Random (album)

{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2022}}

{{Infobox album

| name = Random

| type = Tribute

| artist = Various artists, Gary Numan

| cover = Cover_of_Random,_A_Gary_Numan_Tribute,_1997_album.jpeg

| alt = Cover of Random: A Gary Numan Tribute

| released = 10 June 1997

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| genre = *New wave

• synthpop
• electronic
• techno

| length =

| label = Beggars Banquet
BBQCD 195

| producer =

| prev_title = Human

| prev_year = 1995

| next_title = Exile

| next_year = 1997

}}

{{Music ratings

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| rev1 = Allmusic

| rev1score = {{Rating|3|5}}{{AllMusic |class=album |id=0000023950 |tab=review |label=Various Artists: Random, Vol. 1: A Gary Numan Tribute > Review |first=Tom |last=Schulte|access-date=23 November 2019}}

| rev2 = Entertainment Weekly

| rev2score = B {{cite web | url=https://ew.com/article/1997/06/13/random/ |title=Review: Random | publisher=Entertainment Weekly | first=David | last=Grad | date=13 June 1997 | access-date=29 May 2024}}

| rev3 = Uncut

| rev3Score = {{Rating|3|5}}{{Cite magazine |last=McTaggart |first=Robert |date=July 1997 |title=Various Artsits: Random |magazine=Uncut |page=98 |issue=2}}

| noprose =

}}

Random is a double-CD tribute album featuring songs by Gary Numan, released in 1997 on his first label, Beggars Banquet.{{cite web|url=https://archive.beggars.com/various-tribute-random/ | title=Various Artists: Random - A Gary Numan Tribute |publisher=Beggars Banquet |access-date=2019-11-17 }}

Random was released four months before Numan's 1997 studio album Exile. It played a key role in his 1990s career revival, showing the influence he had had on artists such as Damon Albarn, Pop Will Eat Itself, and Jesus Jones. The Guardian wrote in retrospect that his return to form began with Random.{{cite web|url=https://www.theguardian.com/culture/2002/apr/30/artsfeatures.garynuman | title=Gary Numan: Being Boring |work=The Guardian |date=2002-04-30 |access-date=2019-11-17 }} Numan himself said it "helped enormously."{{cite web|url=https://www.huckmag.com/art-and-culture/music-2/gary-numan-savage-interview-life-lessons-pioneer/ | title=Gary Numan: Life lessons from a synth-pop superstar - Human after all |publisher=Huck |date=2017-08-21 |access-date=2019-11-24 }}

The album peaked at number 43 on the UK compilations chart on 21 June 1997.{{cite web |url=https://www.officialcharts.com/albums/various-artists-random/ | title=Random by Various Artists: Official Compilations Chart |publisher=Official Charts Company |date=1997-06-28 |access-date=2024-05-30 }}

It was followed one year later by the remix album Random (02).{{Cn|date=May 2024}}