The hot summer 2016 music quiz

1. 

   Frank Ocean’s second album, Blonde, was so eagerly awaited it seemed to make music critics collectively lose all sense of perspective. Which of the following pieces was NOT published in the wake of its release?

   1. A 10-point guide to the album’s “whiteness”, in which everything from hair pigmentation to pre-Christian Germanic myth was discussed.

   2. A debate in which one participant mused how the album’s working title, Boys Don’t Cry, chimed with photographs of five-year-old Aleppo airstrike survivor Omran Daqneesh.

   3. A long read that counterpointed the album’s downbeat, introverted aesthetic with the bluster of Donald Trump’s presidential campaign.

   4. A review that stated how Ocean’s voice had developed an allergic reaction to nonsense.

2. 

   Frank Ocean’s second album, Blonde, was so eagerly awaited it seemed to make Frank Ocean lose all sense of perspective. How did he choose to precede its release?

   1. With a live-stream that showcased his burgeoning interest in carpentry.

   2. By blasting it from speakers in the Arizona desert where it was heard by … nobody.

   3. By dropping 107 copies of it into the Pacific ocean and inviting fans to try to find them.

   4. With a series of interviews and radio appearances like any other self-respecting pop star.

3. 

   Barack Obama’s second album was not as eagerly awaited as Frank Ocean’s so he put out a summer playlist instead – which of the following tunes did NOT make the list.

   1. Chance the Rapper – Acid Rain.

   2. Corinne Bailey Rae – Green Aphrodisiac.

   3. Kendrick Lamar – King Kunta.

   4. Courtney Barnett – Elevator Operator.

4. 

   How much did superstar DJ Calvin Harris earn over the last year?

   1. Nothing – Calvin Harris is a not-for-profit organisation.

   2. His pay was bumped up to the minimum wage of £7.20 an hour as a result of a Guardian investigation.

   3. God, I don’t know, something utterly depressing and demoralising like £12.5m?!

   4. £47.7m! (Hahaha, as if anybody would ever pay Calvin Harris that!)

5. 

   Adele headlined Glastonbury this year and spent much of her set swearing like a trooper. How many rude words did she say in 90 minutes?

   1. STFU Adele doesn’t swear!

   2. 33 times FFS.

   3. 53 times and Jo Whiley had to be seen by paramedics.

   4. 153 times after which she was rewarded by being asked write a new series of The Thick Of It.

6. 

   Liam Gallagher told an interviewer this year that he’s not embarking on a solo career, which is why he’s about to release his first solo album. How did he describe the music that will appear on it?

   1. Chin-out music.

   2. Chin-up music.

   3. Chinchilla-inspired concept music.

   4. Chicago house music.

7. 

   How long did some fans queue up for in order to be able to buy £70 T-shirts at Kanye West’s Life of Pablo pop-up fashion store in east London?

   1. 15 minutes, the maximum time any sane person would wait to be able to purchase a gothic-print hoodie.

   2. 15 hours, out of a strange desperation to prove that nobody has a proper job in Dalston.

   3. 15 days: tents, camp stoves and even a caravan were utilised by those in it for the long haul.

   4. 15 years: the person at the front will have the last laugh when they finally get their hands on that Pablo bomber jacket in February 2031.

8. 

   Jack White ticked an important item off his “bucket list” this summer. But what was it?

   1. He performed three live duets with a hologram of forgotten delta bluesman Ol’ Bill Grizzletooth.

   2. He helped build a special turntable that played the first ever vinyl recording in space.

   3. He recorded an album that sounded like it was made after 1948.

   4. He entered the Guinness World Records for being the first person to say the word “vinyl” more than 25,000 times in a day.

9. 

   Guns N’ Roses were detained for firearm possession at the Canadian border this summer. While recounting this story to a crowd in Philadelphia, which winning phrase did Axl Rose NOT deploy?

   1. You know, it happens.

   2. You can forget you have a fucking gun.

   3. Guns don’t kill people, rock stars do.

   4. Wasn’t my gun.

10. 

    This year’s Glastonbury saw an experimental DJ set by former snooker world champion Steve Davis. Under which name did he tell the Guardian he’d like to go by?

    1. DJ Thundermuscle.

    2. DJ Chalkhammer.

    3. DJ Cuejumper.

    4. DJ Tablewrecker.

Solutions

1:C, 2:A, 3:C, 4:D, 5:B, 6:A, 7:B, 8:B, 9:C, 10:A

Scores