Rolling Stone's 500 "Greatest Albums" Part 30 Quiz

Answer: Soul

"The Birth of Soul" was a compilation of the records that Ray Charles had made for Atlantic in the mid to late 1950s. The three-CD boxset was released in 1991. Nicknamed "the genius", Ray Charles was an early developer of the fusion of gospel, rhythm and blues, and jazz into what became known as 'soul music'.

Answer: Hell

"Raising Hell", the third LP from Run-DMC, reached number three on the Billboard 200 in 1986. It was the first rap album to have sales certified triple platinum, over three million. It included a collaboration on "Walk This Way" with Aerosmith that was said to have revived that band's fortunes.

Run-DMC were credited with bringing hip-hop to mainstream audiences. The album was added to the US National Registry in 2017.

Answer: Carter

In 2008, "Tha Carter III", was the sixth album from Lil Wayne and reached number one in the USA and Canada. For all that it was acclaimed by critics, it faced a raft of lawsuits for unpaid royalties.

The artist born Dwayne Carter always had the ability to seize the moment. He was known for his clever linguistics, even if some said his lyrics could at times be a bit clunky. He also claimed to be the greatest rapper around, although "Rolling Stone" put him at number ten in their 2015 list of "The Ten Best Rappers of All Time".

Answer: Eagles

With their 1972 debut "Eagles", (the) Eagles were said to have set out a new template for smooth country-rock. For a band used to the US West Coast sound, they decided to record the album at Olympic Studios in London, England. Their chosen producer was Glyn Johns, who listed some of rock's greatest acts on his CV. The album reached number 22 on the Billboard 200 and produced three top 30 singles on the Hot 100. "Classic Rock Review" described the album as "amazingly polished".

The story of the Eagles is one that any aspiring musician should be aware of. They hit the highs and lows of music stardom. As guitarist Don Felder wrote in his book "Heaven and Hell" in 2007: "I blame the drugs more than anything for what happened with the Eagles. We went from a bunch of young guys hanging out together to five men who couldn't stand each other."

Answer: Low

In 1977, David Bowie released "Low" as his 11th album. It reached number two in the UK, number 11 in the USA, and number ten in Australia.

Writing for BBC Music, Susie Goldring, a self-confessed Bowie fan, remarked: "With its texturing, layering and juxtaposing of random sounds and instruments, including an eventide harmonizer, 'Low' is certainly an ambitious album and one that wasn't well-received by critics at the time. It does, however, show a Bowie who had turned 30: a man growing up, coming into his own."

In 2021, "Far Out" magazine ranked all 27 Bowie albums and put "Low" at number five, noting: "With Bowie kicking his cocaine habit into touch and the star trying to reinstall a sense of creative curiosity, 'Low' is a joy to behold as he traverses the pitfalls of modern life."

Answer: Tea

Released in 1970, "Tea For The Tillerman" was the fourth LP from Cat Stevens. It reached number 20 in the UK, number eight in the USA, and number two in Australia. The track now most recognised was probably "Father And Son", which was the B side of "Moonshadow", a 1970 single and on the 1971 US release "Teaser And The Firecat".

Stevens was aged just 22 when "Tea For The Tillerman" was released and not yet into Islam. The album was, according to "NME": "...a cosy collection of pop-leaning folk songs. The record made the shy singer-songwriter a global phenomenon."

Answer: Graduation

In 2007, "Graduation" was the third album from Kanye West. It topped the charts in the USA, UK, and Canada. It won the 2008 Grammy for Best Rap Album.

"Graduation" got a four star review from Dorian Lynskey in the "Guardian", but it was a piece with a number of caveats. Describing West as "hip-hop's most fascinating talent" he said "the music is never timid or conventional. Only as a lyricist does West sometimes disappoint".

Answer: Pink

In 1972, "Pink Moon" was the third and final album from Nick Drake. He died in 1974. The album did not sell well, but - like so many other deceased artists - interest in his music grew following his death.

Drake was, as "britannca.com" noted: a "...singer, songwriter, and guitarist known for emotive vocals, sombre lyrics, and rich melodies. Drake never achieved widespread recognition in his lifetime but inspired a cult following in the decades following his death."

Aged 26 when he died, Drake had struggled with emotional issues and drugs use. He hated performing live and stopped doing so in 1970. His death in 1974 was put down to an overdose of antidepressant medication.

Answer: Homogenic

In 1997 Björk released "Homogenic" as her third album. It proved to be a top ten in most territories but less successful in North America.

Writing for the "Guardian" in 2011, Michael Cragg selected this as his 'favourite album'. "It is, at times, an incredibly confrontational album. For Björk, 'Homogenic' was a return to her Icelandic roots; she wanted the beats to sound volcanic, for the strings and the lyrics to be almost comically epic, and for the album to be a modern take on Icelandic pop. As a result the whole thing bristles with a wonderfully joyous drama", he said.

Answer: Marauders

Hailing from Queens, New York City, A Tribe Called Quest released "Midnight Marauders" in 1993. It was their third LP and hit number eight on the Billboard 200.

The album was described by some critics as "a masterpiece", and A Tribe Called Quest were regarded as a pioneering hip-hop group. The rapper Lonnie Rashid Lynn (AKA Common) was quoted as saying "They're not only one of my favorite groups, but one of my greatest sources of inspiration. "Midnight Marauders is the reason I'm here as an artist, because hearing that album made me like, 'I have to get better.' Knowing that I needed to get better was just the start of it".