Rolling Stone's 500 "Greatest Albums" Part 47 Quiz

Answer: David Bowie

Released in 1972, "The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders From Mars" was the fifth LP from David Bowie. It reached number five in the UK that year. Re-releases were to follow and it archived its best position the USA after Bowie's death in 2016, reaching number three on the Billboard Top Catalog Albums chart.

Many of the early reviews - though not all - were favourable.
'Rolling Stone' called it Bowie's most thematically ambitious, musically coherent album to that time. It was, Richard Cromelin wrote, the record in which Bowie united the major strengths of his previous work and reconciled himself to some apparently inevitable problems.

This was a loose concept album, with Bowie basing the persona of Ziggy Stardust on Alex DeLarge, the character played by the Malcolm McDowell in the movie "A Clockwork Orange". The music of Iggy & The Stooges and The Velvet Underground were cited by Bowie as influences, as was English singer Vince Taylor.

Answer: Talking Heads

In 1980, New York City rockers Talking Heads released "Remain in Light" as their fourth album. It proved to be a solid seller, hitting the top 30 in most areas and number six in Canada.

Writing for 'Billboard' in 2015, Kenneth Partridge took the view this album "was something truly rare: a radical departure that nevertheless felt like a continuation of and improvement on everything that had come before."

The backbone of Talking Heads, David Byrne, Tina Weymouth and Chris Frantz met at the Rhode Island School of Design. Jerry Harrison joined after a record deal was signed. The name came from the media term for someone who gives an interview on behalf of an organisation - a talking head. The English band Radioheads took their name from the TH song "Radio Heads".

Answer: Bob Dylan

Bob Dylan began recording in New York City, then travelled to Nashville Tennessee to lay down the tracks that would become "Blonde On Blonde": often hailed as rock's first ever double album. Released in May 1966 it reached number nine on the Billboard 200 and number three in the UK. The single "Rainy Day Women No. 12 & 35" reached number two on the Billboard Hot 100.

In May 2021, the 'Independent' newspaper in the UK ranked 20 Dylan albums and placed "Blonde On Blonde" at number one. Graeme Ross wrote that with an unbelievably high concentration of classic songs. 'Blonde on Blonde' bookended Dylan's first classic period and its reputation as the artist's magnum opus endured. "One of the greatest albums ever made," he added.

Answer: Dr Dre

Andre Romelle Young - Dr. Dre - had already had exposure via other hiphop artists and through the band N.W.A. before he released "The Chronic" in 1992 as his debut album. It reached the top of the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart and was a number 11 in the UK.

The album title "the chronic" is a reference to marijuana - what Europeans call cannabis, since cannabis is the proper name for the plant.

"The Chronic" has been hailed as one of the best hiphop albums of all time. It was the album that "made hop hop go global", Will Hodgkinson wrote in 'The times'. It "terrified and excited mainstream America in the process", he added. Some, though, were not convinced by what they saw as naked misogyny and the glorification of guns and drugs.

Answer: Michael Jackson

Released in 1979, "Off The Wall" was Michael Jackson's fifth LP after leaving the family band. It topped the Billboard Top R&B Albums chart. The single "Rock with You" topped the Billboard Hot 100.

Worldwide sales grew to more than 20 million. Some critics have listed it as the best of Jackson's albums. David O'Donnell, writing for 'BBC Music', said: "1979's 'Off The Wall' is one of the finest pop albums ever made and showcases Michael Jackson as a gifted and versatile vocalist, comfortable performing on ballads as well as upbeat disco tracks."

Answer: The Beatles

In 1965, "Rubber Soul" was the fifth LP from The Beatles. The track listing in the UK and in the USA was different. The album topped the charts in Australia, the UK, USA and West Germany. It was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame in 2000.

In 2012, 'ultimateclassicrock' placed "Rubber Soul" at number three in a countdown of the best Beatles LPs. In 2019 the 'Independent' placed it at number five on its list of best Beatles LPs and classified it as "another seismic leap in quality with their first true masterpiece..."

Answer: Stevie Wonder

Stevie Wonder was a prolific recorder of albums, eventually chalking up 23 in the studio and four live - without getting into compilations. "Innervisions" was his 16th and was released in 1973. It topped the Billboard Soul LPs chart and was a number eight in the UK.

"Innervisions" came to be regarded as a transitional album from Wonder, marking his move to a new maturity in his singing and songwriting. It was "Wonder at the absolute peak of his powers, a 23-year-old man with the world at his fingertips", Darryl Easlea wrote for 'BBC Music'.

In 2019, the "Guardian" ranked 25 Stevie Wonder albums and placed "Innervisions" at number two.

Answer: Amy Winehouse

Amy Winehouse packed a lot of experiences into her nine-year career, and wrote and sang about most of them. Perhaps then, as well as in retrospect, it was a life and career that could not end well. Her brushes with alcoholism and drugs abuse led to Winehouse's death in 2011.

"Back To Black" was her second, and final LP. Released in October 2006, it reached the top ten across the world. This was an album that evoked memories of Motown at its height and the soul sound of the 1960s and 1970s.

It won a Grammy, but Winehouse was refused a visa to attend the ceremony after a video emerged of her seemingly smoking crack cocaine. Despite the success of the album, Winehouse's behaviour became increasingly erratic and she missed a number of concerts. Despite a period in rehabilitation, Winehouse was unable to get her career going again. She died on July 23, 2011 at the age of 27.

Answer: Beyoncé

On release in 2016, "Lemonade", the sixth album from Beyoncé, topped the Billboard 200. It was also a number one in Australia, Canada, and the United Kingdom.

Beyoncé got down and detailed in opening private aspects of her life, as well as probing political, social and racial issues. The 'Independent' newspaper called it "Fiery, insurgent, fiercely proud, sprawling and sharply focused" - even if sprawling and sharply focused do appear contradictions.

Answer: Miles Davis

Dating to 1959, "Kind of Blue" is one of the oldest albums on this countdown. Trumpeter Miles Davis recorded the album in New York City and it went on to be hailed as one of the greatest albums in jazz.

In 2010, the 'Guardian' rated Miles Davis as one of "The 10 best jazz musicians". In 2021, 'discovermusic' listed Davis at number three among "The 50 Best Jazz Trumpeters Of All Time". Charles Waring wrote: "Miles was arguably the greatest bandleader in jazz, leading several groundbreaking ensembles from the 50s onwards that helped shape the course of jazz."