Alphabet Anthem (the Best Songs by Letter) Quiz

Answer: "American Pie" - Don McLean

The song was released in 1971 on the album of the same name. It was written and performed by Don McLean. The song went to number one on the U.S Billboard Hot 100 chart. It has sold over 3.6 million copies worldwide. It gone as high as number 210 on the U.S Billboard all- time singles chart.

Answer: "Billie Jean" - Michael Jackson

The song was released in 1983 on the "Thriller" album. It was written and performed by Michael Jackson. The song went to number one on the U.S Billboard Hot 100 chart. It has sold over ten million copies worldwide. It has ranked as high as number 44 on Rolling Stone Magazine's list of the 500 greatest songs.

Answer: "California Dreamin" - The Mamas and the Papas

The song was released as a single in 1965, and in 1966 was put on the album "If You Believe Your Eyes and Ears". It went to number four on the U.S Billboard Hot 100 chart. It has sold nearly two million copies worldwide. It has ranked as high as number 89 on Rolling Stone Magazine's list of the 500 greatest songs.

Answer: "Dust In the Wind" - Kansas

The song was released in 1977 on the "Point of No Return" album. It was performed by the band Kansas, and written by band member Kerry Livgren. It went to number six on the U.S Billboard Hot 100 chart. The song has sold nearly four million copies worldwide. It did not make it onto either the Billboard or Rolling Stone's greatest songs charts.

Answer: "Eye of the Tiger" - Survivor

The song was released in 1982 on the album of the same name, and on the "Rocky III" soundtrack, as well. It was performed by the band Survivor, and written by band members Frankie Sullivan and Jim Peternik. The song went to number one on the U.S Billboard Hot 100 chart.

It has sold nearly 9.5 million copies worldwide. It has gone as high as number 26 on the U.S Billboard all-time singles chart.

Answer: "Free Bird" - Lynyrd Skynyrd

The song was released in 1973 on Skynyrd's debut album. It was written by band members Allen Collins and Ronnie Van Zant. It peaked at number 19 on the U.S Billboard Hot 100 chart. The single has sold nearly 2.5 million copies. It has ranked as high as number 193 on Rolling Stone Magazine's list of the 500 greatest songs.

Answer: "Georgia on my Mind" - Ray Charles

The song was originally released in 1930. It was performed by Hoagy Carmichael, and written by him and Stuart Gerrell. However, it is the version by Ray Charles that makes this list. That version was released in 1960 on the album "The Genius Hits the Road".

It went to number one on the U.S Billboard Hot 100 chart. The single has sold nearly six million copies, and has become the state song of Georgia.

Answer: "Hotel California" - Eagles

The song was released in 1977 on the album of the same name. It was performed by the band Eagles, and written by band members Don Felder, Glenn Frey, and Don Henley. The song went to number one on the U.S Billboard Hot 100 chart. It has sold over six million copies worldwide. It has ranked as high as number 49 on Rolling Stone Magazine's list of 500 greatest songs.

Answer: "I Shot the Sheriff" - Bob Marley and the Wailers

The song was released in 1973 on the album "Burnin". It was performed by Bob Marley and the Wailers, and written by Bob, himself. Eric Clapton's cover of the song was more commercially successful, however. Marley's version has sold nearly a million copies worldwide. The song is not ranked in either the U.S Billboard or Rolling Stone all-time singles lists.

Answer: "Johnny B. Goode" - Chuck Berry

The song was released in 1958 as a single. It was performed and written by Chuck Berry. The song went to number eight on the U.S Billboard Hot 100 chart. It has sold nearly two million copies worldwide. The song has ranked as high as number seven on Rolling Stone Magazine's list of the 500 greatest songs list.

Answer: "Killing Me Softly With His Song" - Roberta Flack

The song was released various times, and by various artists. However, for the sake of this list it is Roberta Flack's 1973 version that was chosen. It was written by Norman Gimmel and Tom Lieberman. It went to number one on the U.S Billboard Hot 100 chart.

The Fugees' version was more commercially successful (selling over seven million copies worldwide). However, Roberta's recording is the only one ranked on all-time lists (as high as 102 on Rolling Stone Magazine's list of the 500 greatest songs).

Answer: "Light My Fire" - The Doors

The song was released in 1967 on the self titled debut album of The Doors. All members of the band were credited with writing the song. However, lead guitarist Robby Krieger was the primary author of the song. It went to number one on the U.S Billboard Hot 100 chart.

It has sold over two million copies worldwide. It has been ranked as high as number 35 on Rolling Stone Magazine's list of the 500 greatest songs.

Answer: "My Way" - Frank Sinatra

The song was released in 1960 on the album of the same name. It has been performed by many artists, but most famously by Frank Sinatra. The song was written by Paul Anka. It went to number 27 on the U.S Billboard Hot 100 chart. The song has sold over 1.5 million copies worldwide. It spent a record 75 weeks (nearly two years) on the UK Billboard Top 40 singles chart.

Answer: "Nights in White Satin" - The Moody Blues

The song was released in 1967 on the "Days of Future Passed" album. It was performed by The Moody Blues, and written by lead singer Justin Hayward. It went to number two on the U.S Billboard Hot 100 chart, and has sold over a million copies. It has ranked as high as number 333 on Rolling Stone Magazine's list of the 500 greatest songs list.

Answer: "Over the Rainbow" - Judy Garland

The song debuted in 1939 on the film "The Wizard of Oz". It was performed by Judy Garland, and written by Yip Harburg and Harold Arlen. The song won the Oscar for Best Original Song at The Academy Awards in 1939. The film version of the song was not released to the public until 1956 on MGM's soundtrack album.

It is considered the greatest song of all-time by many music aficionados and critics.

Answer: "Paint It Black" - Rolling Stones

The song was released as a single in 1966, and appeared on the album "Aftermath" that same year. It was performed by the Rolling Stones, and written by band members Mick Jagger and Keith Richards. It went to number one on the U.S Billboard Hot 100 chart, and has sold over three million copies.

The song has been ranked as high as number 213 on Rolling Stone Magazine's list of the 500 greatest songs.

Answer: "Que Sera, Sera" - Doris Day

The song was written by Jay Livingston and Ray Evans. Doris Day sang it in the Alfred Hitchcock film "The Man Who Knew too Much", in 1956. The song won the Oscar for Best Original Song at The Academy Awards later that year. Doris Day re-recorded the song in 1964 for the children's album "With a Smile and a Song". That version went to number two on the U.S Billboard Hot 100 chart.

Answer: "Respect" - Aretha Franklin

The song was written by Otis Redding, and released as a single in 1965. It was lyrically rearranged, covered, and released in 1967 on Aretha Franklin's album, "I Never Loved a Man the Way I Love You". It went to number one on the U.S Billboard Hot 100 chart. Aretha's version has sold nearly four million copies worldwide. Rolling Stone Magazine has ranked it as high as number one on its list of greatest songs.

Answer: "Stairway to Heaven" - Led Zeppelin

The song was released in 1971 on an untitled album (commonly known as "Led Zeppelin IV"). It was written by band members Jimmy Page and Robert Plant. The song was never released as as a single. Thus, it is hard to decipher where it would've ranked on the U.S Billboard singles charts.

It has, however, been the most requested song on FM radio stations for nearly 50 years. It has ranked as high as number 31 on Rolling Stone Magazine's list of 500 greatest songs.

Answer: "Tangled Up In Blue" - Bob Dylan

The song was released in 1975 on the "Blood On the Tracks" album. The song was written and performed by Bob Dylan. It went to number 31 on the U.S Billboard Hot 100 chart. Dylan claims to have performed the song over 1,600 times live in concert. Rolling Stone has ranked it as high as number 68 on its list of greatest songs.

Answer: "Unchained Melody" - The Righteous Brothers

The song was written by Hy Zaret, as the theme song for a little known movie in 1955 called "Unchained". The song has been recorded hundreds of times by numerous artists. The most notable release was by The Righteous Brothers in 1965. It reached number four on the U.S Billboard Hot 100 chart. Twenty-five years later it saw a resurgence after its use in the movie "Ghost".

It went to number 13 in 1990 on the same Billboard chart.

Answer: "Viva Las Vegas" - Elvis Presley

The song was recorded in 1964 for the film of the same name. It was performed by Elvis Presley, and has been covered by many other artists. It was written by Doc Pomus and Mort Shuman. The song only reached number 29 on the U.S Billboard Hot 100 chart. An interesting side note is that Elvis never once gave a live performance of the song.

Answer: "We Will Rock You/We are the Champions" - Queen

The songs were released on the "News of the World" album in 1977. They were performed by the band Queen, and written by lead guitarist Brian May. The two songs are often paired together when played on radio stations or live in concert. "Champions" was the higher charting of the two.

It went to number four on the U.S Billboard Hot 100 chart. The two songs, combined, have sold nearly ten million copies worldwide.

Answer: "Yesterday" - The Beatles

The song was released on the album "Help!" in 1965. It was performed by The Beatles (although truthfully a solo by Paul McCartney). It was written by McCartney and John Lennon. The song went to number one on the U.S Billboard Hot 100 chart. It has ranked as high as number 13 on Rolling Stone Magazine's list of the 500 greatest songs.

It is said that this song has been covered by other artists over 2,000 times.

Answer: "Ziggy Stardust" - David Bowie

The song was released on the concept album "The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders of Mars" in 1972. It was written and performed by David Bowie. The song and album had little commercial success. However, both garnered much critical acclaim. Rolling Stone has ranked the song as high as 282 on its list of greatest songs.