A tribute album is a recorded collection of cover versions of a specific artist's songs. An example is Sharin' in the Groove, which consists entirely of Phish covers by various artists. Sharin' in the Groove, like many tribute albums, is a charity fundraising project.

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 Reggae Tribute to Bob Dylan and Goth Oddity 2000: A Tribute to David Bowie.
• Albums which recreate a specific album with cover versions of songs from that album. These include Legacy: A Tribute to Fleetwood Mac's Rumours. and More Oar: A Tribute to Alexander "Skip" Spence, 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 Español (1997).
• Albums consisting of cover songs performed by artists who influenced the band being covered, rather than those influenced by that band. These include Sharin' in the Groove: Celebrating the Music of Phish.

List of tribute albums

• AC/DC
  • A Hillbilly Tribute to AC/DC (performed by Hayseed Dixie, 2001)
• Tori Amos
  • "Songs of a Goddess: Tribute to Tori Amos"
• 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...
  • To Hal & Bacharach
• Count Basie
  • OP Plays Count Basie (Oscar Peterson, 1956)
• The Beatles
  • All You Need Is Covers - Songs of the Beatles (1999)
  • Chet Atkins Picks on the Beatles (1966)
  • Come Together: America Salutes the Beatles
  • Here comes el Son - Songs of The Beatles with a Cuban Twist (2001)
  • Here Comes the Sun - Reggae Tribute to the Beatles (2002)
  • In My Life (George Martin, 1998)
  • Let It Be (Laibach, 1988)
  • LJ Plays the Beatles (Laurence Juber, 2000)
  • 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)
  • Crash Course for the Ravers: A Tribute to the Songs of David Bowie (1996)
  • Goth Oddity: A Tribute to David Bowie (1999)
  • Goth Oddity 2000: A Tribute to David Bowie (2000)
  • Sound and Vision: The Electronic Tribute to David Bowie (2002)
  • The Dark Side of David Bowie (2000)
  • The David Bowie Songbook (1997)
  • The String Quartet Tribute to David Bowie (2002)
• Burzum
  • 8 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)
  • Pickin' On Clapton (1999)
• The Clash
  • Backlash: Tribute To The Clash (1999)
  • Burning London - The Clash Tribute (1999)
  • City Rockers: A Tribute to the Clash (1999)
• Bruce Cockburn
  • Kick At the Darkness
• Coheed and Cambria
  • 3
• Leonard Cohen
  • Famous Blue Raincoat (1987)
  • I'm Your Fan (1991)
  • Tower of Song (1995)
• Elvis Costello
  • Almost You: The Songs of Elvis Costello (2002)
  • Bespoke Songs, Lost Dogs, Detours & Rendezvous (1998)
  • The Elvis Costello Songbook (Bonnie Brett, 2003)
• Perry Como
  • 40 Golden Years
• The Cure
  • Give Me the Cure: A Tribute to The Cure (1995) (See The Cure tribute albums)
  • Fictional: A Tribute to The Cure (1996)
  • 100 Tears - A Tribute to the Cure (1999)
  • Tributo a the Cure - Porque No Puedo Ser Tu (1999)
  • Disintegrated (2000)
  • The String Quartet Tribute to the Cure: Whisper (2002)
  • A Night Like This... (A Tribute To The Cure) (2003)
  • Electro Cured - An Electro Tribute to The Cure (2004)
  • Strange As Angels: A Tribute to the Cure (2004)
  • Our Voices - A Tribute To The Cure (2004)
  • Lovesong: The Piano Tribute to The Cure (2005)
• Daniel Amos & Terry Scott Taylor
  • A Tribute to Daniel Amos (1999)
• Ray Davies
  • This Is Where I Belong
• Dead Kennedys
  • Dead Kennedy Covers
• Def Leppard
  • Tributized
  • Leppardmania
• Depeche Mode
  • For the Masses
• Ronnie James Dio
  • Holy Dio
• Dixie Chicks
  • Pickin' on the Dixie Chicks (2000)
• The Doors
  • The Music of the Doors (2000)
• Duran Duran
  • The Duran Duran Tribute Album (1997)
  • 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)
  • A Tribute to Bob Dylan, Vol. 1 (1991)
  • Any Day Now (Joan Baez, 1968)
  • Blowin' in the Wind: A Reggae Tribute to Bob Dylan (2002)
  • Garcia Plays Dylan (2005)
  • Gotta Serve Somebody: The Gospel Songs of Bob Dylan (2003)
  • I Shall Be Unreleased: Songs of Bob Dylan (1991)
  • Is it Rolling Bob?: A Reggae Tribute to Bob Dylan (2004)
  • Portraits of Bob Dylan (Steve Howe, 1999)
  • Positively 12th & K: Bob Dylan Tribute (2003)
  • Postcards of the Hanging: The Grateful Dead Perform the Songs of Bob Dylan ^* (2002)
  • Tangled Up In Blues: Songs Of Bob Dylan - This Ain't No Tribute (1999)
  • The String Quartet Tribute to Bob Dylan (2003)
  • 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)
  • Fire On The Mountain: Reggae Celebrates The Grateful Dead (1996)
  • Might as Well...The Persuasions Sing Grateful Dead (2000)
  • Pickin' on the Grateful Dead: A Tribute (1997)
  • Pickin' on the Grateful Dead: Vol. 2 (2000)
  • Stolen Roses: Songs of the Grateful Dead (2000)
• Woody Guthrie and Leadbelly
  • Folkways: A Vision Shared
• George Harrison
  • Gentle Guitar Dreams (2002)
  • Songs from The Material World - A Tribute to George Harrison (2003)
  • Concert for George
• Mark Heard
  • Orphans of God (1996)
  • Strong Hand of Love (1994)
• Jimi Hendrix
  • A Tribute to Jimi Hendrix
  • Blue Haze: Songs of Jimi Hendrix (2000)
  • If 6 Was 9: A Tribute to Jimi Hendrix
  • Pickin' on Hendrix (1999)
  • Revenge: A Tribute to Jimi Hendrix (1995)
  • In From the Storm: Music of Jimi Hendrix (1995)
  • Searching for Jimi Hendrix (1999)
  • Stone Free: A Tribute to Jimi Hendrix (1993)
  • String Quartet Tribute to Jimi Hendrix (2003)
  • Tribute to Jimi Hendrix: Acoustic Ladyland (2001)
  • Voodoo Crossing: A Tribute to Jimi Hendrix (2003)
• Elton John and Bernie Taupin
  • Two Rooms: Celebrating the Music of Elton John and Bernie Taupin(1991)
• 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
  • The Beast of Judas Priest
• Carole King
  • Tapestry Revisited: A Tribute to Carole King. (1995)
• Kiss
  • Kiss My Ass
  • Kiss My Grass (performed by Hayseed Dixie, 2003)
• Christine Lavin
  • Big League Babe
• Leadbelly
  • "A Tribute to Leadbelly" (1987)
• Led Zeppelin
  • Encomium (1995)
  • Going To California: A Classical Guitarist's Tribute To Led Zeppelin (2001)
  • Great Zeppelin (performed by Great White)
  • Pickin' on Zeppelin: A Tribute (2002)
  • Stairways to Heaven
  • Whole Lotta Blues - Songs of Led (1999)
• John Lennon
  • The String Quartet Tribute to John Lennon (2002)
  • Working Class Hero: A Tribute to John Lennon (1995)
• Nick Lowe
  • Labour of Love: The Music of Nick Lowe
• Jeff Lynne & Electric Light Orchestra
  • Lynne Me Your Ears (2004)
• 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
  • Listen To What The Man Said: Popular Artists Tribute to Paul McCartney
  • Love in Song - An Atlanta Tribute to 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)
  • 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)
  • Radiant Decay: A Tribute To Nine Inch Nails (2000)
  • The Broken Machine: A Tribute To Nine Inch Nails (2001)
  • Closer To The Spiral: A Tribute To Nine Inch Nails (2001)
  • Re-Covered In Nails: A Tribute To Nine Inch Nails (2001)
  • The String Quartet Tribute To Nine Inch Nails (Eric Gorfain, 2002)
  • The Piano Tribute To Nine Inch Nails (Ark Sano, 2005)
  • The String Quartet Tribute to Nine Inch Nails' Pretty Hate Machine (Eric Gorfain, 2005)
• Oingo Boingo
  • A Tribute to Oingo Boingo (2005)
• Pantera
  • Panther - A Tribute to Pantera (2000)
• Graham Parker
  • Piss & Vinegar: The Songs of Graham Parker (1996)
• Gram Parsons
  • Return of the Grievous Angel (1999)
• Dolly Parton
  • Just Because I'm a Woman: The Songs of Dolly Parton (2003)
• Phish
  • Sharin in the Groove (2001)
  • Gone Phishin (2002)
• Pink Floyd
  • Dub Side of the Moon (2003)
  • Electronic Tribute to Pink Floyd (2002)
  • Electronic Tribute to Pink Floyd 2 (2002)
  • Pigs & Pyramids: Songs of Pink Floyd (2003)
  • The Reggae Tribute to Pink Floyd (2002)
  • The String Quartet Tribute to Pink Floyd's" Dark Side of the Moon (2003)
  • Pickin' On Pink Floyd
• The Police
  • Regatta Mondatta (1997)
  • Regatta Mondatta, Vol. 2 (1998)
  • Outlandos D'Americas (1998)
• Doc Pomus
  • Till the Night is Gone
• Prince
  • If I Was Prince: The Tribute Album (2001)
  • Purple Pain (1995)
  • Prince Songbook: Symbolism (1998)
  • A Tribute to Prince: Party O' the Times (1999)
  • Tribute 2 Prince: Sexykinkyjazzysmooth (2001)
• Queen
  • Dynamite with a Laserbeam: Queen as Heard Through the Meat Grinder of Three One G (2002)
  • Queen En Espanol: Tributo a Queen (1996)
  • Stone Cold Queen: A Tribute (2001)
  • A Tribute To Queen (2005)
• The Ramones
  • Blitzkrieg Over You: A Tribute to the Ramones (2000)
  • Ramones Forever: An International Tribute (2002)
  • We're A Happy Family - A Tribute To The Ramones (2003)
• Jimmie Rodgers
  • Any Old Time, Songs of Jimmie Rodgers: (Steve Forbert, 2002)
  • The Songs of Jimmie Rodgers: A Tribute
• The Rolling Stones
  • As Years Go By (1999)
  • Cover You: A Tribute To The Rolling Stones (1998)
  • Paint It Blue: Songs Of The Rolling Stones (1997)
  • Pickin' on the Rolling Stones (2000)
  • Shared Vision: The Songs of 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)
  • 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)
  • Cover Me: Songs by Springsteen (1984)
  • Light of Day: A Tribute to Bruce Springsteen (2003)
  • One Step Up/Two Steps Back: The Songs of Bruce Springsteen (1997)
  • Pickin' on Springsteen - A Tribute (1999)
  • Songs of Bruce Springsteen (2000)
  • The Bruce Springsteen Songbook (1996)
  • Tribute to Bruce Springsteen: Made in the U.S.A. (2001)
• Steve Taylor
  • I Predict A Clone
• Terry Scott Taylor & Daniel Amos
  • A Tribute to Daniel Amos (1999)
• They Might Be Giants
  • Hello Radio (2005)
• Thin Lizzy
  • Emerald
• Richard Thompson
  • Beat the Retreat
• U2
  • Ethereal Tribute to U2 (2002)
  • String Quartet Tribute to U2 (2000)
  • The Royal Philharmonic Orchestra Plays U2 (1999)
  • We Will Follow: Tribute to U2 (1999)
  • Zoovenir: Tribute to U2 (1998)
• Venom
  • A Tribute to Venom
  • "To Hell and Back" {Bootleg} (Performed by Sigh)
• Tom Waits
  • Temptation (performed by Holly Cole) (1995)
  • Wicked Grim (performed by John Hammond Jr.) (2001)
• Weezer
  • Making Noise: A Tribute to Weezer (2000)
  • Rock Music: A Tribute to Weezer (2001)
  • A Punk Tribute to Weezer (2002)
  • Come On and Kick Me: The String Quartet Tribute to Weezer (2003)
  • Across The Sea - A Tribute to Weezer (2003)
• Kurt Weill
  • September Songs
  • Lost In The Stars
• Victoria Williams
  • Sweet Relief
• Brian Wilson
  • An Artists' Tribute to the Songs of Beach Boy Brian Wilson (2002)
• 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)
• Warren Zevon
  • Songs of Warren Zevon

Tribute albums

Tribute-Album | トリビュート・アルバム