As of 2007, the total installed capacity of solar hot water systems is approximately 154 thermal gigawatt (GWth). China is the world leader in their deployment with 70 GWth installed as of 2006 and a long-term goal of 210 GWth by 2020. Israel and Cyprus are the per capita leaders in the use of solar hot water systems with over 90% of homes using them. In the United States, Canada and Australia heating swimming pools is the dominant application of solar hot water with an installed capacity of 18 GWth as of 2005.

What was the total capacity of solar hot water systems in 2007 in gigawatts?

Over 90% of homes use solar hot water systems in which two countries?

Israel and Cyprus

What is the capacity of a solar hot water system?

approximately 154 thermal gigawatt

What country is the leader in the implementation of solar powered hot water systems?

China

What percentage of households use solar hot water systems in Israel and Cyprus?

over 90%

In what countries is the use to solar hot water used mainly for w=swimming pools?

United States, Canada and Australia


In the United States, heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) systems account for 30% (4.65 EJ/yr) of the energy used in commercial buildings and nearly 50% (10.1 EJ/yr) of the energy used in residential buildings. Solar heating, cooling and ventilation technologies can be used to offset a portion of this energy.

What percentage of energy in commercial buildings comes from HVAC systems?

How much energy does an HVAC system use in commercial locations?

30% (4.65 EJ/yr)

How much energy does an HVAC system use in residential locations?

50% (10.1 EJ/yr)

What can be used to balance out a portion of the energy used by HVAC systems?

Solar heating, cooling and ventilation technologies


Thermal mass is any material that can be used to store heat—heat from the Sun in the case of solar energy. Common thermal mass materials include stone, cement and water. Historically they have been used in arid climates or warm temperate regions to keep buildings cool by absorbing solar energy during the day and radiating stored heat to the cooler atmosphere at night. However, they can be used in cold temperate areas to maintain warmth as well. The size and placement of thermal mass depend on several factors such as climate, daylighting and shading conditions. When properly incorporated, thermal mass maintains space temperatures in a comfortable range and reduces the need for auxiliary heating and cooling equipment.

Materials that can be used to store heat are known as what kind of mass?

Thermal

What is thermal mass?

any material that can be used to store heat

What are typical thermal mass material?

stone, cement and water

How is thermal mass used to keep buildings cool?

by absorbing solar energy during the day and radiating stored heat to the cooler atmosphere at night

What is a something that determines the size of thermal mass?

climates

What does thermal mass reduce the need for?

auxiliary heating and cooling equipment


A solar chimney (or thermal chimney, in this context) is a passive solar ventilation system composed of a vertical shaft connecting the interior and exterior of a building. As the chimney warms, the air inside is heated causing an updraft that pulls air through the building. Performance can be improved by using glazing and thermal mass materials in a way that mimics greenhouses.

What kind of system is a solar chimney?

passive solar ventilation

What is a solar chimney?

a passive solar ventilation system

What is a solar chimney made of?

a vertical shaft connecting the interior and exterior of a building

How can the performance of a solar chimney be improved?

by using glazing and thermal mass materials in a way that mimics greenhouses


Deciduous trees and plants have been promoted as a means of controlling solar heating and cooling. When planted on the southern side of a building in the northern hemisphere or the northern side in the southern hemisphere, their leaves provide shade during the summer, while the bare limbs allow light to pass during the winter. Since bare, leafless trees shade 1/3 to 1/2 of incident solar radiation, there is a balance between the benefits of summer shading and the corresponding loss of winter heating. In climates with significant heating loads, deciduous trees should not be planted on the Equator facing side of a building because they will interfere with winter solar availability. They can, however, be used on the east and west sides to provide a degree of summer shading without appreciably affecting winter solar gain.

The placement of deciduous trees on the Equator facing side of a building can have a negative effect on solar availability in which season?

winter

What is something that is used to control solar heating and cooling?

trees and plants

How much solar radiation is blocked by leafless trees?

1/3 to 1/2

Why should trees not be planted on the side of a building facing the equator?

they will interfere with winter solar availability

What side of a building should trees be planted without greatly affecting solar gain in the winter?

east and west


Solar cookers use sunlight for cooking, drying and pasteurization. They can be grouped into three broad categories: box cookers, panel cookers and reflector cookers. The simplest solar cooker is the box cooker first built by Horace de Saussure in 1767. A basic box cooker consists of an insulated container with a transparent lid. It can be used effectively with partially overcast skies and will typically reach temperatures of 90–150 °C (194–302 °F). Panel cookers use a reflective panel to direct sunlight onto an insulated container and reach temperatures comparable to box cookers. Reflector cookers use various concentrating geometries (dish, trough, Fresnel mirrors) to focus light on a cooking container. These cookers reach temperatures of 315 °C (599 °F) and above but require direct light to function properly and must be repositioned to track the Sun.

Horace de Saussure built the first box cooker in what year?

Reflector cookers can reach temperatures in Celsius of up to what?

What are solar cookers used for?

cooking, drying and pasteurization

What are the 3 main categories of solar cookers?

box cookers, panel cookers and reflector cookers

Who created the box cooker?

Horace de Saussure

What is the typical temperature range for a box cooker?

90–150 °C (194–302 °F)

What do reflector cookers require to function?

direct light


Solar concentrating technologies such as parabolic dish, trough and Scheffler reflectors can provide process heat for commercial and industrial applications. The first commercial system was the Solar Total Energy Project (STEP) in Shenandoah, Georgia, USA where a field of 114 parabolic dishes provided 50% of the process heating, air conditioning and electrical requirements for a clothing factory. This grid-connected cogeneration system provided 400 kW of electricity plus thermal energy in the form of 401 kW steam and 468 kW chilled water, and had a one-hour peak load thermal storage. Evaporation ponds are shallow pools that concentrate dissolved solids through evaporation. The use of evaporation ponds to obtain salt from sea water is one of the oldest applications of solar energy. Modern uses include concentrating brine solutions used in leach mining and removing dissolved solids from waste streams. Clothes lines, clotheshorses, and clothes racks dry clothes through evaporation by wind and sunlight without consuming electricity or gas. In some states of the United States legislation protects the "right to dry" clothes. Unglazed transpired collectors (UTC) are perforated sun-facing walls used for preheating ventilation air. UTCs can raise the incoming air temperature up to 22 °C (40 °F) and deliver outlet temperatures of 45–60 °C (113–140 °F). The short payback period of transpired collectors (3 to 12 years) makes them a more cost-effective alternative than glazed collection systems. As of 2003, over 80 systems with a combined collector area of 35,000 square metres (380,000 sq ft) had been installed worldwide, including an 860 m2 (9,300 sq ft) collector in Costa Rica used for drying coffee beans and a 1,300 m2 (14,000 sq ft) collector in Coimbatore, India, used for drying marigolds.

The Solar Total Energy Project had a field of how many parabolic dishes?

Are transpired collectors more or less cost-effective than glazed collection systems?

more

What are some examples of solar concentrating technologies?

parabolic dish, trough and Scheffler reflectors

What was the first commercial solar concentrating system?

Solar Total Energy Project (STEP) in Shenandoah, Georgia, USA

What is one of the oldest uses of solar energy?

use of evaporation ponds to obtain salt from sea water

What are some items used to dry clothes without the use of electricity?

Clothes lines, clotheshorses, and clothes racks

What are Unglazed transpired collectors?

perforated sun-facing walls used for preheating ventilation air


Solar distillation can be used to make saline or brackish water potable. The first recorded instance of this was by 16th-century Arab alchemists. A large-scale solar distillation project was first constructed in 1872 in the Chilean mining town of Las Salinas. The plant, which had solar collection area of 4,700 m2 (51,000 sq ft), could produce up to 22,700 L (5,000 imp gal; 6,000 US gal) per day and operate for 40 years. Individual still designs include single-slope, double-slope (or greenhouse type), vertical, conical, inverted absorber, multi-wick, and multiple effect. These stills can operate in passive, active, or hybrid modes. Double-slope stills are the most economical for decentralized domestic purposes, while active multiple effect units are more suitable for large-scale applications.

In what year was a large scale solar distillation project constructed in Las Salinas?

What is used to make saline or brackish water drinkable?

Solar distillation

By who was the first record of solar distillation done by?

16th-century Arab alchemists

When was the first large solar distillation plant created?

How much water was produced by the plant?

22,700 L (5,000 imp gal; 6,000 US gal) per day

What is an example of a solar distillation design?

single-slope


Solar water disinfection (SODIS) involves exposing water-filled plastic polyethylene terephthalate (PET) bottles to sunlight for several hours. Exposure times vary depending on weather and climate from a minimum of six hours to two days during fully overcast conditions. It is recommended by the World Health Organization as a viable method for household water treatment and safe storage. Over two million people in developing countries use this method for their daily drinking water.

Solar water disinfection is recommended by which organization?

the World Health Organization

How long should the plastic bottles filled with water be exposed to sunlight during Solar water disinfection?

a minimum of six hours to two days during fully overcast conditions

What does the World Health Organization say about Solar water disinfection?

a viable method for household water treatment and safe storage

How many people use Solar water disinfection to disinfect their drinking water?

Over two million people in developing countries


Solar energy may be used in a water stabilisation pond to treat waste water without chemicals or electricity. A further environmental advantage is that algae grow in such ponds and consume carbon dioxide in photosynthesis, although algae may produce toxic chemicals that make the water unusable.

What is a possible negative effect of algae in water stabilization ponds?

toxic chemicals

For what reason would solar energy be used in a water stabilisation pond?

to treat waste water without chemicals or electricity

What is a reason why the water from a water stabilisation pond may be unusable?

algae may produce toxic chemicals


Solar power is anticipated to become the world's largest source of electricity by 2050, with solar photovoltaics and concentrated solar power contributing 16 and 11 percent to the global overall consumption, respectively.

By what year is solar power expected to become the world's greatest source of electricity?

When is solar power is foreseen to become the largest source of electricity?


Commercial CSP plants were first developed in the 1980s. Since 1985 the eventually 354 MW SEGS CSP installation, in the Mojave Desert of California, is the largest solar power plant in the world. Other large CSP plants include the 150 MW Solnova Solar Power Station and the 100 MW Andasol solar power station, both in Spain. The 250 MW Agua Caliente Solar Project, in the United States, and the 221 MW Charanka Solar Park in India, are the world’s largest photovoltaic plants. Solar projects exceeding 1 GW are being developed, but most of the deployed photovoltaics are in small rooftop arrays of less than 5 kW, which are grid connected using net metering and/or a feed-in tariff. In 2013 solar generated less than 1% of the worlds total grid electricity.

The largest solar power plant in the world is located in what desert?

the Mojave Desert

Less than 1% of the world's total grid electricity was generated by solar energy in what year?

What is the largest solar power plant in the world?

354 MW SEGS CSP

Where is the largest solar power plant in the world located?

Mojave Desert of California

What are the largest photovoltaic solar power plants?

The 250 MW Agua Caliente Solar Project, in the United States, and the 221 MW Charanka Solar Park in India


In the last two decades, photovoltaics (PV), also known as solar PV, has evolved from a pure niche market of small scale applications towards becoming a mainstream electricity source. A solar cell is a device that converts light directly into electricity using the photoelectric effect. The first solar cell was constructed by Charles Fritts in the 1880s. In 1931 a German engineer, Dr Bruno Lange, developed a photo cell using silver selenide in place of copper oxide. Although the prototype selenium cells converted less than 1% of incident light into electricity, both Ernst Werner von Siemens and James Clerk Maxwell recognized the importance of this discovery. Following the work of Russell Ohl in the 1940s, researchers Gerald Pearson, Calvin Fuller and Daryl Chapin created the crystalline silicon solar cell in 1954. These early solar cells cost 286 USD/watt and reached efficiencies of 4.5–6%. By 2012 available efficiencies exceed 20% and the maximum efficiency of research photovoltaics is over 40%.

In the 1880s, who constructed the first solar cell?

Charles Fritts

In what year was the crystalline silicon solar cell constructed?

What has happened to photovoltaic in the past 20 years?

evolved from a pure niche market of small scale applications towards becoming a mainstream electricity source

What is a solar cell?

a device that converts light directly into electricity

Who created the first solar cell?

Charles Fritts

Who created the first solar cell using silver selenide in place of copper oxide?

Dr Bruno Lange

Who created the crystalline silicon solar cell?

Gerald Pearson, Calvin Fuller and Daryl Chapin


Concentrating Solar Power (CSP) systems use lenses or mirrors and tracking systems to focus a large area of sunlight into a small beam. The concentrated heat is then used as a heat source for a conventional power plant. A wide range of concentrating technologies exists; the most developed are the parabolic trough, the concentrating linear fresnel reflector, the Stirling dish and the solar power tower. Various techniques are used to track the Sun and focus light. In all of these systems a working fluid is heated by the concentrated sunlight, and is then used for power generation or energy storage.

In all the different CSP systems, concentrated sunlight is used to heat what?

a working fluid

What do Concentrating Solar Power systems use?

lenses or mirrors and tracking systems

What is the heat generated from a Concentrating Solar Power system used for?

a heat source for a conventional power plant

What is one of the most developed Concentrating Solar Power technologies?

the Stirling dish

What do Concentrating Solar Power technologies have in common?

a working fluid is heated by the concentrated sunlight


The common features of passive solar architecture are orientation relative to the Sun, compact proportion (a low surface area to volume ratio), selective shading (overhangs) and thermal mass. When these features are tailored to the local climate and environment they can produce well-lit spaces that stay in a comfortable temperature range. Socrates' Megaron House is a classic example of passive solar design. The most recent approaches to solar design use computer modeling tying together solar lighting, heating and ventilation systems in an integrated solar design package. Active solar equipment such as pumps, fans and switchable windows can complement passive design and improve system performance.

Socrate's what is a classic example of passive solar design?

Megaron House

What is a common feature of passive solar architecture?

orientation relative to the Sun

What is produced when the features of passive solar architecture are customized to the environment?

well-lit spaces that stay in a comfortable temperature range

What is an example of passive solar design?

Socrates' Megaron House

What kind of equipment can improve system performance?

pumps, fans and switchable windows


Urban heat islands (UHI) are metropolitan areas with higher temperatures than that of the surrounding environment. The higher temperatures are a result of increased absorption of the Solar light by urban materials such as asphalt and concrete, which have lower albedos and higher heat capacities than those in the natural environment. A straightforward method of counteracting the UHI effect is to paint buildings and roads white and plant trees. Using these methods, a hypothetical "cool communities" program in Los Angeles has projected that urban temperatures could be reduced by approximately 3 °C at an estimated cost of US$1 billion, giving estimated total annual benefits of US$530 million from reduced air-conditioning costs and healthcare savings.

UHI is an abbreviation of what?

Urban heat islands

A program in Los Angeles believes that with $1 billion, city temperatures could be reduced by approximately how many degrees in Celsius?

What are the metropolitan areas with higher temperatures than the surrounding areas called?

Urban heat islands

What materials absorb sunlight and create higher temperatures than natural materials?

asphalt and concrete

What is a way to reduce the high temperatures created in urban heat islands?

paint buildings and roads white and plant trees


Agriculture and horticulture seek to optimize the capture of solar energy in order to optimize the productivity of plants. Techniques such as timed planting cycles, tailored row orientation, staggered heights between rows and the mixing of plant varieties can improve crop yields. While sunlight is generally considered a plentiful resource, the exceptions highlight the importance of solar energy to agriculture. During the short growing seasons of the Little Ice Age, French and English farmers employed fruit walls to maximize the collection of solar energy. These walls acted as thermal masses and accelerated ripening by keeping plants warm. Early fruit walls were built perpendicular to the ground and facing south, but over time, sloping walls were developed to make better use of sunlight. In 1699, Nicolas Fatio de Duillier even suggested using a tracking mechanism which could pivot to follow the Sun. Applications of solar energy in agriculture aside from growing crops include pumping water, drying crops, brooding chicks and drying chicken manure. More recently the technology has been embraced by vinters, who use the energy generated by solar panels to power grape presses.

During the Little Ice Age, what did English and French farmers use to increase collection of solar energy?

fruit walls

Vinters have adopted solar technology to do what?

power grape presses

Why do agriculture and horticulture seek to make the most use of the solar energy captured?

to optimize the productivity of plants

What are some techniques used to improve crop production?

timed planting cycles, tailored row orientation, staggered heights between rows and the mixing of plant varieties

What did French and English farmers do during the Little Ice Age to gain more solar energy?

employed fruit walls

What was the purpose of the fruit walls built by French and English farmers?

acted as thermal masses and accelerated ripening by keeping plants warm


Greenhouses convert solar light to heat, enabling year-round production and the growth (in enclosed environments) of specialty crops and other plants not naturally suited to the local climate. Primitive greenhouses were first used during Roman times to produce cucumbers year-round for the Roman emperor Tiberius. The first modern greenhouses were built in Europe in the 16th century to keep exotic plants brought back from explorations abroad. Greenhouses remain an important part of horticulture today, and plastic transparent materials have also been used to similar effect in polytunnels and row covers.

When were the first greenhouses used?

Roman times

In what century were the first modern greenhouses constructed?

the 16th

What do greenhouses do with solar energy?

convert solar light to heat

What is one purpose of a greenhouse?

enabling year-round production and the growth (in enclosed environments) of specialty crops

What was one of the first uses of a greenhouse?

produce cucumbers year-round for the Roman emperor Tiberius

Where were the first modern greenhouses built?

Europe


Development of a solar-powered car has been an engineering goal since the 1980s. The World Solar Challenge is a biannual solar-powered car race, where teams from universities and enterprises compete over 3,021 kilometres (1,877 mi) across central Australia from Darwin to Adelaide. In 1987, when it was founded, the winner's average speed was 67 kilometres per hour (42 mph) and by 2007 the winner's average speed had improved to 90.87 kilometres per hour (56.46 mph). The North American Solar Challenge and the planned South African Solar Challenge are comparable competitions that reflect an international interest in the engineering and development of solar powered vehicles.

What is the name of the solar powered car race held every two years?

The World Solar Challenge

What was the winner of the World Solar Challenge's average speed in 2007 in km/h?

What is The World Solar Challenge?

a biannual solar-powered car race

When was The World Solar Challenge started?

What was the average speed of a winning solar powered car in 1987?

67 kilometres per hour (42 mph)

What was the average speed of a winning solar powered car by 2007?

90.87 kilometres per hour (56.46 mph)

What are some other similar car races that use solar powered vehicles?

The North American Solar Challenge and the planned South African Solar Challenge


In 1975, the first practical solar boat was constructed in England. By 1995, passenger boats incorporating PV panels began appearing and are now used extensively. In 1996, Kenichi Horie made the first solar powered crossing of the Pacific Ocean, and the sun21 catamaran made the first solar powered crossing of the Atlantic Ocean in the winter of 2006–2007. There were plans to circumnavigate the globe in 2010.

The first practical solar boat was constructed in what year?

When was the first solar powered boat made?

Who first crossed the Pacific ocean using a solar powered boat?

Kenichi Horie

What was the name of the first solar powered boat that crossed the Atlantic ocean?

the sun21 catamaran


In 1974, the unmanned AstroFlight Sunrise plane made the first solar flight. On 29 April 1979, the Solar Riser made the first flight in a solar-powered, fully controlled, man carrying flying machine, reaching an altitude of 40 feet (12 m). In 1980, the Gossamer Penguin made the first piloted flights powered solely by photovoltaics. This was quickly followed by the Solar Challenger which crossed the English Channel in July 1981. In 1990 Eric Scott Raymond in 21 hops flew from California to North Carolina using solar power. Developments then turned back to unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV) with the Pathfinder (1997) and subsequent designs, culminating in the Helios which set the altitude record for a non-rocket-propelled aircraft at 29,524 metres (96,864 ft) in 2001. The Zephyr, developed by BAE Systems, is the latest in a line of record-breaking solar aircraft, making a 54-hour flight in 2007, and month-long flights were envisioned by 2010. As of 2015, Solar Impulse, an electric aircraft, is currently circumnavigating the globe. It is a single-seat plane powered by solar cells and capable of taking off under its own power. The designed allows the aircraft to remain airborne for 36 hours.

What altitude did the Solar Riser reach in feet?

What is the name of the aircraft circling the globe in 2015 via solar power?

Solar Impulse

When was the first unmanned flight by a solar powered plane made?

When was the first solar powered manned flight made?

29 April 1979

When did the Solar Challenger cross the English Channel?

July 1981

Where did Eric Scott Raymond fly using a solar powered plane in 1990?

California to North Carolina

How long is the solar powered plane Solar Impulse able to remain in the air?

36 hours


Solar chemical processes use solar energy to drive chemical reactions. These processes offset energy that would otherwise come from a fossil fuel source and can also convert solar energy into storable and transportable fuels. Solar induced chemical reactions can be divided into thermochemical or photochemical. A variety of fuels can be produced by artificial photosynthesis. The multielectron catalytic chemistry involved in making carbon-based fuels (such as methanol) from reduction of carbon dioxide is challenging; a feasible alternative is hydrogen production from protons, though use of water as the source of electrons (as plants do) requires mastering the multielectron oxidation of two water molecules to molecular oxygen. Some have envisaged working solar fuel plants in coastal metropolitan areas by 2050 –  the splitting of sea water providing hydrogen to be run through adjacent fuel-cell electric power plants and the pure water by-product going directly into the municipal water system. Another vision involves all human structures covering the earth's surface (i.e., roads, vehicles and buildings) doing photosynthesis more efficiently than plants.

What is a possible alternative to making carbon-based fuels from reduction of carbon dioxide?

hydrogen production from protons

What process converts solar energy into storable and transportable fuels?

Solar chemical processes

What solar process can be used to produce different fuels?

artificial photosynthesis


Hydrogen production technologies been a significant area of solar chemical research since the 1970s. Aside from electrolysis driven by photovoltaic or photochemical cells, several thermochemical processes have also been explored. One such route uses concentrators to split water into oxygen and hydrogen at high temperatures (2,300–2,600 °C or 4,200–4,700 °F). Another approach uses the heat from solar concentrators to drive the steam reformation of natural gas thereby increasing the overall hydrogen yield compared to conventional reforming methods. Thermochemical cycles characterized by the decomposition and regeneration of reactants present another avenue for hydrogen production. The Solzinc process under development at the Weizmann Institute uses a 1 MW solar furnace to decompose zinc oxide (ZnO) at temperatures above 1,200 °C (2,200 °F). This initial reaction produces pure zinc, which can subsequently be reacted with water to produce hydrogen.

What is the name of the process under development at the Weizmann Institute?

The Solzinc process

The Solznic process produces what?

pure zinc

What has been a main area of solar chemical research since the 1970s?

Hydrogen production technologies

What is one of the thermochemical processes that has been explored besides electrolysis?

uses concentrators to split water into oxygen and hydrogen at high temperatures

What is the name of the process being developed by the Weizmann Institute?

Solzinc process


Thermal mass systems can store solar energy in the form of heat at domestically useful temperatures for daily or interseasonal durations. Thermal storage systems generally use readily available materials with high specific heat capacities such as water, earth and stone. Well-designed systems can lower peak demand, shift time-of-use to off-peak hours and reduce overall heating and cooling requirements.

In what form do thermal mass systems store solar energy?

heat

What is the system called that can store solar energy in the form of heat?

Thermal mass systems

What are some of the materials used in thermal storage systems?

water, earth and stone

What is something that can be accomplished by a thermal mass system?

reduce overall heating and cooling requirements


Phase change materials such as paraffin wax and Glauber's salt are another thermal storage media. These materials are inexpensive, readily available, and can deliver domestically useful temperatures (approximately 64 °C or 147 °F). The "Dover House" (in Dover, Massachusetts) was the first to use a Glauber's salt heating system, in 1948. Solar energy can also be stored at high temperatures using molten salts. Salts are an effective storage medium because they are low-cost, have a high specific heat capacity and can deliver heat at temperatures compatible with conventional power systems. The Solar Two used this method of energy storage, allowing it to store 1.44 terajoules (400,000 kWh) in its 68 cubic metres storage tank with an annual storage efficiency of about 99%.

Paraffin wax is an example of what kind of storage media?

thermal

The first Glauber's salt heating system was first used where?

The "Dover House"

What are some examples of phase change materials?

paraffin wax and Glauber's salt

What are the approximate temperatures that can be delivered by phase change materials?

64 °C or 147 °F

What was the name of the heating system that first used Glauber's salt?

Dover House

Why are salts good  for thermal storage?

they are low-cost, have a high specific heat capacity and can deliver heat at temperatures compatible with conventional power systems

How much energy was the Solar Two able to store using salts?

1.44 terajoules (400,000 kWh)


Off-grid PV systems have traditionally used rechargeable batteries to store excess electricity. With grid-tied systems, excess electricity can be sent to the transmission grid, while standard grid electricity can be used to meet shortfalls. Net metering programs give household systems a credit for any electricity they deliver to the grid. This is handled by 'rolling back' the meter whenever the home produces more electricity than it consumes. If the net electricity use is below zero, the utility then rolls over the kilowatt hour credit to the next month. Other approaches involve the use of two meters, to measure electricity consumed vs. electricity produced. This is less common due to the increased installation cost of the second meter. Most standard meters accurately measure in both directions, making a second meter unnecessary.

Where do off-grid PV systems store excess electricity?

rechargeable batteries

What do off-grid PV systems use to store excess electricity?

rechargeable batteries

What are the programs that gives credit to households for delivering electricity to the grid called?

Net metering programs

How is the credit to households accomplished?

by 'rolling back' the meter whenever the home produces more electricity than it consumes

Why is a second meter usually unnecessary to monitor electricity use?

Most standard meters accurately measure in both directions


Pumped-storage hydroelectricity stores energy in the form of water pumped when energy is available from a lower elevation reservoir to a higher elevation one. The energy is recovered when demand is high by releasing the water, with the pump becoming a hydroelectric power generator.

When water is released due to high demand, the pump become swhat?

a hydroelectric power generator

Pumped-storage hydroelectricity stores energy in what form?

water pumped when energy is available from a lower elevation reservoir to a higher elevation one

How is the energy stored by pumped-storage hydroelectricity recovered?

by releasing the water, with the pump becoming a hydroelectric power generator


The 1973 oil embargo and 1979 energy crisis caused a reorganization of energy policies around the world and brought renewed attention to developing solar technologies. Deployment strategies focused on incentive programs such as the Federal Photovoltaic Utilization Program in the US and the Sunshine Program in Japan. Other efforts included the formation of research facilities in the US (SERI, now NREL), Japan (NEDO), and Germany (Fraunhofer Institute for Solar Energy Systems ISE).

The oil embargo in what year was a contributing factor to the reorganization of energy policies?

What brought attention to solar technologies in the 1970s?

The 1973 oil embargo and 1979 energy crisis

What are the names of some of the incentive programs used to promote solar technology?

the Federal Photovoltaic Utilization Program in the US and the Sunshine Program in Japan

What is the name of the solar energy research facility in the US?

SERI, now NREL

What is the name of the solar energy research facility in Japan?

NEDO

What is the name of the solar energy research facility in Germany?

Fraunhofer Institute for Solar Energy Systems ISE


Commercial solar water heaters began appearing in the United States in the 1890s. These systems saw increasing use until the 1920s but were gradually replaced by cheaper and more reliable heating fuels. As with photovoltaics, solar water heating attracted renewed attention as a result of the oil crises in the 1970s but interest subsided in the 1980s due to falling petroleum prices. Development in the solar water heating sector progressed steadily throughout the 1990s and growth rates have averaged 20% per year since 1999. Although generally underestimated, solar water heating and cooling is by far the most widely deployed solar technology with an estimated capacity of 154 GW as of 2007.

The solar water heaters introduced in the US in the 1890s saw growth until what time period?

the 1920s

Since 1999, what average rate has the solar water heating sector progressed at?

20% per year

When did the use of solar water heaters in the US first begin?

in the 1890s

Why did interest in solar water heating decrease in the 1980s?

falling petroleum prices

Growth of solar water heating development has averaged how much per year since 1999

What was the estimated capacity of solar water heating and cooling in 2007?

154 GW


The International Energy Agency has said that solar energy can make considerable contributions to solving some of the most urgent problems the world now faces:

Which organization believes that solar energy can solve some of our most pressing issues?

The International Energy Agency

Who said that solar energy can help solve some of the most urgent problems in the world?

The International Energy Agency


The International Organization for Standardization has established a number of standards relating to solar energy equipment. For example, ISO 9050 relates to glass in building while ISO 10217 relates to the materials used in solar water heaters.

ISO 9050 relates to standards for what?

glass in building

ISO 10217 relates to standards for what?

materials used in solar water heaters

What is the name of the standard related to glass in building?

ISO 9050

What is the name of the standard related to the materials used in solar water heaters?

ISO 10217


It is an important source of renewable energy and its technologies are broadly characterized as either passive solar or active solar depending on the way they capture and distribute solar energy or convert it into solar power. Active solar techniques include the use of photovoltaic systems, concentrated solar power and solar water heating to harness the energy. Passive solar techniques include orienting a building to the Sun, selecting materials with favorable thermal mass or light dispersing properties, and designing spaces that naturally circulate air.

What are the technologies used to capture solar energy characterized as?

passive solar or active solar

What are some active solar techniques used to harness solar energy?

photovoltaic systems, concentrated solar power and solar water heating

What is an example of a passive solar technique?

orienting a building to the Sun


The large magnitude of solar energy available makes it a highly appealing source of electricity. The United Nations Development Programme in its 2000 World Energy Assessment found that the annual potential of solar energy was 1,575–49,837 exajoules (EJ). This is several times larger than the total world energy consumption, which was 559.8 EJ in 2012.

What was the total worldwide energy consumption in 2012?

559.8 EJ

What is solar energy's yearly potential?

1,575–49,837 exajoules (EJ)

What makes solar energy an appealing source of electricity>

The large magnitude of solar energy available

Who estimated the annual potential of solar energy in 2000?

The United Nations Development Programme


In 2011, the International Energy Agency said that "the development of affordable, inexhaustible and clean solar energy technologies will have huge longer-term benefits. It will increase countries’ energy security through reliance on an indigenous, inexhaustible and mostly import-independent resource, enhance sustainability, reduce pollution, lower the costs of mitigating global warming, and keep fossil fuel prices lower than otherwise. These advantages are global. Hence the additional costs of the incentives for early deployment should be considered learning investments; they must be wisely spent and need to be widely shared".

How will solar energy increase energy security?

through reliance on an indigenous, inexhaustible and mostly import-independent resource

What costs will solar energy lower?

the costs of mitigating global warming

What should the cost of incentives for producing solar energy be considered?

learning investments

What effect will solar energy have on the price of fossil fuels?

keep fossil fuel prices lower than otherwise


The potential solar energy that could be used by humans differs from the amount of solar energy present near the surface of the planet because factors such as geography, time variation, cloud cover, and the land available to humans limits the amount of solar energy that we can acquire.

Why does the amount of usable solar energy differ from the amount near the planets surface?

geography, time variation, cloud cover, and the land available to humans


Geography effects solar energy potential because areas that are closer to the equator have a greater amount of solar radiation. However, the use of photovoltaics that can follow the position of the sun can significantly increase the solar energy potential in areas that are farther from the equator. Time variation effects the potential of solar energy because during the nighttime there is little solar radiation on the surface of the Earth for solar panels to absorb. This limits the amount of energy that solar panels can absorb in one day. Cloud cover can effect the potential of solar panels because clouds block incoming light from the sun and reduce the light available for solar cells.

Why does geography have an effect of the amount of solar energy available?

areas that are closer to the equator have a greater amount of solar radiation

What is the process called that can increase solar energy in areas further away from the earth's equator?

photovoltaics

Why does time have an effect of the amount of available solar energy?

during the nighttime there is little solar radiation on the surface of the Earth for solar panels to absorb

What effect does cloud coverage have on the amount of solar energy available?

clouds block incoming light from the sun and reduce the light available for solar cells


In addition, land availability has a large effect on the available solar energy because solar panels can only be set up on land that is unowned and suitable for solar panels. Roofs have been found to be a suitable place for solar cells, as many people have discovered that they can collect energy directly from their homes this way. Other areas that are suitable for solar cells are lands that are unowned by businesses where solar plants can be established.

Why does land availability have an effect on solar energy?

solar panels can only be set up on land that is unowned and suitable for solar panels

Why are roofs a good place for solar panels?

many people have discovered that they can collect energy directly from their homes this way


In 2000, the United Nations Development Programme, UN Department of Economic and Social Affairs, and World Energy Council published an estimate of the potential solar energy that could be used by humans each year that took into account factors such as insolation, cloud cover, and the land that is usable by humans. The estimate found that solar energy has a global potential of 1,575–49,837 EJ per year (see table below).

What factors were taken into account in the estimate published in 2000 on solar energy?

insolation, cloud cover, and the land that is usable by humans

What was the total potential of solar energy found in the estimate?

1,575–49,837 EJ per year


Solar power is the conversion of sunlight into electricity, either directly using photovoltaics (PV), or indirectly using concentrated solar power (CSP). CSP systems use lenses or mirrors and tracking systems to focus a large area of sunlight into a small beam. PV converts light into electric current using the photoelectric effect.

What is solar power?

conversion of sunlight into electricity

How is sunlight converted into electricity?

either directly using photovoltaics (PV), or indirectly using concentrated solar power (CSP)

What does a concentrated solar power system use?

lenses or mirrors and tracking systems

What is the purpose of a concentrated solar power system?

focus a large area of sunlight into a small beam

What method does the photovoltaics system use to turn light into electricity?

photoelectric effect


Sunlight has influenced building design since the beginning of architectural history. Advanced solar architecture and urban planning methods were first employed by the Greeks and Chinese, who oriented their buildings toward the south to provide light and warmth.

What has influenced the design since the beginning of architectural history?

Sunlight

Who first utilized solar architecture?

Greeks and Chinese

In which direction were the buildings built by the Greeks and Chinese facing?

toward the south


A solar balloon is a black balloon that is filled with ordinary air. As sunlight shines on the balloon, the air inside is heated and expands causing an upward buoyancy force, much like an artificially heated hot air balloon. Some solar balloons are large enough for human flight, but usage is generally limited to the toy market as the surface-area to payload-weight ratio is relatively high.

What is a solar balloon?

a black balloon that is filled with ordinary air

What happens when sunlight shines on a solar balloon?

the air inside is heated and expands causing an upward buoyancy force

What is the use of solar balloons typically limited to?

the toy market

Why is the use of solar balloons typically limited to the toy market?

the surface-area to payload-weight ratio is relatively high


Beginning with the surge in coal use which accompanied the Industrial Revolution, energy consumption has steadily transitioned from wood and biomass to fossil fuels. The early development of solar technologies starting in the 1860s was driven by an expectation that coal would soon become scarce. However, development of solar technologies stagnated in the early 20th century in the face of the increasing availability, economy, and utility of coal and petroleum.

Why was solar technology developed in the 1860s?

driven by an expectation that coal would soon become scarce

What slowed the development of solar technologies in the early 20th century?

increasing availability, economy, and utility of coal and petroleum


In 2011, a report by the International Energy Agency found that solar energy technologies such as photovoltaics, solar hot water and concentrated solar power could provide a third of the world’s energy by 2060 if politicians commit to limiting climate change. The energy from the sun could play a key role in de-carbonizing the global economy alongside improvements in energy efficiency and imposing costs on greenhouse gas emitters. "The strength of solar is the incredible variety and flexibility of applications, from small scale to big scale".

According to a report in 2011, by what year could solar energy provide a third of the world's energy?

What could the sun's energy do to help limit climate change?

could play a key role in de-carbonizing the global economy alongside improvements in energy efficiency and imposing costs on greenhouse gas emitters


Kanye Omari West (/ˈkɑːnjeɪ/; born June 8, 1977) is an American hip hop recording artist, record producer, rapper, fashion designer, and entrepreneur. He is among the most acclaimed musicians of the 21st century, attracting both praise and controversy for his work and his outspoken public persona.

What year was Kanye born?

What kind of music does Kanye West perform?

hip hop

What is Kanye West's middle name?

Omari

When is Kanye West's birthday?

June 8, 1977


Raised in Chicago, West briefly attended art school before becoming known as a producer for Roc-A-Fella Records in the early 2000s, producing hit singles for artists such as Jay-Z and Alicia Keys. Intent on pursuing a solo career as a rapper, West released his debut album The College Dropout in 2004 to widespread commercial and critical success, and founded record label GOOD Music. He went on to explore a variety of different musical styles on subsequent albums that included the baroque-inflected Late Registration (2005), the arena-inspired Graduation (2007), and the starkly polarizing 808s & Heartbreak (2008). In 2010, he released his critically acclaimed fifth album, the maximalist My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy, and the following year he collaborated with Jay-Z on the joint LP Watch the Throne (2011). West released his abrasive sixth album, Yeezus, to further critical praise in 2013. Following a series of recording delays and work on non-musical projects, West's seventh album, The Life of Pablo, was released in 2016.

What was the first label that Kanye produced for?

Roc-A-Fella Records

Who are some well known artists that Kanye produced for early in his career?

Jay-Z and Alicia Keys

How many albums has Kanye released since starting his solo career in 2004?

With which artists that Kanye formerly produced for did he go on to collaborate with?

Jay-Z

Where did Kanye West live as a child?

Chicago

What was Kanye West's first job title after art school?

producer

What year did Kanye West release his first rap CD?

How many total CDs has Kanye West released in his career so far?


West is one of the best-selling artists of all time, having sold more than 32 million albums and 100 million digital downloads worldwide. He has won a total of 21 Grammy Awards, making him one of the most awarded artists of all time and the most Grammy-awarded artist of his age. Three of his albums rank on Rolling Stone's 2012 "500 Greatest Albums of All Time" list; two of his albums feature at first and eighth, respectively, in Pitchfork Media's The 100 Best Albums of 2010–2014. He has also been included in a number of Forbes annual lists. Time named him one of the 100 most influential people in the world in 2005 and 2015.

How many albums has Kanye sold?

32 million

How many downloads do Kanye's tracks have across the globe?

100 million

Kanye is known for having the most of what type of award for his age?

Grammy

How many albums does Kanye have on the "500 Greatest Albums of All Time" list?

What popular magazine placed Kanye on their annual list in 2005 and 2015?

Time

How many CDs has Kanye West sold?

32 million

How many Grammy Awards has Kanye West won?

How many of Kanye West's albums were recognized by Rolling Stone Magazine?

Which years was Kanye West mentioned in Time Magazine?

2005 and 2015


Kanye Omari West was born on June 8, 1977 in Atlanta, Georgia. His parents divorced when he was three and he and his mother moved to Chicago, Illinois. His father, Ray West, is a former Black Panther and was one of the first black photojournalists at The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. Ray West was later a Christian counselor, and in 2006, opened the Good Water Store and Café in Lexington Park, Maryland with startup capital from his son. West's mother, Dr. Donda C. (Williams) West, was a professor of English at Clark Atlanta University, and the Chair of the English Department at Chicago State University before retiring to serve as his manager. West was raised in a middle-class background, attending Polaris High School in suburban Oak Lawn, Illinois after living in Chicago.

What subject did Kanye's mother teach at her university?

English

What Georgia city was Kanye West born?

Atlanta

What was the name of the business that Kanye West helped fund in 2006?

Good Water Store and Café

Where did Kanye West's mother work before becoming his manager?

Chicago State University

What was the name of Kanye West's high school?

Polaris High School


At the age of 10, West moved with his mother to Nanjing, China, where she was teaching at Nanjing University as part of an exchange program. According to his mother, West was the only foreigner in his class, but settled in well and quickly picked up the language, although he has since forgotten most of it. When asked about his grades in high school, West replied, "I got A's and B's. And I'm not even frontin'."

Where did Kanye and his mother relocate when he was 10?

Nanjing, China

While staying in China, Kanye was the only what in his class?

foreigner

How well did Kanye do in high school?

A's and B's

At what age did Kanye West relocate to China?

What University was the cause of West's mother moving the family to China?

Nanjing University


West demonstrated an affinity for the arts at an early age; he began writing poetry when he was five years old. His mother recalled that she first took notice of West's passion for drawing and music when he was in the third grade. Growing up in the city,[which?] West became deeply involved in its hip hop scene. He started rapping in the third grade and began making musical compositions in the seventh grade, eventually selling them to other artists. At age thirteen, West wrote a rap song called "Green Eggs and Ham" and began to persuade his mother to pay $25 an hour for time in a recording studio. It was a small, crude basement studio where a microphone hung from the ceiling by a wire clothes hanger. Although this wasn't what West's mother wanted, she nonetheless supported him. West crossed paths with producer/DJ No I.D., with whom he quickly formed a close friendship. No I.D. soon became West's mentor, and it was from him that West learned how to sample and program beats after he received his first sampler at age 15.

What was Kanye creating when he was five?

poetry

What was one of the first tracks written by Kanye when he was 13?

"Green Eggs and Ham"

Who did Kanye meet early in his career who later mentored him?

DJ No I.D.

What activity did Kanye West start doing when he was five?

writing poetry

What was the name of the song he wrote at age thirteen?

Green Eggs and Ham

What was the name of the producer that helped Kanye West?

No I.D.


After graduating from high school, West received a scholarship to attend Chicago's American Academy of Art in 1997 and began taking painting classes, but shortly after transferred to Chicago State University to study English. He soon realized that his busy class schedule was detrimental to his musical work, and at 20 he dropped out of college to pursue his musical dreams. This action greatly displeased his mother, who was also a professor at the university. She later commented, "It was drummed into my head that college is the ticket to a good life... but some career goals don't require college. For Kanye to make an album called College Dropout it was more about having the guts to embrace who you are, rather than following the path society has carved out for you."

Where did Kanye receive a scholarship to attend?

American Academy of Art

How old was Kanye when he dropped out of college?

What school did Kanye West go to in 1997?

Chicago's American Academy of Art

What subject was Kanye West's focus at Chicago State University?

English

At what age did Kanye West leave school to follow his musical passion?

What was the name of the CD that Kanye recorded based on his failed college experience?

College Dropout


Kanye West began his early production career in the mid-1990s, making beats primarily for burgeoning local artists, eventually developing a style that involved speeding up vocal samples from classic soul records. His first official production credits came at the age of nineteen when he produced eight tracks on Down to Earth, the 1996 debut album of a Chicago rapper named Grav. For a time, West acted as a ghost producer for Deric "D-Dot" Angelettie. Because of his association with D-Dot, West wasn't able to release a solo album, so he formed and became a member and producer of the Go-Getters, a late-1990s Chicago rap group composed of him, GLC, Timmy G, Really Doe, and Arrowstar. His group was managed by John "Monopoly" Johnson, Don Crowley, and Happy Lewis under the management firm Hustle Period. After attending a series of promotional photo shoots and making some radio appearances, The Go-Getters released their first and only studio album World Record Holders in 1999. The album featured other Chicago-based rappers such as Rhymefest, Mikkey Halsted, Miss Criss, and Shayla G. Meanwhile, the production was handled by West, Arrowstar, Boogz, and Brian "All Day" Miller.

Who were the beats Kanye made in the 90's originally intended for?

local artists

What types of records did Kanye sample in his early career.

classic soul records

What music group did Kanye join when he couldn't release his solo album?

Go-Getters

In what time period did Kanye begin producing?

When did Kanye West start his production career?

For which artist did Kanye West act as a ghost producer?

Deric "D-Dot" Angelettie

What late 1990s Chicago rap group was Kanye West a member of?

Go-Getters

What firm managed Kanye West's rap group?

Hustle Period

What year was the first Go-Getters album released?


West spent much of the late-1990s producing records for a number of well-known artists and music groups. The third song on Foxy Brown's second studio album Chyna Doll was produced by West. Her second effort subsequently became the very first hip-hop album by a female rapper to debut at the top of the U.S. Billboard 200 chart in its first week of release. West produced three of the tracks on Harlem World's first and only album The Movement alongside Jermaine Dupri and the production duo Trackmasters. His songs featured rappers Nas, Drag-On, and R&B singer Carl Thomas. The ninth track from World Party, the last Goodie Mob album to feature the rap group's four founding members prior to their break-up, was co-produced by West with his manager Deric "D-Dot" Angelettie. At the close of the millennium, West ended up producing six songs for Tell 'Em Why U Madd, an album that was released by D-Dot under the alias of The Madd Rapper; a fictional character he created for a skit on The Notorious B.I.G.'s second and final studio album Life After Death. West's songs featured guest appearances from rappers such as Ma$e, Raekwon, and Eminem.

Kanye produced the third song from the second album of what artist?

Foxy Brown

What rappers were featured in the songs that Kanye produced for Tell 'Em Why U Madd?

Ma$e, Raekwon, and Eminem.

Which U.S. Billboard 200 chart topper did Kanye West produce a song for?

Foxy Brown

What was the name of the CD produced by Kanye that was by a made-up character?

Tell 'Em Why U Madd


West got his big break in the year 2000, when he began to produce for artists on Roc-A-Fella Records. West came to achieve recognition and is often credited with revitalizing Jay-Z's career with his contributions to the rap mogul's influential 2001 album The Blueprint. The Blueprint is consistently ranked among the greatest hip-hop albums, and the critical and financial success of the album generated substantial interest in West as a producer. Serving as an in-house producer for Roc-A-Fella Records, West produced records for other artists from the label, including Beanie Sigel, Freeway, and Cam'ron. He also crafted hit songs for Ludacris, Alicia Keys, and Janet Jackson.

What label did Kanye begin to work for in 2000?

Roc-A-Fella Records

What album did Kanye receive production credits on in 2001?

The Blueprint

In what year did Roc-A-Fella make Kanye West known?

What was the name of the CD West produced for Jay Z in 2001?

The Blueprint


Despite his success as a producer, West's true aspiration was to be a rapper. Though he had developed his rapping long before he began producing, it was often a challenge for West to be accepted as a rapper, and he struggled to attain a record deal. Multiple record companies ignored him because he did not portray the gangsta image prominent in mainstream hip hop at the time. After a series of meetings with Capitol Records, West was ultimately denied an artist deal.

Although Kanye was achieving fame by producing, what did he actually want to be?

rapper

What label declined to work with Kanye after many meetings?

Capitol Records

What career was Kanye's ultimate dream?

rapper

What did Kanye West not have that made record companies turn him down?

gangsta image

Which record company turned Kanye down after many meetings?

Capitol Records


According to Capitol Record's A&R, Joe Weinberger, he was approached by West and almost signed a deal with him, but another person in the company convinced Capitol's president not to. Desperate to keep West from defecting to another label, then-label head Damon Dash reluctantly signed West to Roc-A-Fella Records. Jay-Z later admitted that Roc-A-Fella was initially reluctant to support West as a rapper, claiming that many saw him as a producer first and foremost, and that his background contrasted with that of his labelmates.

Who almost picked up Kanye but was ultimately swayed?

Joe Weinberger

What label finally (although reluctantly) picked up Kanye?

Roc-A-Fella

What did Kanye's peers see him as while he tried to pursue his rap career?

a producer

What man was almost ready to give Kanye a record deal?

Joe Weinberger

What record company eventually signed Kanye West?

Roc-A-Fella


West's breakthrough came a year later on October 23, 2002, when, while driving home from a California recording studio after working late, he fell asleep at the wheel and was involved in a near-fatal car crash. The crash left him with a shattered jaw, which had to be wired shut in reconstructive surgery. The accident inspired West; two weeks after being admitted to the hospital, he recorded a song at the Record Plant Studios with his jaw still wired shut. The composition, "Through The Wire", expressed West's experience after the accident, and helped lay the foundation for his debut album, as according to West "all the better artists have expressed what they were going through". West added that "the album was my medicine", as working on the record distracted him from the pain. "Through The Wire" was first available on West's Get Well Soon... mixtape, released December 2002. At the same time, West announced that he was working on an album called The College Dropout, whose overall theme was to "make your own decisions. Don't let society tell you, 'This is what you have to do.'"

What track did Kanye compose and perform while injured from his accident?

Through The Wire

What was the name of Kanye's 2002 mixtape that he wrote while in the hospital?

Get Well Soon...

After dropping his mixtape, Kanye revealed the name of his debut album to be what?

The College Dropout

What was the date of Kanye's car wreck?

October 23, 2002

What song did Kanye record about his experience with what happened after the wreck?

"Through The Wire"

What was the name of the mixtape Kanye released in December of 2002?

Get Well Soon


Carrying a Louis Vuitton backpack filled with old disks and demos to the studio and back, West crafted much of his production for his debut album in less than fifteen minutes at a time. He recorded the remainder of the album in Los Angeles while recovering from the car accident. Once he had completed the album, it was leaked months before its release date. However, West decided to use the opportunity to review the album, and The College Dropout was significantly remixed, remastered, and revised before being released. As a result, certain tracks originally destined for the album were subsequently retracted, among them "Keep the Receipt" with Ol' Dirty Bastard and "The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly" with Consequence. West meticulously refined the production, adding string arrangements, gospel choirs, improved drum programming and new verses. West's perfectionism led The College Dropout to have its release postponed three times from its initial date in August 2003.

What happened to Kanye's debut album that caused him to remaster most of it?

it was leaked

How many times was the release date for Kanye's first album pushed back?

In what city did West finish recording his first album?

Los Angeles

How many times was The College Dropout's release put off?

What was supposed to be the original release date for The College Dropout?

August 2003


The College Dropout was eventually issued by Roc-A-Fella in February 2004, shooting to number two on the Billboard 200 as his debut single, "Through the Wire" peaked at number fifteen on the Billboard Hot 100 chart for five weeks. "Slow Jamz", his second single featuring Twista and Jamie Foxx, became an even bigger success: it became the three musicians' first number one hit. The College Dropout received near-universal critical acclaim from contemporary music critics, was voted the top album of the year by two major music publications, and has consistently been ranked among the great hip-hop works and debut albums by artists. "Jesus Walks", the album's fourth single, perhaps exposed West to a wider audience; the song's subject matter concerns faith and Christianity. The song nevertheless reached the top 20 of the Billboard pop charts, despite industry executives' predictions that a song containing such blatant declarations of faith would never make it to radio. The College Dropout would eventually be certified triple platinum in the US, and garnered West 10 Grammy nominations, including Album of the Year, and Best Rap Album (which it received). During this period, West also founded GOOD Music, a record label and management company that would go on to house affiliate artists and producers, such as No I.D. and John Legend. At the time, the focal point of West's production style was the use of sped-up vocal samples from soul records. However, partly because of the acclaim of The College Dropout, such sampling had been much copied by others; with that overuse, and also because West felt he had become too dependent on the technique, he decided to find a new sound.

What place on the Billboard chart did Kanye's album debut at?

How many publications voted The College Dropout for album of the year?

What was the name of the single off the debut album that gave Kanye mainstream attention?

Jesus Walks

What label did Kanye create following the success of his first album's release?

GOOD Music

When was The College Dropout finally released?

February 2004

What song was the second released off of Kanye's The College Dropout album?

"Slow Jamz"

How many Grammy nominations did The College Dropout receive?

What was the name of the record label that West founded?

GOOD Music


Beginning his second effort that fall, West would invest two million dollars and take over a year to craft his second album. West was significantly inspired by Roseland NYC Live, a 1998 live album by English trip hop group Portishead, produced with the New York Philharmonic Orchestra. Early in his career, the live album had inspired him to incorporate string arrangements into his hip-hop production. Though West had not been able to afford many live instruments around the time of his debut album, the money from his commercial success enabled him to hire a string orchestra for his second album Late Registration. West collaborated with American film score composer Jon Brion, who served as the album's co-executive producer for several tracks. Although Brion had no prior experience in creating hip-hop records, he and West found that they could productively work together after their first afternoon in the studio where they discovered that neither confined his musical knowledge and vision to one specific genre. Late Registration sold over 2.3 million units in the United States alone by the end of 2005 and was considered by industry observers as the only successful major album release of the fall season, which had been plagued by steadily declining CD sales.

What kind of ensemble did Kanye hire to work on his second album?

string orchestra

What composer worked alongside Kanye on the album's production?

Jon Brion

What was the name of Kanye's second studio album?

Late Registration

How many copies of Late Registration sold in its first year?

2.3 million

What English music group was an inspiration for Kanye West on his second album?

Portishead

What was the name of West's second album?

Late Registration

How many copies of Late Registration were sold in the United States?

2.3 million


While West had encountered controversy a year prior when he stormed out of the American Music Awards of 2004 after losing Best New Artist, the rapper's first large-scale controversy came just days following Late Registration's release, during a benefit concert for Hurricane Katrina victims. In September 2005, NBC broadcast A Concert for Hurricane Relief, and West was a featured speaker. When West was presenting alongside actor Mike Myers, he deviated from the prepared script. Myers spoke next and continued to read the script. Once it was West's turn to speak again, he said, "George Bush doesn't care about black people." West's comment reached much of the United States, leading to mixed reactions; President Bush would later call it one of the most "disgusting moments" of his presidency. West raised further controversy in January 2006 when he posed on the cover of Rolling Stone wearing a crown of thorns.

The loss of which award caused Kanye to leave the American Music Awards?

Best New Artist

Kanye participated alongside Mike Meyers in a relief benefit show for what natural disaster?

Hurricane Katrina

What magazine did Kanye don a thorn crown for the cover of in 2006?

Rolling Stone

In which AMA category did Kanye lose in 2004?

Best New Artist

Which actor was alongside Kanye West when he insulted President Bush?

Mike Myers

What magazine did Kanye West pose for in 2006 that caused another controversy?

Rolling Stone

What broadcast for NBC was Kanye presenting for when he spoke negatively about President Bush?

A Concert for Hurricane Relief


Fresh off spending the previous year touring the world with U2 on their Vertigo Tour, West felt inspired to compose anthemic rap songs that could operate more efficiently in large arenas. To this end, West incorporated the synthesizer into his hip-hop production, utilized slower tempos, and experimented with electronic music and influenced by music of the 1980s. In addition to U2, West drew musical inspiration from arena rock bands such as The Rolling Stones and Led Zeppelin in terms of melody and chord progression. To make his next effort, the third in a planned tetralogy of education-themed studio albums, more introspective and personal in lyricism, West listened to folk and country singer-songwriters Bob Dylan and Johnny Cash in hopes of developing methods to augment his wordplay and storytelling ability.

What band did Kanye tour with for a year?

What setting did Kanye want his next tracks to perform well in?

large arenas

Who did Kanye study in order to develop his lyrical skills?

Bob Dylan and Johnny Cash

Which band did Kanye West travel with for the Vertigo Tour?

What decade of music inspired Kanye West after his tour with U2?

Other than U2 and Led Zeppelin, what other band inspired Kanye West?

The Rolling Stones

What other country singer besides Johnny Cash did Kanye listen to?

Bob Dylan


West's third studio album, Graduation, garnered major publicity when its release date pitted West in a sales competition against rapper 50 Cent's Curtis. Upon their September 2007 releases, Graduation outsold Curtis by a large margin, debuting at number one on the U.S. Billboard 200 chart and selling 957,000 copies in its first week. Graduation once again continued the string of critical and commercial successes by West, and the album's lead single, "Stronger", garnered the rapper his third number-one hit. "Stronger", which samples French house duo Daft Punk, has been accredited to not only encouraging other hip-hop artists to incorporate house and electronica elements into their music, but also for playing a part in the revival of disco and electro-infused music in the late 2000s. Ben Detrick of XXL cited the outcome of the sales competition between 50 Cent's Curtis and West's Graduation as being responsible for altering the direction of hip-hop and paving the way for new rappers who didn't follow the hardcore-gangster mold, writing, "If there was ever a watershed moment to indicate hip-hop's changing direction, it may have come when 50 Cent competed with Kanye in 2007 to see whose album would claim superior sales."

What was the name of Kanye's third album?

Graduation

Kanye released Graduation at the same time of what other famous rapper, thus drawing media comparison?

50 Cent

How many copies did Graduation sell in its first week of release?

What famous electronic duo did Kanye sample on his third album?

Daft Punk

What was the name of Kanye West's third CD?

Graduation

What artist was Kanye's third album release competing against?

50 Cent

What music group was in Kanye's first release off of Graduation?

Daft Punk


West's life took a different direction when his mother, Donda West, died of complications from cosmetic surgery involving abdominoplasty and breast reduction in November 2007. Months later, West and fiancée Alexis Phifer ended their engagement and their long-term intermittent relationship, which had begun in 2002. The events profoundly affected West, who set off for his 2008 Glow in the Dark Tour shortly thereafter. Purportedly because his emotions could not be conveyed through rapping, West decided to sing using the voice audio processor Auto-Tune, which would become a central part of his next effort. West had previously experimented with the technology on his debut album The College Dropout for the background vocals of "Jesus Walks" and "Never Let Me Down." Recorded mostly in Honolulu, Hawaii in three weeks, West announced his fourth album, 808s & Heartbreak, at the 2008 MTV Video Music Awards, where he performed its lead single, "Love Lockdown". Music audiences were taken aback by the uncharacteristic production style and the presence of Auto-Tune, which typified the pre-release response to the record.

Following the loss of his mother, who did Kanye end his long-term relationship with?

Alexis Phifer

What vocal technology did Kanye pick up for his next set of artistic endeavors?

Auto-Tune

In what year did Kanye West's mother pass away?

What was the name of Kanye's ex-fiance?

Alexis Phifer

What was the name of Kanye's 2008 music tour?

Glow in the Dark Tour

In what state did Kanye West record them majority of his fourth album?

Hawaii

What was the first song released off of Kanye's fourth album?

"Love Lockdown"


808s & Heartbreak, which features extensive use of the eponymous Roland TR-808 drum machine and contains themes of love, loneliness, and heartache, was released by Island Def Jam to capitalize on Thanksgiving weekend in November 2008. Reviews were positive, though slightly more mixed than his previous efforts. Despite this, the record's singles demonstrated outstanding chart performances. Upon its release, the lead single "Love Lockdown" debuted at number three on the Billboard Hot 100 and became a "Hot Shot Debut", while follow-up single "Heartless" performed similarly and became his second consecutive "Hot Shot Debut" by debuting at number four on the Billboard Hot 100. While it was criticized prior to release, 808s & Heartbreak had a significant effect on hip-hop music, encouraging other rappers to take more creative risks with their productions.

What label pushed out Kanye's fourth studio album?

Island Def Jam

Which album by Kanye West featured the song "Love Lockdown"?

808s & Heartbreak

808s & Heartbreak was released by what company?

Island Def Jam

When was 808s & Heartbreaks released?

November 2008

What was the second song released off of 808s?

Heartless

The major usage of musical machine on 808s was described as eponymous?

Roland TR-808 drum machine


In 2012, Rolling Stone journalist Matthew Trammell asserted that the record was ahead of its time and wrote, "Now that popular music has finally caught up to it, 808s & Heartbreak has revealed itself to be Kanye’s most vulnerable work, and perhaps his most brilliant."

What journalist gave "808s and Hearbreak" critical acclimation 4 years after its release?

Matthew Trammell

What was the name of the journalist that wrote about Kanye's album in 2012?

Matthew Trammell


West's controversial incident the following year at the 2009 MTV Video Music Awards was arguably his biggest controversy, and led to widespread outrage throughout the music industry. During the ceremony, West crashed the stage and grabbed the microphone from winner Taylor Swift in order to proclaim that, instead, Beyoncé's video for "Single Ladies (Put a Ring on It)", nominated for the same award, was "one of the best videos of all time". He was subsequently withdrawn from the remainder of the show for his actions. West's tour with Lady Gaga was cancelled in response to the controversy, and it was suggested that the incident was partially responsible for 808s & Heartbreak's lack of nominations at the 52nd Grammy Awards.

Where did Kanye's famous mic-grab incident occur at?

2009 MTV Video Music Awards

From who did Kanye grab the mic from to make his statement?

Taylor Swift

Kanye's tour with what artist was cancelled following his outburst at the VMA's?

Lady Gaga

In what year did Kanye's biggest controversy so far take place?

What artist did Kanye West interrupt Taylor Swift to defend?

Beyoncé

Which artist was Kanye supposed to tour with, but couldn't due to the Taylor Swift controversy?

Lady Gaga

What awards ceremony did Kanye not receive any nominations for after the MTV controversy?

52nd Grammy Awards


Following the highly publicized incident, West took a brief break from music and threw himself into fashion, only to hole up in Hawaii for the next few months writing and recording his next album. Importing his favorite producers and artists to work on and inspire his recording, West kept engineers behind the boards 24 hours a day and slept only in increments. Noah Callahan-Bever, a writer for Complex, was present during the sessions and described the "communal" atmosphere as thus: "With the right songs and the right album, he can overcome any and all controversy, and we are here to contribute, challenge, and inspire." A variety of artists contributed to the project, including close friends Jay-Z, Kid Cudi and Pusha T, as well as off-the-wall collaborations, such as with Justin Vernon of Bon Iver.

Where did Kanye base himself to create his next album?

Hawaii

What industry did Kanye turn to after taking a break from recording music?

fashion

What state did Kanye West hide in while writing his next album?

Hawaii


My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy, West's fifth studio album, was released in November 2010 to rave reviews from critics, many of whom described it as his best work that solidified his comeback. In stark contrast to his previous effort, which featured a minimalist sound, Dark Fantasy adopts a maximalist philosophy and deals with themes of celebrity and excess. The record included the international hit "All of the Lights", and Billboard hits "Power", "Monster", and "Runaway", the latter of which accompanied a 35-minute film of the same name. During this time, West initiated the free music program GOOD Fridays through his website, offering a free download of previously unreleased songs each Friday, a portion of which were included on the album. This promotion ran from August 20 - December 17, 2010. Dark Fantasy went on to go platinum in the United States, but its omission as a contender for Album of the Year at the 54th Grammy Awards was viewed as a "snub" by several media outlets.

What is the name of Kanye's album released in 2010?

My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy

What award was My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy omitted from?

Album of the Year

What was the name of Kanye's fifth album?

My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy

When was Kanye West's fifth album debuted?

November 2010

What song off of Kanye's fifth album was a hit internationally?

"All of the Lights"

What was the name of the free music promotion on Kanye's website in 2010?

GOOD Fridays


Following a headlining set at Coachella 2011 that was described by The Hollywood Reporter as "one of greatest hip-hop sets of all time", West released the collaborative album Watch the Throne with Jay-Z. By employing a sales strategy that released the album digitally weeks before its physical counterpart, Watch the Throne became one of the few major label albums in the Internet age to avoid a leak. "Niggas in Paris" became the record's highest charting single, peaking at number five on the Billboard Hot 100. In 2012, West released the compilation album Cruel Summer, a collection of tracks by artists from West's record label GOOD Music. Cruel Summer produced four singles, two of which charted within the top twenty of the Hot 100: "Mercy" and "Clique". West also directed a film of the same name that premiered at the 2012 Cannes Film Festival in custom pyramid-shaped screening pavilion featuring seven screens.

What festival did Kanye headline in 2011?

Coachella

With what other hiphop artist did Kanye collaborate with?

Jay-Z

Where did Kanye premier a film directed by himself in 2012?

Cannes Film Festival

What event did Kanye headline in 2011?

Coachella

What was the name of the joint album Kanye made with Jay Z?

Watch the Throne

What was the top single off the album "Watch the Throne"?

"Niggas in Paris"

In what year was "Cruel Summer" released?

What film festival did Kanye West premier a film called "Cruel Summer"?

2012 Cannes Film Festival


Sessions for West's sixth solo effort begin to take shape in early 2013 in his own personal loft's living room at a Paris hotel. Determined to "undermine the commercial", he once again brought together close collaborators and attempted to incorporate Chicago drill, dancehall, acid house, and industrial music. Primarily inspired by architecture, West's perfectionist tendencies led him to contact producer Rick Rubin fifteen days shy of its due date to strip down the record's sound in favor of a more minimalist approach. Initial promotion of his sixth album included worldwide video projections of the album's music and live television performances. Yeezus, West's sixth album, was released June 18, 2013 to rave reviews from critics. It became the rapper's sixth consecutive number one debut, but also marked his lowest solo opening week sales. Def Jam issued "Black Skinhead" to radio in July 2013 as the album's lead single. On September 6, 2013, Kanye West announced he would be headlining his first solo tour in five years, to support Yeezus, with fellow American rapper Kendrick Lamar accompanying him along the way.

Where did Kanye begin production on his sixth album?

Paris

What became the name of his sixth studio album?

Yeezus

Who did Kanye tour alongside of in order to promote the efforts of Yeezus?

Kendrick Lamar

In what year did Kanye West begin working on his sixth album?

What was the inspiration behind Kanye West's decision to call Rick Rubin?

architecture

What was the name of Kanye's sixth album?

Yeezus

On what date was Yeezus released?

June 18, 2013

What artist did Kanye go on tour with while promoting album number six?

Kendrick Lamar


In June 2013, West and television personality Kim Kardashian announced the birth of their first child, North. In October 2013, the couple announced their engagement to widespread media attention. November 2013, West stated that he was beginning work on his next studio album, hoping to release it by mid-2014, with production by Rick Rubin and Q-Tip. In December 2013, Adidas announced the beginning of an official apparel collaboration with West, to be premiered the following year. In May 2014, West and Kardashian were married in a private ceremony in Florence, Italy, with a variety of artists and celebrities in attendance. West released a single, "Only One", featuring Paul McCartney, on December 31, 2014. "FourFiveSeconds", a single jointly produced with Rihanna and McCartney, was released in January 2015. West also appeared on the Saturday Night Live 40th Anniversary Special, where he premiered a new song entitled "Wolves", featuring Sia Furler and fellow Chicago rapper, Vic Mensa. In February 2015, West premiered his clothing collaboration with Adidas, entitled Yeezy Season 1, to generally positive reviews. This would include West's Yeezy Boost sneakers. In March 2015, West released the single "All Day" featuring Theophilus London, Allan Kingdom and Paul McCartney. West performed the song at the 2015 BRIT Awards with a number of US rappers and UK grime MC's including: Skepta, Wiley, Novelist, Fekky, Krept & Konan, Stormzy, Allan Kingdom, Theophilus London and Vic Mensa. He would premiere the second iteration of his clothing line, Yeezy Season 2, in September 2015 at New York Fashion Week.

What was the name of Kanye's first child with Kim Kardashian?

North

What brand set to collaborate on an apparel line with Kanye?

Adidas

What famous British artist worked with Kanye on multiple singles?

Paul McCartney

Where did Kanye perform his single "All Day" with a menagerie of other artists?

2015 BRIT Awards

Who is the mother of Kanye's first child?

Kim Kardashian

What is Kanye West's first child's name?

North

In what Italian city were Kim Kardashian and Kanye West wed?

Florence

What musician joined Kanye West on the song "Only One"?

Paul McCartney

What was the name of the Adidas clothing line by Kanye West that he released in 2013?

Yeezy Season 1


Having initially announced a new album entitled So Help Me God slated for a 2014 release, in March 2015 West announced that the album would instead be tentatively called SWISH. Later that month, West was awarded an honorary doctorate by the School of the Art Institute of Chicago for his contributions to music, fashion, and popular culture, officially making him an honorary DFA. The next month, West headlined at the Glastonbury Festival in the UK, despite a petition signed by almost 135,000 people against his appearance. At one point, he told the audience: "You are now watching the greatest living rock star on the planet." Media outlets, including social media sites such as Twitter, were sharply divided on his performance. NME stated, "The decision to book West for the slot has proved controversial since its announcement, and the show itself appeared to polarise both Glastonbury goers and those who tuned in to watch on their TVs." The publication added that "he's letting his music speak for and prove itself." The Guardian said that "his set has a potent ferocity – but there are gaps and stutters, and he cuts a strangely lone figure in front of the vast crowd."

What did Kanye change the title of his next planned album from So Help Me God to?

SWISH

From which institution did Kanye receive an honorary doctorate?

Art Institute of Chicago

How many people signed a petition to keep Kanye from performing at Glastonbury Festival?

What was the original name of Kanye's album "SWISH"?

So Help Me God

What school awarded Kanye west an honorary doctorate?

School of the Art Institute of Chicago

How many people petitioned his show at the Glastonbury Music Festival in the UK?


In December 2015, West released a song titled "Facts". He announced in January 2016 on Twitter that SWISH would be released on February 11, after releasing new song "Real Friends" and a snippet of "No More Parties in L.A." with Kendrick Lamar. This also revived the GOOD Fridays initiative in which Kanye releases new singles every Friday. On January 26, 2016, West revealed he had renamed the album from SWISH to Waves, and also announced the premier of his Yeezy Season 3 clothing line at Madison Square Garden. In early 2016, several weeks prior to the release of his new album, West became embroiled in a short-lived social media altercation with rapper Wiz Khalifa on Twitter that eventually involved their mutual ex-partner, Amber Rose, who protested to West's mention of her and Khalifa's child. The feud involved allegations by Rose concerning her sexual relationship with West, and received significant media attention. As of February 2, 2016, West and Khalifa had reconciled. Several days ahead of the album's release, West again changed the title, this time to The Life of Pablo. On February 11, West premiered the album at Madison Square Garden as part of the presentation of his Yeezy Season 3 clothing line. Following the preview, West announced that he would be modifying the track list once more before its release to the public, and further delayed its release to finalize the recording of the track "Waves" at the behest of co-writer Chance the Rapper. He released the album exclusively on Tidal on 14 February 2016 following a performance on SNL.

What was the tentative release date announced for Kanye's next studio album?

February 11

What was Kanye's next album renamed again to?

Waves

With what other rapper did Kanye west have a Twitter feud with in early 2016?

Wiz Khalifa

What became the final title of Kanye's next album?

The Life of Pablo

What platform was The Life of Pablo officially released on?

Tidal

What song  by West was debuted in December 2015?

"Facts"

On January 26, 2016, Kanye told the world he changed the name of his next album from SWISH to what?

Waves

What artist did Kanye West have a feud with over Amber Rose?

Wiz Khalifa

What was the name of Kanye's clothing line premiered at Madison Square Garden?

Yeezy Season 3


West's musical career has been defined by frequent stylistic shifts, and has seen him develop and explore a variety of different musical approaches and genres throughout his work. When asked about his musical inspirations, he has named A Tribe Called Quest, Stevie Wonder, Michael Jackson, George Michael, LL Cool J, Phil Collins and Madonna as early interests. He has further described musician David Bowie as one of his "most important inspirations," and named producer Puff Daddy as the "most important cultural figure in my life." Early in his career, West pioneered a style of production dubbed "chipmunk soul" which utilized pitched-up vocal samples, usually from soul and R&B songs, along with his own drums and instrumentation. His first major release featuring his trademark soulful vocal sampling style was "This Can't Be Life", a track from Jay-Z’s The Dynasty: Roc La Familia. West has said that Wu-Tang Clan producer RZA influenced him in his style, and has named Wu-Tang rappers Ghostface Killah and Ol' Dirty Bastard as inspirations. RZA spoke positively of the comparisons, stating in an interview for Rolling Stone, "All good. I got super respect for Kanye [...] [he] is going to inspire people to be like him." West further developed his style on his 2004 debut album, The College Dropout. After a rough version was leaked, he meticulously refined the production, adding string arrangements, gospel choirs, and improved drum programming.

What English musician did Kanye cite as one of his biggest inspirations?

David Bowie

Kanye has stated that members from which rap group influenced his early style?

Wu-Tang Clan

What name did Kanye's early production style coin.

chipmunk soul

What artist was named by Kanye West to be his "most important inspiration"?

David Bowie

Who was Kanye's greatest cultural figure?

Puff Daddy

What was the name of the song that first featured Kanye's "chipmunk soul" style?

"This Can't Be Life"


For his second album, Late Registration (2005), he collaborated with film score composer Jon Brion and drew influence from non-rap influences such as English trip hop group Portishead. Blending West's primary soulful hip hop production with Brion's elaborate chamber pop orchestration, the album experimentally incorporated a wide array of different genres and prominent orchestral elements, including string arrangements, piano chords, brass flecks, and horn riffs among other symphonic instrumentation. It also incorporated a myriad of foreign and vintage instruments not typical in popular music, let alone hip hop, such as a celesta, harpsichord, Chamberlin, CS-80 analog synthesizer, Chinese bells and berimbau, vibraphones, and marimba. Rolling Stone described Late Registration as West claiming "the whole world of music as hip-hop turf" chronicling the album as "his mad quest to explode every cliché about hip-hop identity." Critic Robert Christgau wrote that "there's never been hip-hop so complex and subtle musically." For a period of time, Kanye West stood as the sole current pop star to tour with a string section, as audible on his 2006 live album Late Orchestration.

What composer did Kanye collaborate with for his second record?

Jon Brion

What classical elements did Brion bring to the production of Kanye's album?

orchestral elements, including string arrangements, piano chords, brass flecks, and horn riffs among other symphonic instrumentation

What sort of orchestra did Kanye tour with while promoting his second album?

a string section

What composer did Kanye West work with for his second album?

Jon Brion

What English trip-hop group helped influence Kanye on his second album?

Portishead


With his third album, Graduation (2007), West moved away from the sound of his previous releases and towards a more atmospheric, rock-tinged, electronic-influenced soundscape. The musical evolution arose from him listening to music genres encompassing European Britpop and Euro-disco, American alternative and indie-rock, and his native Chicago house. Towards this end, West retracted much of the live instrumentation that characterized his previous album and replaced it with heavy, gothic synthesizers, distorted synth-chords, rave stabs, house beats, electro-disco rhythms, and a wide array of modulated electronic noises and digital audio-effects. In addition, West drew musical inspiration from arena rock bands such as The Rolling Stones, U2, and Led Zeppelin in terms of melody and chord progression.

What was the name of Kanye's third record?

Graduation

What musical direction did Kanye take with his third album?

more atmospheric, rock-tinged, electronic-influenced soundscape

Kanye drew inspiration from The Rolling Stones, U2, and Led Zeppelin in what ways?

melody and chord progression

What year was Kanye West's third album released?


West's fourth studio album, 808s & Heartbreak (2008), marked an even more radical departure from his previous releases, largely abandoning rap and hip hop stylings in favor of a stark electropop sound composed of virtual synthesis, the Roland TR-808 drum machine, and explicitly auto-tuned vocal tracks. Drawing inspiration from artists such as Gary Numan, TJ Swan and Boy George, and maintaining a "minimal but functional" approach towards the album's studio production, West explored the electronic feel produced by Auto-Tune and utilized the sounds created by the 808, manipulating its pitch to produce a distorted, electronic sound; he then sought to juxtapose mechanical sounds with the traditional sounds of taiko drums and choir monks. The album's music features austere production and elements such as dense drums, lengthy strings, droning synthesizers, and somber piano, and drew comparisons to the work of 1980s post-punk and new wave groups, with West himself later confessing an affinity with British post-punk group Joy Division. Rolling Stone journalist Matthew Trammell asserted that the record was ahead of its time and wrote in a 2012 article, "Now that popular music has finally caught up to it, 808s & Heartbreak has revealed itself to be Kanye’s most vulnerable work, and perhaps his most brilliant."

What kind of sound did Kanye abandon a rap and hiphop one for with his fourth album?

electropop

Who did Kanye become inspired by while creating 808s & Heartbreak?

Gary Numan, TJ Swan and Boy George

What types of instruments are present on his fourth album?

dense drums, lengthy strings, droning synthesizers, and somber piano

What other artist besides Gary Numan and TJ Swan helped inspire Kanye's fourth album?

Boy George

What other type of 1980s group was Kanye's fourth album compared to other than new wave?

post-punk

The article about Kanye's fourth album written by Matthew Trammell was published in what magazine?

Rolling Stone


West's fifth album, My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy, has been noted by writers for its maximalist aesthetic and its incorporation of elements from West's previous four albums. Entertainment Weekly's Simon Vozick-Levinson perceives that such elements "all recur at various points", namely "the luxurious soul of 2004's The College Dropout, the symphonic pomp of Late Registration, the gloss of 2007's Graduation, and the emotionally exhausted electro of 2008's 808s & Heartbreak". Sean Fennessey of The Village Voice writes that West "absorb[ed] the gifts of his handpicked collaborators, and occasionally elevat[ed] them" on previous studio albums, noting collaborators and elements as Jon Brion for Late Registration, DJ Toomp for Graduation, and Kid Cudi for 808s & Heartbreak.

What is Kanye's fifth album titled?

My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy

What journalist drew comparisons between My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy and other Kanye albums?

Simon Vozick-Levinson

What musician collaborated with Kanye West for his album Late Registration?

Jon Brion

What artist worked with Kanye on his album Graduation?

DJ Toomp

Kid Cudi joined Kanye for which album?

808s & Heartbreak

Which album by Kanye West has been talked about by writers for having maximalist aesthetic?

My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy


Describing his sixth studio album Yeezus (2013) as "a protest to music," West embraced an abrasive style that incorporated industrial music, acid house, dancehall, punk, electro, and Chicago drill. Inspired by the minimalist design of Le Corbusier and primarily electronic in nature, the album features distorted drum machines and "synthesizers that sound like they're malfunctioning, low-resolution samplers that add a pixelated digital aura to the most analog sounds." To this end, the album incorporates glitches reminiscent of CD skips or corrupted MP3's, and Auto-Tuned vocals are modulated to a point in which they are difficult to decipher. It also continues West's practice of eclectic samples: he employs a sample of Nina Simone's "Strange Fruit," an obscure Hindi sample on "I Am a God", and a sample of 1970s Hungarian rock group Omega on "New Slaves". "On Sight" interpolates a melody from "Sermon (He'll Give Us What We Really Need)" by the Holy Name of Mary Choral Family. Rolling Stone called the album a "brilliant, obsessive-compulsive career auto-correct".

What did Kanye state that Yeezus was?

a protest to music

What artist did Kanye draw inspiration from when crafting Yeezus?

Le Corbusier

In what year was Kanye West's sixth album released?

What was the title of Kanye's sixth album?

Yeezus


In September 2005, West announced that he would release his Pastelle Clothing line in spring 2006, claiming "Now that I have a Grammy under my belt and Late Registration is finished, I am ready to launch my clothing line next spring." The line was developed over the following four years – with multiple pieces teased by West himself – before the line was ultimately cancelled in 2009. In 2009, West collaborated with Nike to release his own shoe, the Air Yeezys, with a second version released in 2012. In January 2009, West introduced his first shoe line designed for Louis Vuitton during Paris Fashion Week. The line was released in summer 2009. West has additionally designed shoewear for Bape and Italian shoemaker Giuseppe Zanotti.

What did Kanye announce he would release after acquiring a Grammy in 2005?

clothing line

What finally become of Kanye's clothing line in 2009?

cancelled

When did Kanye West annouce his Pastelle Clothing line?

September 2005

What year was Kanye's Pastelle Clothing Line scrapped?

What company worked with Kanye in 2009 to create his own shoe line?

Nike

For what brand did Kanye design a shoe meant for Paris Fashion Week?

Louis Vuitton