They’re No. 1 With a Question Mark

The theme of today’s Calendar pop quiz is No. 1 rock albums, and it should be a snap if you’re an expert on four of rock’s greatest acts: Elvis Presley, the Beatles, the Rolling Stones and Bob Dylan. The answers are drawn from Joel Whitburn’s “Top Pop Singles 1955-2001” (Record Research). The volume lists the chart history on more than 22,000 albums.

1. Elvis Presley’s self-titled 1956 debut was the first album by a rock artist to reach No. 1 on the Billboard magazine pop chart, and it stayed there 10 weeks. Which Elvis album spent the most weeks at No. 1?

(A) “Elvis Presley,” 1956

(B) “Loving You,” 1957

(C) “Elvis’ Golden Records,” 1958

(D) “Blue Hawaii,” 1961

(E) “My Aim Is True,” 1977

2. The first Beatles album to reach No. 1 was “Meet the Beatles!” in 1964, and it spent 11 weeks at No. 1. Which Beatles album spent the most weeks at No. 1?

(A) “Meet the Beatles!” 1964

(B) “Help!” 1965

(C) “The Monkees,” 1966

(D) “Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band,” 1967

(E) “Abbey Road,” 1969

3. Paul McCartney’s “McCartney” in 1970 was the first album by a former Beatle to go to No. 1. Which was the second?

(A) “Plastic Ono Band,” 1970

(B) “All Things Must Pass,” 1970

(C) “Imagine,” 1971

(D) “Ringo,” 1973

(E) “Badfinger,” 1974

4. The first Rolling Stones album to go to No. 1 was “Out of Our Heads” in 1965. What was their most recent one to go to No. 1?

(A) “Aftermath,” 1966

(B) “Exile on Main Street,” 1972

(C) “Toys in the Attic,” 1975

(D) “Some Girls,” 1978

(E) “Tattoo You,” 1981

5. The last Bob Dylan album to reach No. 1 was “Desire” in 1976. Which was the first?

(A) “Bringing It All Back Home,” 1965

(B) “Highway 61 Revisited,” 1965

(C) “Planet Waves,” 1974

(D) “Blood on the Tracks,” 1975

(E) “Greetings From Asbury Park, N.J.,” 1975

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The answers are:

1. (D) “Blue Hawaii,” 20 weeks.

2. (D) “Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band,” 15 weeks.

3. (B) “All Things Must Pass.”

4. (E) “Tattoo You.”

5. (C) “Planet Waves.”

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Geoff Boucher and Robert Hilburn