Pop/Rock
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Pop/Rock
Tribute Albums
In the late '80s, Tribute Albums became a hip phenomenon in the college-rock underground. In the '90s, they became an accepted part of the mainstream. The transition was a smooth, imperceptible one, because tribute albums are such a natural concept -- get a bunch of artists to cover their favorite musicians as a salute to their influences. Looking at it that way, it seems entirely natural that the whole thing had humble beginnings, since it was simply a bunch of fans paying tribute to their favorite acts. Similarly, it's easy to see why they became a mainstream favorite, since the temptation of hearing a major-league new star covering a major-league veteran is too great. But as the tribute album became more mainstream, it lost its charm, and it just became a marketing gimmick. But it was a successful one -- as the '90s became the '00s, there were as many tribute albums as ever, from major and minor labels alike.
Tribute Albums Album Highlights
![If I Were a Carpenter [A&M]](https://fastly-s3.allmusic.com/release/mr0000149214/front/220/6c6g-UXMRTJDCNgOkiDqjB_TZlp6n_cq-Emr2zx15tU=.jpg)
![Twentieth-Century Blues: The Songs of Noël Coward [Ichiban]](https://fastly-s3.allmusic.com/release/mr0001207240/front/220/2xuVuGdR6kI9JdaW99hA_x_TZlp6n_cq-Emr2zx15tU=.jpg)
