1986 KROQ Year End Top Ten List Quiz

Quiz Answer Key and Fun Facts

1. Number Ten: The song at number ten, "Wild, Wild Life" was written by David Byrne. It was featured in the eclectic movie "True Stories", also directed and written, in part, by Byrne. Which group originally recorded this song?

Answer: Talking Heads

This song was featured on the album called "True Stories", which was a sort of soundtrack from the movie. The video won the 1987 "MTV Video Award" for "Best Group Video". It featured characters from the "True Stories" movie and parodies of contemporary artists of 1986.

Talking Head group member Jerry Harrison parodied Prince. Of that parody, Harrison said in the liner notes of the album "Once in a Lifetime: The Best of the Talking Heads", "I always wondered what Prince thought of it."

The B-side of the single featured the song "People Like Us" performed by actor John Goodman. The single peaked at number 25 on the US Billboard Hot 100 and number 43 on the UK Singles chart.

Last add: the group Radiohead chose their name from track six on the "True Stories" album entitled "Radio Head".

2. Number Nine: "Notorious" was done by a popular UK group fronted by Simon Le Bon. What group did this number nine song on KROQ's list?

Answer: Duran Duran

The song is off the album by the same name. This was the first single by Duran Duran after Andy and Roger Taylor had left the band. According to Le Bon, who wrote the song, the lyric in the song "Who really gives a damn for a flaky bandit" was a dig at guitarist Andy Taylor.

The single peaked at number seven on the UK singles chart and number two on the Billboard Hot 100.

3. Number eight: The next song was by former Genesis band member Peter Gabriel. Fueled by an innovative video, the song was a big hit. What was the name of this Peter Gabriel hit from 1986?

Answer: Sledgehammer

The song won a record nine "MTV Video Awards" in 1987. It was one time the most played video of all-time on MTV. Probably still is since they haven't played videos much on MTV for years!

The song spent four weeks at number one on the US Billboard Hot 100 chart, and it peaked at number four on the UK Singles chart.

4. Number seven: The song at number seven was called "She Brakes for Rainbows". It was recorded by a group formed in Athens, Georgia, U.S.A. Name the group at number seven.

Answer: The B-52's

The song is off the album "Bouncing off Satellites". The album was released one month after the group's guitarist Ricky Wilson died of complications due to A.I.D.S. Due to the tragic death of Wilson, the group and record label did little promotion of the album and its songs.

5. Number six: The next song on the list is by the Welsh group Gene Loves Jezebel. Part of the chorus from this yearning song is "(Sugar) what you get is what you seek". What is the title of the song at number six?

Answer: Desire (Come and Get it)

The group chose their unique name in the early 1980s. They were formed in Cornelly, Wales, UK and led by twin brothers Jay and Michael Aston. They are generally referred to as a "goth" group.

The song peaked at number four on the UK Indie chart in November, 1985, though it didn't chart on the UK main singles chart. In the US, it was only played on stations like KROQ or college radio. Too "Gothic" for the mainstream in the USA, but perfect for the KROQ playlist.

6. Number five: The song is entitled "Ask". It was originally released as a single only and written by band members Johnny Marr and Morrissey. Which UK group originally recorded "Ask"?

Answer: The Smiths

The song peaked at number 14 on the UK Singles chart. It didn't chart in the US. It was later featured on compilation albums such as "Louder Than Bombs".

I love the lyric from the song "spending warm summer days indoors, writing frightening verse to a buck-toothed girl in Luxembourg".

7. Number four: The next song is by Los Angeles alternative band Dramarama. Part of lyrics to the chorus of this song are: "I'll give you candy, give you diamonds give you pills, I'll give you anything you want Hundred dollar bills" What is the name of this song?

Answer: Anything, Anything

The song was off the album "Cinema Verite". It was first released in France before the rest of the world. The band was together from 1982-1994 with various members. Some of the band mates reunited in 2003 for VH1's show "Bands Reunited".

"Everybody Have Fun Tonight" charted for Wang Chung in 1986, "Digging Your Scene"
is by The Blow Monkeys, and "Blood and Roses" was performed by The Smithereens.

8. Number three: The next song on KROQ's 1986 list is called "Pain". It was recorded by a Los Angeles group fronted by Danny Elfman. What group recorded the song at number three?

Answer: Oingo Boingo

The group was originally named "The Mystic Knights of the Oingo Boingo". They had a memorable appearance on the 1970s American campy game show "The Gong Show". Very bizarre!

"Pain" was an album cut, off the album entitled BOI-NGO", and was played only on radio stations like KROQ. It never charted.

9. Number two: The song is named "A Question of Lust". It was performed by a group from the UK known for its "synth/pop" sound. What group had the penultimate song on this list?

Answer: Depeche Mode

The song is off the album "Black Celebration", and it was written and sung by Martin Gore. The song reached number 28 on the UK Singles chart, while the album peaked at number four on the UK Album chart. This was the second single with Gore on lead vocals for Depeche Mode. Dave Gahan sang lead on most of the singles for the group.

10. Number one: The song at the top of KROQ'S list was performed by the London, UK group Pet Shop Boys. Sample lyrics from the song are " Lost in the High street, where the dogs run, roaming suburban boys... I only wanted something else to do but hang around". Name the number one song on this 1986 list.

Answer: Suburbia

One of the influences for the song was a documentary film by Penelope Spheeris called "Suburbia". Spheeris' documentary showed that some youths in the suburbs of American cities resorted to violence and vandalism due to boredom. The song reached number eight on the UK Singles chart, but only peaked at number 70 in the US on the Billboard Hot 100.

"(Forever) Live and Die" was done by O.M.D., "Something About You" was by Level 42, and New Order recorded "Bizarre Love Triangle".

Source: Author Alepcot

This quiz was reviewed by FunTrivia editor agony before going online.
Any errors found in FunTrivia content are routinely corrected through our feedback system.

These are the top ten songs of the year 1986 according to L.A. radio station KROQ.

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