Hardest John Peel's Festive Fifty 1980-1989 Trivia Quiz | Music

Quiz Answer Key and Fun Facts

1. The punk classic "Anarchy in the UK" was top of the Festive Fifty in 1980 despite first being released in 1976. Which legendary band recorded it?

Answer: Sex Pistols

From the period 1976-81, the Festive Fifty had no restrictions as to what songs could be voted for. From 1982 onwards, the songs had to have been released in the year in question.

"Anarchy in the UK" was the Pistols first single and was released by EMI Records. In six weeks it sold 55,000 copies in the UK and reached number 38 in the charts before EMI withdrew it from sale and dropped the group following a series of controversial events including an appearance on "Today" in which members of the group swore on live TV.

2. In 1981, the song that had been number two in the previous year's chart reached the number one position in the Festive Fifty. The song, first released in 1980, was called "Atmosphere". Which band released it?

Answer: Joy Division

"Atmosphere" was voted by listeners to the show as the greatest song of the millennium in a poll in 2000. Joy Division's lead singer Ian Curtis had committed suicide in May 1980 and this single was the last to be released by the band, three months later.

3. 1982 was the first year in which the Festive Fifty was first restricted to songs released in that year. Which band recorded the first song, "Temptation", to reach number one in the list under the new rules?

Answer: New Order

New Order were formed in 1980 from the remaining members of Joy Division (Bernard Sumner, Peter Hook and Stephen Morris) after the death of Ian Curtis. Gillian Gilbert, Stephen Morris's girlfriend, joined the group in 1981 and it was this line-up that recorded "Temptation".

Number two in the Festive Fifty in 1982 was "Shipbuilding" by Robert Wyatt with
Grandmaster Flash and the Furious Five - "The Message" at number three.

4. "New Order" topped the chart in 1983 with a song which at the time became the biggest-selling 12-inch single of all-time. What was the name of the song?

Answer: Blue Monday

"Blue Monday" was supposedly first written as a song that could be played as an encore at live gigs without the band needing to be on stage. Released in March 1983, the song was only available as a 12-inch single. Despite its large sales in the UK (estimated to be in excess of 1 million) the song never qualified for a gold disc because New Order's record label, Factory Records, weren't members of the BPI.

New Order were also at number three in this year with "Age Of Consent". At number two were The Smiths with "This Charming Man".

5. 1984 saw the first of two appearances at the top of the Festive Fifty for "The Smiths" with a song that was not released as a single until the following year. Which song?

Answer: How Soon is Now?

The song was first released as a b-side to "William, It Was Really Nothing" in 1984, before it was released as a single in its own right in 1985 reaching number 24 in the UK charts. The song was re-released in 1992, outperforming its first release by reaching number 16 in the UK charts.

6. "Never Understand" topped the Festive Fifty in 1985, and "Just Like Honey" was at number two. Which band achieved this one-two?

Answer: Jesus and Mary Chain

Both tracks were singles released from their debut album, "Psychocandy". Both narrowly failed to make the UK Top 40. A third single from the album, "You Trip Me Up" was at number 12 in the Festive Fifty.

Number two in this year was Cocteau Twins - "Pearly Dewdrops Drop". Number three was The Men They Couldn't Hang - "Green Fields of France".

7. "The Smiths" had their second Festive Fifty chart-topper in 1986 with a track from the album "The Queen Is Dead" that wasn't released as a single in the UK until after the band had split. What was the track?

Answer: There Is A Light That Never Goes Out

The song was released as a single in 1992, five years after the band had split, when Warner Bros acquired the back catalogue of The Smiths' previous label, Rough Trade. It reached number 25 in the UK charts.

Age of Chance took the number two spot in the Festive Fifty with their cover of Prince's "Kiss" and Peel favourites The Fall were at number three with "Mr Pharmacist".

8. The first act from outside the UK to top the Festive Fifty did so in 1987 with the song "Birthday". Who were they?

Answer: The Sugarcubes

The Sugarcubes featured on vocals, Bj�rk Gu�mundsd�ttir, who went on to have a very successful solo career. "Birthday" was released on three occasions in the UK reaching a peak chart position of number 65 on two occasions and number 64 on the third.

The Fall achieved their second successive top three spot with "Australians In Europe" at number two and at number three was Wedding Present with "Everyone Thinks He looks Daft".

9. "Destroy the Heart" came out on top of the Festive Fifty in 1988. Which band released this as a single in this year?

Answer: House of Love

The House of Love were critically acclaimed but never quite had the impact that their early promise suggested they might. Curiously, given Peel's remarks about how conservative this year's chart was, this year's poll-winner made absolutely no impact on the singles charts, being the only one of the singles that topped the Festive Fifties of the 80s to fail to even make the top 75 of the UK charts.

Number two in this year was Wedding Present - "Nobody's Twisting Your Arm" with Jesus and Mary Chain at number three with "Sidewalking"

10. The 1989 poll saw "Can't Be Sure" at the top of the Festive Fifty. Which British band's debut single was this?

Answer: The Sundays

"Can't Be Sure" was the only single to be released from the band's debut album "Reading, Writing and Arithmetic".

In the podium slots, Wedding Present completed a hat-trick of top three placings with "Kennedy" at number two in the Festive Fifty and Pixies were at three with "Debaser".

Source: Author Snowman

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

John Peel's Festive Fifty 1980-1989 Quiz

The festive fifty was an annual chart compiled from votes by listeners to John Peel on Radio One. From the clues given can you name the artist or song that topped the charts each year?

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