Rolling Stone's 500 "Greatest Albums" Part 31 Quiz

Answer: Diamond

In 1984, "Damond Life" was Sade's first UK album release. It reached number two on the UK charts and number five on the Billboard 200 on its 1985 release in the US.

Writing for BBC Music, Paul Lester said: "Sade's debut album, 'Diamond Life', confirmed that she was more than just a beautifully sculpted face. For a start, she could sing, although instead of the ostentatious melismas we've become accustomed to from soul singers these days, Sade's voice was husky and restrained, oozing class and suggestive of hard-won experience, making her sound like a Wardour Street Billie Holiday."

Her songwriting was also good, he noted and could appeal to fans of all genres. "Diamond Life" won a BRIT Award in 1985.

Answer: Enchanted

The Stockton, California, indie rockers Pavement released "Slanted and Enchanted" as their debut album in 1992. The album did not make much impact on the charts, and got mixed reviews. A particular low may well have been a reference on the TV show "Beavis and Butthead" when it was suggested that Pavement "must try harder".

Answer: B-52's

In 1975 the B-52's (their spelling) dropped their debut album but it missed their main target, topping out at number 59 on the Billboard 200. The album was well liked for its dance-friendly pop.

Answer: Meet

"Meet The Beatles" was the Fab Four's second LP in the USA. It topped the Billboard 200 and stayed there for 11 weeks. Behind it in the charts for nine weeks at number two was "Introducing... The Beatles", technically the first Beatles LP in the USA, but not released on their official label, Capitol.

After some legal arguments sales of "Introducing... The Beatles" were dropped. Many counterfeit copies of the disc started to circulate.

Answer: Body

Robyn was the professional game of super Swede Robin Miriam Carlsson and "Body Talk" was her fourth album. It sold well in continental Europe but not on the British or US mainstream charts. Robyn was aged just 16 when she released her first album and saw it go to the top of the charts. Her early single "Do You Know (What It Takes)" reached the Hot 100 top ten.

Answer: Songs

In 1967 Leonard Cohen, known in his native Canada for his poems and novels, released "Songs of Leonard Cohen" as his debut album. It was to be more successful in Europe than in North America. The album contains several of Cohen's career-long 'keepers', "Sisters of Mercy", "Suzanne", and "So Long, Marianne".

Over the years, his songs were to be covered by many other artists. It is estimated that "Hallelujah" alone was covered some 80 times. An early champion was Judy Collins, who introduced his songs to a wider audience.

Answer: Bad

Michael Jackson set a high bar when he released "Thriller" in 1982 and it took another five years for his next album, "Bad", to come out. It was his seventh LP. It was to hit the top of the charts in countries the world over. It spawned five number one singles, won two Grammys, and sold in excess of 35 million copies.

It also marked the emergence of Jackson as his own main songwriter: he penned nine of the 11 tracks.

Answer: Poor

In 1969, CCR released "Willy and the Poor Boys" as their fourth LP. It reached number three on the Billboard 200, number ten in the UK, and number two in Canada.

As "Encyclopaedia Britannica" put it, CCR were often "derided" by many rock critics as "merely a singles band". In four years from mid-1968, the band released seven studio albums, selling in excess of 33 million units and in 1970 they outsold the Beatles.

There was also a time that just about any movie about or mentioning the Vietnam War included a song by CCR - "Who'll Stop the Rain", "The Post", "Born on the Fourth of July" and "Air America" among them. John Fogarty wrote that a Vietnam veteran told him they used to play "Bad Moon Rising" loudly before any jungle patrol.

Answer: Ill

In 1968, "Licensed To Ill" was the first studio album from New York City's hip-hop Beastie Boys. It topped the Billboard 200 and made the top ten in both Canada and the UK.

On release, "Rolling Stone" magazine headlined a review "Three Idiots Create a Masterpiece". Their story was later made into a London stage show.

Answer: Last

"At Last!" was the 1960 debut album from LA blues and soul singer Etta James. It reached number 12 on Billboard's Top Catalog Albums chart. In that period she became one of the first true female stars.

James recorded and toured regularly and was the opener for the Rolling Stones on their US tours of the late 1970s. Addictions to firstly heroin and then cocaine marked a career in which she won four Grammys.