Rolling Stone's 500 "Greatest Albums" Part 15 Quiz

Answer: Nation

Funkadellic were one side of a musical coin tossed by producer/arranger George Clinton. The other was Parliament, who had an album at number 363 in this countdown. Clinton set up Funkadelic for rock guitars and Parliament for dance. In 1978, the album peaked at number 16 on the Billboard 200.

As a single, the title track reached number 28 on the Hot 100. It reached number one on the Official UK Charts.

Answer: City

Famously described as "as the biggest cult band to never make it" Big Star released "Radio City" to general indifference in 1974. It was only later that it came to be recognised as one of their best.

Answer: Goo

Released in 1990, "Goo" was the sixth album from New York City rockers Sonic Youth. Initially noted as an avant-garde noise band, they were to be hugely influential in the alternative rock scene that followed. Early Sonic Youth recordings were noted for their heavy wall of sound.

In at the start were Thurston Moore and Kim Gordon (who later married) and Lee Ranaldo. They went through a succession of drummers before Steve Shelley settled in. There were to be later line-up changes, but the band eventually broke up at about the time the 27-year marriage of Moore and Gordon came to the end the road.

Answer: Rain

"Rain Dogs" was a 2005 concept album from California rocker Tom Watts. It was his ninth album, and although it got to number 29 on the UK album charts, it barely registered on the Billboard 200. This was an album that saw Watts continue to develop a refreshed sound from previous albums. With a range of musical styles, it also saw him expand his musical repertoire.

Answer: Gris-Gris

A gris gris is an amulet used in Voodoo that can either bring the wearer good luck or bad luck. Used in Cajan French, it can be taken men 'the evil eye'.

Dr. John was the alt-ego of New Orleans session musician Malcolm John Rebennack Jr and in 1968 "Gris-Gris" was his debut solo album. Earlier he had made his name as a bass player, until he lost his left index finger in a shooting incident. He switched instruments to piano. In the 1960s he was a member of the fabled Los Angeles 'Wrecking Crew' that did all the heavy lifting in recordings by artists such as Cher, Frank Zappa, and the Beach Boys.

Answer: Black

In 1970, Black Sabbath ushered in a new musical genre - heavy metal - with their eponymous debut album. It became a number eight on the UK charts and number 23 on the Billboard 200. A legion of bands were to be influenced by Black Sabbath. it is easy to find lists on the internet, yet in a 2017 interview, Tommy Iommi said the band "hated" to hear themselves called heavy metal. "We called it heavy rock," Iommi said.

In a 2011 readers' poll in "Rolling Stone" magazine, Black Sabbath were placed third on a list of 'The Top 10 Metal Bands of All Time'. The number one? - Metallica.

Answer: Adolescents

In 1978, "Germfree Adolescents" was the debut album of the London, England, punk rockers X-Ray Spex. It peaked at number 30 on the UK album charts. Fronted by their outrageous songwriter Poly Styrene, this was high energy music. She was noted for her shouty vocals and rejection of 'norms' in society.

Answer: Cars

New wave brought The Cars out of Boston in the mid 1970s and in 1978 they released their eponymous first album. It was a good one, too, hitting number 18 on the Billboard 200 and number 29 in the UK. In a list of seven of the band's album ranked worst to last, 'ultimateclassicrock' placed the debut disc at the top.

Answer: Slim

Released in 1999, "The Slim Shady LP" was the second album from the St Joseph, Missouri, rapper Marshall Bruce Mathers III. His career began early: rapping in Detroit, Michigan, clubs from the age of 14. Finishing second in the freestyle category at the 1997 Rap Olympics in Los Angeles brought him to the attention of Dr Dre, who helped him develop his 'Slim Shady' stage alter ego.

That led to "The Slim Shady LP", number two on the Billboard 200 ,four Grammys and millions in sales. From 1999, Eminem added four more Grammys and 10 albums that went to the top of the Billboard 200. In a list of "The 25 Greatest White Rappers in the World", 'Wealthy Gorilla' placed Eminem at number one.

Answer: Pleasure

Released in 1973, "For Your Pleasure" was the second album from the English band Roxy Music. Formed in 1970, the men behind Roxy Music - Brian Ferry, Andy Mackay, and Brian Eno - came from a working class northern background but access to a university environment was to stretch their boundaries. Relationships with artists and designers built in those years also gave Roxy Music an arty look as well as a smooth sound.

For all their imagery and smooth sound, it was to take Roxy Music six years to achieve their first number one single - "Jealous Guy" in 1981. In the meantime "For Your Pleasure" was a UK number two on the album charts, and nine albums were to reach the top ten. American audiences seemed oblivious and the band had only minor presence on either the Hot 100 or the Billboard 200.