famous band or musician. A few examples are:
- Bjorn Again (ABBA tribute band)
- The Iron Maidens (all-female Iron Maiden tribute)
- Led Zepagain (Led Zeppelin tribute band)
These bands sound as much like the original as they can. They use the same kinds of instruments, clothes, and hair styles. They put on concerts that feel like the real band. Fans get to hear their favorite songs live. Even if the original band broke up or doesn’t tour anymore.
Famous Tribute Albums
Over the years, many tribute albums have been made for all kinds of artists. Some have been hugely popular. Here are a few well-known ones:
“Kiss My Ass: Classic Kiss Regrooved” (1994)
This album had different hard rock bands covering songs by Kiss. Bands like Anthrax, Lenny Kravitz and Garth Brooks put their own spin on Kiss classics. Even though the styles were really different, it worked. It turned a new generation on to Kiss.
“Encomium: A Tribute to Led Zeppelin” (1995)
Popular ’90s rock bands like Stone Temple Pilots and Hootie & the Blowfish covered Zeppelin songs here. It made people realize how much newer bands owed to Led Zeppelin. Over a million copies were sold.
“Deadicated: A Tribute to the Grateful Dead” (1991)
The Grateful Dead are so legendary, they have lots of tribute albums. But this one is special. It has famous acts like Los Lobos, Elvis Costello and Suzanne Vega. Dr. John does a New Orleans jazz version of “Deal”. It takes the Dead in exciting new directions.
“Tapestry Revisited: A Tribute to Carole King” (1995)
Carole King is one of the greatest songwriters ever. Her 1971 album “Tapestry” is a classic. On this tribute, younger artists like Amy Grant and Aretha Franklin sing her songs. It reminds us how many all-time great songs King wrote.
Tribute Albums Today
Tribute albums aren’t as common today as in the ’90s and 2000s. Streaming has changed the game. You can make a digital “tribute playlist” way more easily now. But bands still make tribute albums sometimes. Especially for artists that mean a lot to them.
New Tribute Albums
Some cool recent tribute albums:
- “The Metallica Blacklist” (2021) – 53 artists covering songs from Metallica’s Black Album
- “AngelHeaded Hipster: The Songs of Marc Bolan and T.Rex” (2020) – Kesha, U2 and more taking on glam rock
- “Inspired by Bach: The Cello Suites” (2020) – classical cellists reinterpreting Bach
The tribute album is still alive. It’s just evolving for the streaming age. As long as great artists keep inspiring other artists, tribute albums will never die. They are a way for musicians to say “thank you” to their heroes. And to add to their incredible legacies.
