80s Music Quiz Multiple Choice Questions
1. In what year did Michael Jackson release the Bad album?
1987
2. Who duetted with Madonna on ‘Love Song’ on her ‘Like A Prayer’ album?
Prince
3. Who told us to ‘Relax’?
Frankie Goes To Hollywood
4. What was the biggest selling single of the 80s in the UK?
Do They Know It’s Christmas? – Band Aid
5. Who ‘just called to say they loved you’?
Stevie Wonder
6. What was the theme song for the 1982 film, Rocky III?
Eye of the Tiger
7. Name the band fronted by the singer Sting.
The Police
8. Which British ska band sang about their ‘Baggy Trousers’?
Madness
9. Mick Jagger and David Bowie had a hit with which song?
Dancing in the Street
10. Who sang the hits ‘Locomotion’, ‘I Should Be So Lucky’, and ‘Hand on Your Heart’?
Kylie Minogue
11. Which Lionel Ritchie song is also a salutation?
Hello
12. Which famous Beatle wrote ‘We All Stand Together’ for the film ‘Rupert and the Frog Chorus’?
Paul McCartney
13. Which Journey song from the 80s saw a revival in popularity thanks to the tv show Glee?
Don’t Stop Believin’
14. Who sang ‘Girls Just Want To Have Fun’?
Cyndi Lauper
15. What was the first music video aired on the brand new MTV channel launched in 1981?
‘Video Killed The Radio Star’ – The Buggles
16. “Little Lies’ was a hit for which band?
Fleetwood Mac
17. What film was the Kenny Loggins song “Danger Zone’ the theme song for?
Top Gun
18. Which Irish band released the albums ‘War’, ‘The Unforgettable Fire’, and ‘The Joshua Tree’?
U2
19. ‘Straight Outta Compton’ was a game-changing album in hiphop by which group?
N.W.A.
20. ‘Sledgehammer’ by Peter Garbriel knocked his former band off the number 1 spot of the billboard hot 100. What was the name of the band?
Genesis – ‘Invisible Touch’
21. ‘What’s Love Got To Do With It’ was a Grammy-award-winning song for which artist?
Tina Turner
22. Who wrote and sang the hit ‘9 to 5’ as well as star in the film of the same name?
Dolly Parton
23. Who wanted to ‘fight for your right to party’?
Beastie Boys
24. Which rocketman had a hit with ‘I’m Still Standing’?
Elton John
25. Which artist was the most charted British female solo act of the 1980s and famed for singing ‘Kid’s in America’?
Kim Wilde
26. The song ‘Aint’ Nobody’ was a hit for which funk band and singer?
Rufus and Chaka Khan
27. Which Rick Astley song became number one in 25 countries?
Never Gonna Give You Up
28. Which Simple Minds song features in the opening and closing credits of the film ‘The Breakfast Club’?
Don’t You (Forget About Me)
29. Which Motown legend had a hit in the 80’s with ‘Chain Reaction’?
Diana Ross
30. Which band had the hit ‘Atomic’?
Blondie
31. In what year did The Bangles release ‘Eternal Flame’?
1988
32. ‘The Power of Love’ by Huey Lewis and The News was the theme song to which blockbuster film in 1985?
Back To The Future
33. Which band sang about ‘Money for Nothing’?
Dire Straits
34. Who sang the hit ‘Celebration’ in 1981?
Kool and the Gang
35. The Motown group ‘The Four Tops’ had a surprise UK hit in 1988 singing about having fun in which Mexican city?
Acapulco
36. Which hip hop group did a cover and collaboration on the Aerosmith song ‘Walk This Way’?
Run-DMC
37. Which famously reclusive artist is known for the hits ‘Babooshka’, ‘Army Dreamers’, and ‘Cloudbusting’?
Kate Bush
38. Which Irish woman gave us ‘Orinoco Flow’?
Enya
39. ‘Fast Car’ and ‘Baby Can I Hold You’ were hits for which singer-songwriter?
Tracy Chapman
40. Neil Tennant and Chris Lowe form which English synth-pop duo?
Pet Shop Boys
41. “I’m never gonna dance again, Guilty feet have got no rhythm”
Careless Whisper by George Michael
42. “ I’m gonna live forever, I’m gonna learn how to fly (high)”
Fame by Irene Cara
43. “Clock strikes upon the hour, And the sun begins to fade”
I Wanna Dance With Somebody by Whitney Houston
44. “If there’s something strange, in your neighbourhood”
Ghostbusters by Ray Parker Jr.
45. “Loving would be easy if your colours were like my dreams”
Karma Chameleon by Culture Club
46. “You were working as a waitress in a cocktail bar”
Don’t You Want Me – The Human League
47. “The clouds never expect it when it rains, But the sea changes colours, but the sea does not change”
Edge of Seventeen – Stevie Nicks
48. “Tommy used to work on the docks, union’s been on strike, He’s down on his luck, it’s tough, so tough”
Living on a Prayer – Bon Jovi
49. “You can’t start a fire, you can’t start a fire without a spark”
Dancing in the Dark – Bruce Springsteen
50. “Hot summer streets and the pavements are burning, I sit around, Trying to smile, but the air is so heavy and dry”
Cruel Summer – Bananarama
51. How old was George Michael when he wrote the song “Careless Whisper”?
A. 17
B. 20
C. 23
Answer: A. 17
52. Which singer had the hit “John Wayne is Big Leggy” in 1982?
A. Belouis Some
B. Culture Club
C. Hayzi Fantayzee
Answer: C. Hayzi Fantayzee
53. ZTT Records was one of the most prominent record companies in the 80s. Do you know what does ZTT stand for?
A. Zang Tuum Tumb
B. Zany Times Two
C. Zoo Too True
Answer: A. ZTT stands for Zang Tuum Tumb
54. What do the following artists have in common: Linda McCartney, David Sylvian, and Nick Rhodes?
A. Amateur photographers
B. Amateur actors/actresses
C. Amateur golfers
Answer: They are all amateur photographers
55. There are … members in the UB40 pop band.
A. 6
B. 8
C. 10
Answer: C. 10 members
56. Neil Arthur was the lead singer for which group?
A. China Crisis
B. Blancmange
C. Icicle Works
Answer: B. Blancmange
57. The following lyrics come from which song: “I’ll give you television. I’ll give you eyes of blue. I’ll give you men who want to rule the world”?
A. Little Red Corvette by Prince
B. China Girl by David Bowie
C. Dirty Laundry by Don Henley
Answer: B. China Girl by David Bowie
58. “Guilty” was a duet hit in 1980 by Barbra Streisand and another singer. Who was him?
A. Barry Gibb
B. Neil Diamond
C. Bryan Adams
Answer: A. Barry Gibb
59. Part II of the song “Another brick in the wall” Pink Floyd is about which subject?
A. Family
B. School
C. War
Answer: B. School
60. What is the most successful album of INXS so far?
A. Welcome To Wherever You Are
B. Kick
C. The Swing
Answer: B. Kick
61. El Debarge, one of the members of the family group Debarge, has a big hit with which single in 1986?
A. Rumors
B. Let’s go all the way
C. Who’s Johnny
Answer: C. Who’s Johnny
62. The 1985 big hit “The heat is on” by Glenn Frey appeared in which movie?
A. Beverly Hills Cop
B. Back To The Future
C. Top Gun
Answer: A. Beverly Hills Cop
63. Which former Metallica member formed his metal band? And what was the band’s name?
A. Lars Ullrich – The Jets
B. Cliff Burton – Dead Milkmen
C. Dave Mustaine – Megadeth
Answer: Dave Mustaine – Megadeth
64. “Three feet high and rising” was the debut album of which band?
A. De La Soul
B. Def Leppard
C. Kim Carnes
Answer: A. De La Soul
65. Which of the following bands didn’t have a hit in the 80s?
A. The Dream Academy
B. Backstreet Boys
C. Strawberry Switchblade
Answer: B. Backstreet Boys
66. What was the only UK top 5 single by the Belle Stars?
A. The clapping song
B. Since yesterday
C. Sign of the times
Answer: C. Sign Of The Times
67. Which singer started the song “Do they know it’s Christmas” by the Band Aid?
A. Paul Young
B. Bono
C. Midge Ure
Answer: A. Paul Young
68. “The first picture of you. The first picture of summer. Seeing the flowers scream their joy.” This is the lyrics from a 1983 hit by whom?
A. Kajagoogoo
B. China Crisis
C. The Lotus Eaters
Answer: C. The Lotus Eaters
69. In the 80s, Status Quo had … top 20 singles.
A. 12
B. 15
C. 18
Answer: 18
70. Which Duran clip caused controversy with its nudity, mud-wrestling women, and hints of lesbianism?
A. Girls on film
B. Save a prayer
C. Rio
Answer: Girls On Film
71. Which was the first single that was entirely composed of samples?
A. Pump up the volume by MARRS
B. Good life by Inner City
C. Blue monday by New Order
Answer: Pump Up The Volume by MARRS
72. What was the only hit single by the Pookah Makes Three?
A. The way the world is
B. Take it back
C. Champagne Charlie
Answer: B. Take it back
73. Big Audio Dynamite was formed in 1985 by which Clash member?
A. Joe Strummer
B. Mick Jones
C. Peter Hook
Answer: B. Mick Jones
74. Which rapper featured on the song “I feel for you” by Chaka Khan’s?
A. Fresh Prince
B. Melle Mel
C. Chuck D
Answer: B. Melle Mel
75. “Why am I playing at both Wembley and Philadelphia? Because I am mad that’s why.” In 1985, which rock star performed at both the US and UK Live Aid?
A. David Bowie
B. Phil Collins
C. Eric Clapton
Answer: B. Phil Collins
76. “Big in Japan” was the debut single of which German band in 1984?
A. Ultravox
B. Alphaville
C. H2O
Answer: B. Alphaville
77. In 1984, director Jonathan Demme make a documentary about “Stop making sense” – the last major tour of which band?
A. Led Zeppelin
B. The Jam
C. Talking Heads
Answer: C. Talking Heads
78. Which album of U2 featured a cover with the intense stare of a kid?
A. War
B. The Joshua Tree
C. The Unforgettable Fire
Answer: A. War
79. Which teen singer reached the number one in 1987 with the song “I think we’re alone now”?
A. Tiffany
B. Debbie Gibson
C. Alannah Myles
Answer: A. Tiffany
80. Buster Bloodvessel was the lead singer for which band?
A. Haircut 100
B. Dead or Alive
C. Bad Manners
Answer: C. Bad Manners
81. Their first top 10 single in the UK chart was “To cut a long story short”, and the last one was “Through the barricades”. Do you know who they are?
A. China Crisis
B. Spandau Ballet
C. Culture Club
Answer: B. Spandau Ballet
82. The Scandinavian band, A-ha achieved their greatest success in mid-80s with their album Hunting High and Low. Where are they from?
A. Sweden
B. Norway
C. Denmark
Answer: B. Norway
83. “Jump” is a very successful song by which American hard rock band?
A. Van Halen
B. Aerosmith
C. Iron Maiden
Answer: A. Van Halen