1984: Great Year in Music Trivia Quiz

Answer: To All The Girls I Loved Before

In 1984, country legend Willie Nelson teamed up with Spanish crooner Julio Iglesias to record "To All The Girls I Loved Before", however, they were not members of bands at the time.

Ann Wilson of Heart teamed up with Mike Reno of Loverboy to record, "Almost Paradise" from the movie "Footloose". Phil Collins of Genesis and Philip Bailey of Earth Wind and Fire recorded the smash hit, "Easy Lover". And even though "State Of Shock" was recorded under The Jacksons, it was the duo vocals of Michael and Rolling Stones lead man Mick Jagger that made the song.

Answer: Bananarama

Bananarama recorded "Cruel Summer" in 1984 taking it to number nine on Billboard's Hot 100, but is was not to be their only hit. Two years later they hit number one with a re-make of Shocking Blue's number one hit,"Venus"(1969).

In 1984 Nena recorded, "99 Luft Balloons". Kennedy Gordy , the son of the Motown chairman, got a little help from his friend Michael Jackson and recorded under the name Rockwell to give us, "Somebody's Watching Me". And Robert Plant of Led Zeppelin formed a short lived band called the Honeydrippers featuring his guitarist Jimmy Page as well as former Yardbird, Jeff Beck and Nile Rodgers of Chic to record the song "Sea of Love".

Answer: Madonna

Madonna made true her wish to rule the music world, because after her debut in 1984 with the hits "Borderline" and "Lucky Star", she went on to become the biggest female artist of the 1980s. Her first number one single came at the end of 1984 when she recorded "Like A Virgin".

Her music videos became as controversial as her songs with the release of "Papa Don't Preach"(1986) and "Like A Prayer" (1989). She later went on to become a successful movie star as well with starring roles in " Desperately Seeking Susan"(1985) and "A League Of Their Own"(1992).

Answer: Journey

Journey failed to reach the number one position in their eight year existence (1979-1987). Their closest run to the top was the 1982 hit, "Open Arms" which peaked at #2. Van Halen's single "Jump" hit number one after a six year drought. It's kind of ironic that the song came from the album, "1984".

The band Yes had their biggest success in the early 70s with the minor hit "Roundabout"(1972) but "Owner Of A Lonely Heart" was one of the most popular songs of 1984. Foreigner was number two for ten weeks in 1982 with "Waiting For A Girl Like You behind Olivia Newton-John's "Physical". Even though "I Wanna Know What Love Is" didn't peak at number one until 1985, it was released and charted in December of 1984.

Answer: Purple Rain

Although "Footloose" had more Top 40 hits, it was the acting debut of Prince in the movie, "Purple Rain" that was more successful in the Top ten. He hit number one on the Billboard Hot 100 with "When Doves Cry" and "Let's Go Crazy". The title track hit number two while "I Would Die 4 U" cracked the top ten at number eight.

Answer: Thriller

The odd thing about "Thriller" debuting so high on the charts is the fact that it failed to hit number one. The success of the single was probably spawned by the popularity of the music video directed by John Landis. Most of the album success came the year before with the smash hits "Beat It" and "Billie Jean". Still, the album became the first album to place seven singles in the Top 40 charts and became the biggest selling album of all time.

Answer: Bruce Springsteen

In the video for "Dancing In The Dark" Bruce is constantly being admired by a then unknown girl in the audience as he is performing the song. Near the end of the song he takes her hand and pulls her up on the stage to dance.

Answer: "Joanna" by Kool and the Gang

Kool and the Gang was one of the most popular R&B and dance bands between the mid-70s and 80s. Michael Jackson was dubbed the King of Pop but if you had to give this band a nickname it would probably be "Kings of the One Word Title Songs". Starting in 1980 they recorded their first and only number one song, "Celebration".

Then in 1984 they began the following string of consecutive one word songs: "Joanna"(number two), "Tonight"(number 13), "Fresh"(number nine), "Mislead"(number ten) and continued into 1985 with "Cherish"(number two).

As for the other songs they all had huge success as well with "Borderline(number ten), "Drive"(number three) and "Thriller"(number four).

Answer: Steve Perry

Not only did his band, Journey, fail to peak at number one in 1984 but Steve Perry barely missed with his solo hit "Oh Sherry" (number three). Lionel Richie of the Commodores hit the top with "Hello". Phil Collins of Genesis scored with "Against All Odds", the title track from the Jeff Bridges film. And John Waite, former front man for the Babys and Bad English topped the charts with his first solo hit, "Missing You".

Answer: Band Aid

The song and band followed in the footsteps of "We Are The World"(1985) recorded by another all star cast dubbed as "USA For Africa". "Don't They Know It's Christmas" was written by Bob Geldorf(Boomtown Rats) and Midge Ure(Ultrvox) who also produced the event.

The song which peaked at number 13 on the Billboard Hot 100 included such rock superstars as Phil Collins, Sting, Boy George, George Michael and Freddy Mercury to name a few. Live Aid were the dual venue concerts in September 1985 which were also to raise money for the Ethiopian famine. Farm Aid was a benefit concert in July 1985 to support the farm workers of America.