It’s no secret that people take a lot of pride in their music knowledge – we all love the feeling of being more in-the-know than our mates. However, these days, with tastes getting more and more eclectic due to easy access through streaming platforms, everyone considers themselves a sonic connoisseur.
Luckily there’s a way to prove who actually knows their stuff and who’s all talk.
Online vinyl retailer Norman Records has put together a beautiful yet fiendishly tricky visual quiz to celebrate some of the most iconic music albums from the 60s through to now and separate the true experts from the posers.
Through a combination of cryptic clues and album artwork hints, the challenge is to identify 30 iconic music albums that may span decades and genres but are all essential listening. Above all, it’s your chance to earn some serious bragging rights.
While the entire concept of ‘albums’ is being radically changed by new release strategies, the well-documented resurgence of vinyl sales in recent years shows that people are still interested in the format, both in terms of its value as an experience but also for the aesthetic benefits of having beautiful record covers on display.
Album covers (especially vinyl sleeves) are considered an art form all of their own. From the unforgettable crossing in front of Abbey Road Studios to the vibrant celebration of Andy Warhol’s pop art on The Velvet Underground & Nico’s classic self-titled album, cover art can often be as iconic as the record itself.
You’ll find hints pointing you towards releases by artists ranging from The Beatles to Aphex Twin, Prince to Boards of Canada. There’s a few to get you started and it’s all the help you’re getting from us!
Look closely and use some lateral thinking, not all of the clues in the image are obvious at first glance – where would the fun in that be?
There’s also an answer image for you to review your answers and, let’s be honest, for those who aren’t above a bit of cheating.
So, if you think you’ve got what it takes to identify all of the featured iconic music albums and artists – test yourself with this challenging cryptic image quiz.
