Rolling Stone's 500 "Greatest Albums" Part 38 Quiz

Answer: Prince

Released in 1982, "1999" was the fifth album from Prince. It reached number nine on the Billboard 200, and number 30 in the UK.

When the "Guardian" reviewed and ranked 37 Prince albums in 2016, it placed "1999" at number five. Simon Price categorised it as "Bold double album on which Prince and his Revolution fully embrace synthesizers, while making a blatant grab for pop glory with that '1999'/'Little Red Corvette' one-two."

Answer: Pink Floyd

In 1979, "The Wall" was the 11th LP from Pink Floyd. It topped the album charts the world over - except in the UK where it ran into a wall at number three.

The tracks were laid down over a period of eight months. As Daryl Easlea noted for BBC Music, the album included "some very beautiful tunes"as well as the unlikely Christmas number one "Another Brick In The Wall". A "Rolling Stone" readers' poll of "Your 10 Favorite Pink Floyd Albums" in 2013 put "The Wall" at number five

Answer: Queen

Queen released "A Night At The Opera" in 1975. It was their fifth LP and reached the top five in several counties, including topping the charts in the UK. In contained the monster hit "Bohemian Rhapsody", which was the longest single in running time to have topped the charts until then.

Ranking Queen's 10 top albums, 'ultimateclassicrock' put "A Night At TheOpera" at number one, commenting: "Without question, 'A Night At The Opera' is the crown jewel of Queen's catalog."

Answer: Ray Charles

In 1962 this was a departure from previous Ray Charles rhythm and blues recordings. It topped the US Pop Albums chart and reached number six in the UK.

It was not such a strange departure as might seem. Charles grew up listening to county music on the radio. In his 1978 autobiography, Charles wrote: "I just wanted to try my hand at hillbilly music. After all, the Grand Ole Opry had been performing inside my head since I was a kid in the country." In 1983, he got a spot performing at the Grand Ole Opry.

Answer: Mary J Blige

In 1994, New York City songstress Mary J. Blige released "My Life" as her second album. It reached number seven on the Billboard 200.

Writing for BBC Music, Daryl Easlea said: "My Life crystallised Mary J. Blige's persona as a ghetto diva, building on the success of her debut, 'What's the 411?'. Although a fairly bleak, sorrowful album, reflecting on her turbulent private life, this is a collection dressed in bright, shiny, soulful packaging."

Answer: Beastie Boys

The hip hop Beastie Boys hailed from New York City and "Paul's Boutique" was the second album. In 1989 it reached number 14 on the Billboard 200. The album was named after a Brooklyn store.

Answer: U2

So, again we have the "boring" U2 in our countdown. In 1991, "Achtung Baby" was the Irish band's seventh LP. It topped the charts n the USA, Canada, and Australia and reached number two in the UK. In 2017 "The Irish Times" complied a list of U2 albums 'from worst to best' and put "Achtung Baby" at number two.

Answer: Led Zeppelin

In 1969, "Led Zeppelin II" was, believe it or not, the second LP from the English rockers. It was a chart topper in the UK, north America and the Antipodes.

As a single, "Whole Lotta Love" reached number four on the Billboard Hot 100 and peaked at number 21 in the UK. It was to be a perennial in their concert setlists for years to follow.

Answer: Nine Inch Nails

Released 1994, "The Downward Spiral" was the second LP from the Cleveland, Ohio, rockers. It reached number two on the Billboard 200 and number nine in the UK.

The album certainly got people talking and was condemned in some political circles for its content. "Kerrang!" magazine opined: "The Downward Spiral changed the musical landscape. Nine Inch Nails had terraformed a sprawling, dark recess that felt entirely new - and wholly terrifying". Despite "seeming so unpalatable" it was a masterpiece, James Hickie wrote.

Answer: Elvis Costello

There is a lot of debate on the type of music that Elvis Costello first produced. He has at time been hailed as one of the world's greatest punk rockers, but his overall catalogue has defied classification. He began his career playing in in folk clubs in his native Liverpool. "I was writing my own songs - dreadful songs - performing them more or less religiously, I didn't think the songs were worth recording, but the only way you get better is to play what you write," he later said. His sound was to be polished by Nick Lowe, and Costello became one of the most articulate writers of radio-friendly songs in the era.

"This Year's Model" came out in 1978 and was his second LP. It was produced by Nick Lowe.