Step into the totally rad radical neon glow of 80s music trivia, where every challenging question unravels iconic music history secrets! Test your knowledge of legendary artists, name any 80s band, race to give the right answer, and prove you’re a true music whiz. Ready to rock the retro quiz?
80s Music Trivia
Did you know these fun facts?
- When MTV launched in 1981 with “Video Killed the Radio Star,” it turned music videos into must‑see pop culture events.
- Michael Jackson’s “Thriller” video was so epic it played out like a 13‑minute mini‑movie complete with werewolves and Vincent Price’s chilling narration.
- In 1985, over 1.9 billion people worldwide tuned into Live Aid’s global simulcast, making it the largest rock concert event ever.
80s Trivia Questions and Answers
Click on the blurred area to reveal the answer.
Test it out. Click here to reveal the answer 👉 Awesome! You’re ready
| Question | Answer |
|---|---|
| Which band’s song was the first video played on MTV in 1981? | ▶ Video Killed the Radio Star |
| Which Michael Jackson music video, released in December 1983, featured a 13-minute horror-themed storyline? | ▶ Thriller |
| Who released the hit single “Like a Virgin” in 1984? | ▶ Madonna |
| Which Australian band’s “Down Under” topped the US Billboard Hot 100 in 1983? | ▶ Men at Work |
| Which band’s 1987 debut single “Welcome to the Jungle” introduced them to global rock audiences? | ▶ Guns N’ Roses |
| What Tears for Fears song, released in 1985, tells listeners to “break out, shout”? | ▶ Shout |
| Which Norwegian band released “Take On Me” in 1985, famous for its rotoscope-style music video? | ▶ a-ha |
| Which George Michael song, released in 1984, begins with the words “I feel so unsure”? | ▶ Careless Whisper |
| Which U2 album, released in 1987, includes the hits “With or Without You” and “Where the Streets Have No Name”? | ▶ The Joshua Tree |
| Which artist recorded “Purple Rain” and starred in the film of the same name in 1984? | ▶ Prince and The Revolution |
| Which Bruce Springsteen album, released in 1984, spawned seven top-10 singles including its title track? | ▶ Born in the U.S.A. |
| Which 1981 Journey song begins with the line “Just a small town girl, living in a lonely world”? | ▶ Don’t Stop Believin’ |
| Which English duo released the hit “Everybody Wants to Rule the World” in 1985? | ▶ Tears for Fears |
| Which 1987 U2 song became the band’s first US number-one single? | ▶ With or Without You |
| Which Madonna single, released in 1987, was the title track for a film she starred in? | ▶ Who’s That Girl |
| What charity single released by Band Aid in 1984 begins with the lyrics “Feed the world, let them know it’s Christmas time”? | ▶ Do They Know It’s Christmas |
| Which Police song, released in 1983, begins with the line “Every breath you take”? | ▶ Every Breath You Take |
| Which British duo released “West End Girls” in 1984, later topping the UK charts in 1986? | ▶ Pet Shop Boys |
| Which George Michael debut solo album, released in 1987, featured the hit song “Faith”? | ▶ Faith |
| Which David Bowie song, produced by Nile Rodgers, became a 1983 comeback hit? | ▶ Let’s Dance |
| Which Cyndi Lauper song, released in 1983, begins with the lyric “I come home in the morning light”? | ▶ Girls Just Want to Have Fun |
| Which debut album by Guns N’ Roses, released in 1987, included “Welcome to the Jungle”? | ▶ Appetite for Destruction |
| Which 1986 Bon Jovi song starts with “Tommy used to work on the docks”? | ▶ Livin’ on a Prayer |
| Which Irish band’s 1982 hit begins “Poor old Johnny Ray sounded sad upon the radio”? | ▶ Come On Eileen |
| Which 1987 cover by Tiffany reached number one on the Billboard Hot 100 when she was just 16? | ▶ I Think We’re Alone Now |
| Which Survivor song, released in 1982, was used as the theme for the film “Rocky III”? | ▶ Eye of the Tiger |
| Which Iron Maiden album, released in 1982, includes the biblical title track about a number? | ▶ The Number of the Beast |
| What is the full title of U2’s 1984 anthem commonly referred to as “Pride”? | ▶ Pride (In the Name of Love) |
| Which German electronic band released the album “Computer World” in 1981 featuring “Pocket Calculator”? | ▶ Kraftwerk |
| Which Clash song, released in 1982, later featured in “Stranger Things”? | ▶ Should I Stay or Should I Go |
| Which duo scored a 1982 hit with their cover of “Tainted Love”? | ▶ Soft Cell |
| Which Michael Jackson album, released in 1987, produced five number-one singles including “Bad” and “Man in the Mirror”? | ▶ Bad |
| Which Whitney Houston song, released in 1985, became her first number-one single on the Billboard Hot 100? | ▶ Saving All My Love for You |
| Who wrote and performed the “Ghostbusters” theme song in 1984? | ▶ Ray Parker Jr. |
| Which progressive rock band had a 1983 hit with “Owner of a Lonely Heart”? | ▶ Yes |
| Which group released “(You Gotta) Fight for Your Right (To Party!)” in 1986 blending rap and rock elements? | ▶ Beastie Boys |
| Which all-female rock band released “Walk Like an Egyptian” in 1986? | ▶ The Bangles |
| Which Simple Minds song became famous as the theme for “The Breakfast Club” in 1985? | ▶ Don’t You (Forget About Me) |
| Which band released the thrash metal album “Master of Puppets” in 1986? | ▶ Metallica |
| Which Madonna song released in 1986 sparked controversy with its narrative about an unplanned pregnancy? | ▶ Papa Don’t Preach |
| Which New Order song, released in 1983, became one of the best-selling 12-inch singles of all time? | ▶ Blue Monday |
| Which Dire Straits song, released in 1985, features the line “I want my MTV”? | ▶ Money for Nothing |
| Which Whitney Houston hit, released in 1987, asks “How will I know if he really loves me?” | ▶ How Will I Know |
| Which Phil Collins song, released in 1981, is known for its dramatic drum break and haunting atmosphere? | ▶ In the Air Tonight |
| Which Lionel Richie ballad, released in 1984, includes the lyric “Hello, is it me you’re looking for?” | ▶ Hello |
| Which Eurythmics song, released in 1983, contains the line “Sweet dreams are made of this”? | ▶ Sweet Dreams (Are Made of This) |
| Which Tina Turner song, released in 1984, asks “What’s love got to do with it?” | ▶ What’s Love Got to Do with It |
| Which Mötley Crüe album, released in 1985, includes the power ballad “Home Sweet Home”? | ▶ Theatre of Pain |
| Which Depeche Mode song from 1984 peaked at number two on the UK Singles Chart? | ▶ People Are People |
| Which Rick Springfield song, released in 1981, features the chorus about Jessie’s girl? | ▶ Jessie’s Girl |
| Which Mr. Mister song topped the Billboard Hot 100 for two weeks in 1985? | ▶ Broken Wings |
| Which Pat Benatar hit from 1980 features the chorus “Hit me with your best shot”? | ▶ Hit Me with Your Best Shot |
| Which Huey Lewis and the News song, featured in “Back to the Future,” hit number one in 1985? | ▶ The Power of Love |
| Which cheerleader-themed 1982 song did Toni Basil release? | ▶ Mickey |
| Which Aerosmith song, released in 1987, features the lyric “Looks like a lady, yeah, but she’s got the right style”? | ▶ Dude (Looks Like a Lady) |
| Which Cure song, released in 1987, asks “Why can’t I be you?” | ▶ Why Can’t I Be You? |
| Which reggae band released a UK number-one cover of “Red Red Wine” in 1983? | ▶ UB40 |
| Which Canadian band released the synth-pop hit “Safety Dance” in 1982? | ▶ Men Without Hats |
| Which John Mellencamp song, released in 1982, begins with “Little ditty about Jack and Diane”? | ▶ Jack & Diane |
| Which band released the album “The Final Countdown” in 1986 featuring a famous keyboard riff? | ▶ Europe |
| Which Welsh singer released the power ballad “Total Eclipse of the Heart” in 1983? | ▶ Bonnie Tyler |
| Which Miami Sound Machine song, released in 1985, demanded “Conga” all night long? | ▶ Conga |
| Which hip-hop group collaborated with Aerosmith on the 1986 remake of “Walk This Way”? | ▶ Run-DMC |
| Which British-American hard rock band released “Pour Some Sugar on Me” in 1987? | ▶ Def Leppard |
| Which Robert Palmer song, released in 1986, featured a music video with stylized female dancers in uniform? | ▶ Addicted to Love |
| Which 1986 Prince song opens with the line “You don’t have to be rich to be my girl”? | ▶ Kiss |
| Which New Wave band released “I Melt with You” in 1982? | ▶ Modern English |
| Which American rock band released the song “Heat of the Moment” in 1982? | ▶ Asia |
| Which rock band released the song “Alone” in 1987, later covered by Céline Dion? | ▶ Heart |
| Which charity single by USA for Africa in 1985 brought together artists like Michael Jackson and Lionel Richie? | ▶ We Are the World |
| Which Michael Jackson song helped break the color barrier on MTV in 1983? | ▶ Billie Jean |
| Which band performed “Take My Breath Away” for the 1986 film “Top Gun”? | ▶ Berlin |
| Which Scottish rock band released “In a Big Country” in 1983? | ▶ Big Country |
| Which 1983 Eurythmics song begins with “Here comes the rain again, falling on my head like a memory”? | ▶ Here Comes the Rain Again |
| Which Prince song, featuring Sheena Easton, was released in 1987? | ▶ U Got the Look |
| Which thrash metal band released “Peace Sells… but Who’s Buying?” in 1986? | ▶ Megadeth |
| Which Michael Jackson duet with Siedah Garrett became a number-one hit in 1987? | ▶ I Just Can’t Stop Loving You |
| Which band released the 1985 hit “Walking on Sunshine”? | ▶ Katrina and the Waves |
| Which 1984 John Waite song includes the lyric “Missing you is easy, I come back to you”? | ▶ Missing You |
| Which Queen song, famous for its synchronized hand-clapping, became a highlight of their 1985 Live Aid performance? | ▶ Radio Ga Ga |
| Which Joan Jett & the Blackhearts song, released in 1982, became one of the best-selling singles of the decade? | ▶ I Love Rock ’n’ Roll |
| Which band re-recorded the song “Here I Go Again” in 1987, reaching number one on the Billboard Hot 100? | ▶ Whitesnake |
| Which 1987 Midnight Oil song includes the line “How can we dance when our earth is turning?” | ▶ Beds Are Burning |
| Which Wham! Christmas song, released in 1984, begins with “Last Christmas, I gave you my heart”? | ▶ Last Christmas |
| Which song by The Go-Go’s became their first US number-one hit in 1982? | ▶ We Got the Beat |
| Which song by Eddy Grant, released in 1982, references a street in Brixton and became a global hit? | ▶ Electric Avenue |
| Which 1983 Duran Duran single became their first UK number-one hit? | ▶ Is There Something I Should Know? |
| Which band won the inaugural MTV Video Music Award for Best New Artist in 1984 with the song “I Ran (So Far Away)”? | ▶ A Flock of Seagulls |
| Which 1982 Billy Idol song includes the lyrics “It’s a nice day to start again” and became a rock staple? | ▶ White Wedding |
| Which Madonna ballad, released in 1986, begins with “I hear your voice on the line, but it doesn’t sound like you’re there”? | ▶ Live to Tell |
| Which 1984 Van Halen hit features a prominent synthesizer riff and includes the lyrics “Go ahead and jump”? | ▶ Jump |
| Which band released the sultry 1984 hit “Smooth Operator”? | ▶ Sade |
| Which 1986 song by Cutting Crew begins with the lyric “Oh I, I just died in your arms tonight”? | ▶ (I Just) Died in Your Arms |
| Which music television network launched on August 1, 1981, and changed the way audiences consumed music videos 24/7? | ▶ MTV |
| Which Janet Jackson single, released in 1986 from her album Control, became her first number-one hit on the Billboard Hot 100? | ▶ When I Think of You |
| In what year was Michael Jackson’s album Thriller released? | ▶ 1982 |
| Which rock band released the single “Sweet Child o’ Mine” in 1988, making it their first and only song to top the Billboard Hot 100? | ▶ Guns N’ Roses |
| Which horror film actor provided the iconic spoken-word segment in Michael Jackson’s Thriller music video? | ▶ Vincent Price |
| Which British band scored their first US number-one hit with “Don’t You (Forget About Me)” in 1985? | ▶ Simple Minds |
| What was the first US Top 40 hit for The Police when it peaked at number 32 on the Billboard Hot 100 in January 1980? | ▶ Roxanne |
| Which Bob Dylan album, released in 1985, reached number eight on the US Billboard 200 and featured the single “Tight Connection to My Heart”? | ▶ Empire Burlesque |
| Which Blondie song became the first rap-influenced track to reach number one on the Billboard Hot 100 in 1981? | ▶ Rapture |
| Who served as the host of the US radio program American Top 40 during most of the 1980s? | ▶ Casey Kasem |
| Which digital audio format, introduced in 1982, began to overtake vinyl records and revolutionize the music industry in the 1980s? | ▶ Compact Disc (CD) |
| Which album, released in 1982, became the best-selling album of all time with over 66 million copies sold worldwide? | ▶ Thriller |
| Which debut single by Rick Astley, released in 1987, became a number-one hit in 25 countries and later became an internet meme? | ▶ Never Gonna Give You Up |
