Can Somebody Please Ban Those Friggin' Tribute Albums?!

Tribute albums were a good idea when they started, but they've gone on way too long, and there are too many entries into this genre. My biggest tribute-album pet peeve is those CDs that mix genres--like a bluegrass tribute to AC/DC, a reggae version of Pink Floyd's "Dark Side of the Moon," and a smooth-jazz tribute to Bob Marley.

Now don't get me wrong, I don't mean to come off as some kind of musical Scrooge. Some of these tributes--such as a bluegrass tribute to the Eagles--can actually be a good mix of styles, and entertaining pop music to boot. But some of the genres that are being combined in these CDs (like the ones mentioned above) are just too bizarre. They sound like parody CDs that you'd give as a gag gift at your company's Secret Santa party. To me, they're nothing but a pop music train wreck.

Here's a selection of just a few of the genre-bending tribute CDs I've found online:
(Please note I not heard most of these; some may actually contain decent music. I have chosen them because the artists and the genres seem like such a mismatch.)

* Chocolate On The Inside - The Lounge Tribute To Eminem
* The Death Angel Remains: The String Quartet Tribute To Slayer
* The Dub Tribute To U2
* Is It Rolling Bob? A Reggae Tribute To Bob Dylan
* Kiss My Grass - A Hillbilly Tribute To Kiss
* The String Quartet Tribute To Nine Inch Nails' Pretty Hate Machine
* On A Dark Desert Highway: A Bluegrass Tribute To The Eagles
* The Piano Tribute To Coldplay
* The Piano Tribute To Pink Floyd
* Pickin' On Rod Stewart & The Faces - A Bluegrass Tribute
* Pickin' On Springsteen - The Bluegrass Tribute
* The String Quartet Tribute To Nirvana's Nevermind
* The String Quartet Tribute To The Doors
* String Quartet Tribute To The Dave Matthews Band
* Shook Up - A Reggae Tribute To The King