A classic tribute album of Western music. A highly recommended pick.

A Case Of YouJoni Mitchell

A Case of You

When it comes to trailblazers in the lineage of female singer-songwriters, one of the first names that comes to mind is, of course, Canada’s Joni Mitchell.

Since releasing her debut album in 1968, her gems of songs—born from a musical sensibility that deftly embraces a wide range of genres and her remarkable talent as a lyricist—have not only achieved commercial success but have also influenced countless musicians.

The tribute album A Tribute To Joni Mitchell brings together a stellar cast of artists who openly acknowledge Joni’s influence; from faithful renditions to bold reinterpretations, each track stands as a superb homage steeped in respect for her.

Led by the prestigious Nonesuch Records—renowned for releasing numerous genre-defying masterpieces—the overall quality of the album is, as you’d expect, guaranteed, tribute or not.

Personally, I highly recommend the late Prince’s standout performance of the oft-covered classic A Case of You, sung in a beautifully fragile falsetto that conveys a certain wistfulness and sorrow.

Break On ThroughThe Doors

stone temple pilot-break on through the otherside(the doors)

The Doors, led by Jim Morrison—the legendary vocalist and poet who continues to captivate listeners with his dangerously alluring charisma—still cast a long shadow today.

Countless musicians cite The Doors as an influence, and the band has continued to shape various facets of culture, from director Oliver Stone’s 1991 film The Doors to the well-known 2000 tribute album Stoned Immaculate: The Music Of The Doors.

What makes this tribute particularly noteworthy is that the surviving members of The Doors participated in the recordings of every track in some form.

As a result, the album maintains a cohesive atmosphere without compromising The Doors’ world, avoiding the scattershot feel that tribute albums often have.

It’s a joy to hear artists from different eras unleash their love for The Doors and for Jim Morrison, and the ’90s alternative rock contingent—like Stone Temple Pilots and Creed—deliver performances where the Morrison influence is unmistakable, right down to their vocal phrasing.

Especially the former’s late vocalist, Scott Weiland—perhaps because he, too, embodied the self-destructive frontman archetype—fits the role so perfectly it’s almost frightening.

Under PressureQueen

Joss Stone- Under Pressure

In recent years, Queen—the world-famous rock band born in the UK—has drawn renewed attention from young music fans thanks to the blockbuster success of Bohemian Rhapsody, a film that focuses on their once-in-a-generation frontman, Freddie Mercury.

Naturally, there are countless musicians around the world who openly cite the band as an influence, and their songs are frequently covered.

Surprisingly, though, there aren’t that many tribute albums.

Killer Queen: A Tribute to Queen, which I’m discussing here, was released in 2005 and is notable for featuring many then up-and-coming artists and bands who debuted in the 2000s and beyond.

It’s intriguing that SUM 41, a pop-punk band that was on a meteoric rise at the time, covered Killer Queen not in an overtly punkish style but in a very faithful, straightforward rendition.

Likewise, the newly debuted Jason Mraz performs Good Old-Fashioned Lover Boy in a way that preserves the spirit of the original.

Personally, I find Joss Stone’s Under Pressure—recorded while she was still in her teens—to be truly beautiful, and her powerful vocals are absolutely overwhelming!

(You Can Never Tell) C’est la VieChuck Berry

Emmylou Harris – ( you never can tell ) C’est la vie (1977)

In 2017, Chuck Berry sadly passed away at the age of 90.

He was one of the most important artists in the history of rock and, as a founder of rock ’n’ roll, was revered by countless musicians—so much so that John Lennon once said, “If you tried to give rock and roll another name, you might call it ‘Chuck Berry.

’” Even if you don’t know Chuck Berry by name, many people have likely heard his classic “Johnny B.

Goode,” the song Marty McFly—played by Michael J.

Fox—rips on guitar in the beloved film Back to the Future.

Here I’d like to introduce Chuck B.

Covered: A Tribute To Chuck Berry, a 1998 tribute album collecting covers of Berry’s masterpieces.

You can enjoy a wide array of artists, from so-called rock giants like Rod Stewart, The Beach Boys, and The Kinks, to country singer-songwriter Emmylou Harris, the rockabilly band Stray Cats led by Brian Setzer, and the legendary rocker Buddy Holly, who died in 1959 at the young age of 22.

Incidentally, the aforementioned classic “Johnny B.

Goode” is covered here by the Jamaican music great Peter Tosh!

Hard luck womanKISS

Garth Brooks & Kiss Hard luck woman

Kiss is a four-piece hard rock band with a wildly flashy look featuring white face paint, a performance style bursting with entertainment spirit, and straightforward, catchy songs—elements that have earned them a legion of devoted fans worldwide known as the “Kiss Army.” Here in Japan as well, there are many musicians directly influenced by Kiss, such as X JAPAN.

Their tribute album, “Kiss My Ass: Classic Kiss Regrooved,” was released in 1994—the band’s 20th anniversary—and became a popular title that went gold.

The contributors are quite varied, but fitting for a ’90s release, it notably features many alternative rock bands.

The band calling itself Shandi’s Addiction was a temporary project, fronted by Maynard James Keenan of Tool on vocals, with members from powerhouse groups like Rage Against the Machine and Faith No More handling the instruments—an irresistible lineup for fans of alternative rock, so it’s definitely worth checking out.

From Japan, YOSHIKI of X JAPAN participated; there’s also a well-known story that he deliberately chose to tackle a song that wasn’t the one requested by Gene Simmons.

If you’re interested, look into the background around that!

D’Yer Mak’erLed Zeppelin

Sheryl Crow – D’Yer Mak’er HD

Led Zeppelin achieved record-breaking success that will go down in music history, presented the many possibilities of the hard rock genre with their original and innovative musicality, and continue to influence a wide variety of artists.

Even in the 2020s, unexpected musicians openly cite Zeppelin as an influence, and just looking at the lineup on the 1995 tribute album Encomium: A Tribute to Led Zeppelin gives you a sense of the band’s immense impact.

Released in the mid-1990s, the album features many young alternative rock acts of the time—among the most prominent are Stone Temple Pilots, Blind Melon, and Cracker.

Sheryl Crow, who had just rocketed to stardom with her massively successful debut album, contributes a version of D’Yer Mak’er that’s poppy and charming, leaning even more into the reggae rhythm than the original.

Duran Duran’s participation may surprise some, but note that they also released an album that same year titled Thank You, covering songs by various artists, including their rendition of Led Zeppelin’s Thank You.

The album closes with Down by the Seaside, featuring the esteemed Robert Plant in a collaboration with the distinctive singer-songwriter Tori Amos.

WinterlongNeil Young

“Winterlong” – Pixies

Neil Young, from Toronto, Canada, has long pursued a genre-defying career powered by his singular personality, and even now in the 2020s he remains a fully active artist.

Young has influenced many subsequent musicians, and it’s well known that he’s been fervently embraced by artists and bands in the so-called alternative rock sphere—so much so that he’s often called the Godfather of Grunge.

The 1989 release The Bridge: A Tribute to Neil Young is a tribute album that serves as proof of that standing.

Issued before grunge and alternative rock truly became a commercial movement, the record assembles artists who heralded the dawn of the ’90s—Sonic Youth, Pixies, The Flaming Lips, Dinosaur Jr.

, and more—making it a fascinating listen for anyone interested in the history of alternative rock.

Unfortunately, Young himself apparently disliked the tribute format and was reportedly angered by the project.

Even if you’re a devoted Neil Young fan who isn’t particularly fond of alternative-leaning artists, we now live in a time when, for younger music fans, pre-’90s rock has become “old” music.

All the more reason to set aside preconceptions and give this album a fresh, open-minded listen.