Was there life before Adam (peace be upon him) descended to Earth?

The earth was inhabited before Adam, peace be upon him. Commentators like Al-Qurtubi, when interpreting the angels' saying: "Will You place upon it one who causes corruption therein and sheds blood?" (Quran 2:30), mentioned that the angels knew about the jinn's corruption and bloodshed on earth before Adam's creation. They added that Allah sent Iblis and his army to drive them away to the islands of the seas and the mountain fringes. Then, Adam was settled on earth. This account is narrated from Ibn Abbas and Abu Al-Aliyah.