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Music of the 80s: Part I Trivia Quiz

I've dug deep to create the ultimate 1980s pop music quiz. This is intended for hard-core 80s pop music PhDs, so there are a lot of fill in the blanks (multiple choice is too easy!) Hope you like it. Look for Part II as well!

A multiple-choice quiz by panderson. Estimated time: 10 mins.

Author
panderson

Time
10 mins

Type
Multiple Choice

Quiz #
78,192

Updated
Dec 03 21

# Qns
25

Difficulty
Very Difficult

Avg Score
10 / 25

Plays
3492

One at a Time - Single Page - Timed Game

Question 1 of 25

1. Spurred by the phenomenal success of 'Thriller,' the Jackson 5 re-united to record the 'Victory' album in 1984. Which of the following was a hit that came out of this album? Hint

Torture

Got To Get You Back

Victorious

Everybody Dance

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Question 2 of 25

2. What British group had a hit with '68 Guns'? Hint

The Call

The Alarm

The Fixx

The Stranglers

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Question 3 of 25

3. This British 70s group enjoyed a heavy-metal revival in the 80s with the surprise hit 'Run Runaway.' Who were they? Hint

Deep Purple

Slade

King Crimson

Thin Lizzy

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Question 4 of 25

4. What one-hit wonder had a hit with 'Let's Go All the Way' in 1985? Hint

Sly Fox

Rogers and Galloway

Take That

Sihouette

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Question 5 of 25

5. What 80s girl-group sang the hit 'Point of No Return'?

Answer: (One Word)

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Question 6 of 25

6. In 1986, this group did a remake of Norman Greenbaum's rock-gospel anthem 'Spirit in the Sky.' Who were they?

Answer: (4 words)

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Question 7 of 25

7. You could not have lived through the 80s and not know 'Axel F' from Beverly Hills Cop. But do you know who performed it? Hint

Robert Overman

Harold Faltermeyer

Micheal Gasteiner

Roger Haldemann

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Question 8 of 25

8. This 80s soap-opera hunk had a hit with a remake of David Essex's 'Rock On.' Name him.

Answer: (Both names or just last)

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Question 9 of 25

9. In Paul Hardcastle's 1985 hit '19,' what did the number 19 refer to? Hint

The singer's age was only 19, making him too young to fall in love

It was the 19th track on the album

It was the number of times the singer wanted his love to kiss him before she said goodbye

It was the average age of Vietnam War soldiers

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Question 10 of 25

10. What group scored with the catchy pre-hip hop hit 'White Horse'?

Answer: (Two Words)

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Question 11 of 25

11. These rockers hit with what was one of the last medleys to hit it big on the charts, 1980's 'Beat Goes On - Swichin' to Glide.' Who were they? Hint

Greg Kihn Band

The Kings

J. Geils Band

The Romantics

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Question 12 of 25

12. Of course you know that 'Wild Thing' was sung by rapper Tone Loc, but what artist wrote it?

Answer: (One word and two letters)

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Question 13 of 25

13. Who sang 1985's 'Oh Sheila'?

Answer: (4 words - Full name, not acronym or nickname. Capitalize.)

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Question 14 of 25

14. This group is obscure even by one-hit-wonder standards, charting with the mild hit 'In the Dutch Mountains' in 1987. Who are they?

Answer: (Two Words)

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Question 15 of 25

15. If you really paid attention, you would have heard 'Every Angel,' a 1988 song that seemed to last on the charts for about 10 minutes before it disappeared. What group performed it? Hint

Echo and the Bunnymen

All About Eve

Love and Rockets

Hothouse Flowers

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Question 16 of 25

16. What was the name of the album on which Styx's 1983 hit 'Mr. Roboto' appeared?

Answer: (Three Words)

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Question 17 of 25

17. According to John Lennon's posthumous 1984 hit 'Nobody Told Me,' there was a 'UFO over ____' what?

Answer: (Two Words)

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Question 18 of 25

18. Comedian Rodney Dangerfield had a novelty hit with this 1983 song, based on his act. What was it called? Hint

No Respect

Rappin' Rodney

Suicide Hotline

Who Me?

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Question 19 of 25

19. Still in the novelty genre, 'Classy' Freddie Blassie had a minor hit with what nerd-bashing ballad? Hint

Nothin' But a Nerd

Crutch to the Head

One-Man Losing Streak

Pencil Neck Geek

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Question 20 of 25

20. The 80s was the heyday of so-called 'Hair Bands.' Which hair-band recorded 'Headin' For a Heartbreak' in 1989? Hint

Winger

Cinderella

Nelson

Skid Row

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Question 21 of 25

21. This Cuban-American singer had a hit in 1988 with 'Toy Soldiers.' Who was she?

Answer: (One Word)

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Question 22 of 25

22. UK group The Housemartins sang this gospel tune, a cover of Chris Jasper's original, taking it to the top of the international charts in 1987. What was the song?

Answer: (Three Words)

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Question 23 of 25

23. This UK act's biggest hit, 1988's 'Crash,' starts off with the lyrics: 'Here you go, way too fast, Don't slow down, you're gonna crash...' Hint

Happy Mondays

The Primitives

Jesus and Mary Chain

Stone Roses

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Question 24 of 25

24. In 'King of Pain' by the Police, whom of the following was 'choking on a crust of bread'? Hint

A blind man

A king on a throne

A rich man

A skeleton

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Question 25 of 25

25. In Frankie Goes to Hollywood's video for 'Two Tribes,' what two people are depicted fighting in a ring? (last names only) Hint

Bush and Arafat

Reagan and Chernenko

Reagan and Stalin

Thatcher and Gorbachev

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Quiz Answer Key and Fun Facts

1. Spurred by the phenomenal success of 'Thriller,' the Jackson 5 re-united to record the 'Victory' album in 1984. Which of the following was a hit that came out of this album?

Answer: Torture

The video was a real trip - featuring a big eyeball that was filled with goo when one of them put their hand in it.

2. What British group had a hit with '68 Guns'?

Answer: The Alarm

They were an unusually gritty and raw band for the 80s - '68 Guns' was apparently about a youth gang in Wales.

3. This British 70s group enjoyed a heavy-metal revival in the 80s with the surprise hit 'Run Runaway.' Who were they?

Answer: Slade

4. What one-hit wonder had a hit with 'Let's Go All the Way' in 1985?

Answer: Sly Fox

Judging by the video, the song seemed to be about black and white people fighting ... Can't we all just get along?!

5. What 80s girl-group sang the hit 'Point of No Return'?

Answer: Expose

They were the En Vogue of their time, who were in turn the TLC of their time, who were ... oh, I'm getting a headache.

6. In 1986, this group did a remake of Norman Greenbaum's rock-gospel anthem 'Spirit in the Sky.' Who were they?

Answer: Doctor and the Medics

The original was a psychadelic trip that embodied the 60s - why Doctor and the Medics chose to cover it in the 80s is beyond me!

7. You could not have lived through the 80s and not know 'Axel F' from Beverly Hills Cop. But do you know who performed it?

Answer: Harold Faltermeyer

I figure you could know this guy's name but not know how to spell it, so I made it multiple choice. If you knew this one, you are a true 80s PhD!

8. This 80s soap-opera hunk had a hit with a remake of David Essex's 'Rock On.' Name him.

Answer: Michael Damian

The video for this song was classic 80s, even featuring a cameo by Corey Feldman in his heyday. Damian was better-known as Danny Romalotti on the soap 'The Young and the Restless,' where he played a character who was a pop star, of course.

9. In Paul Hardcastle's 1985 hit '19,' what did the number 19 refer to?

Answer: It was the average age of Vietnam War soldiers

In this dance number, a voice taken apparently from some documentary on the Vietnam War states over and over that 'the average age of American soldiers who served in Vietnam was 19.' Hey what can I say, for the 80s, that was deep social commentary!

10. What group scored with the catchy pre-hip hop hit 'White Horse'?

Answer: Laid Back

I can't figure out if 'riding the white horse' means doing cocaine, or having sex. It was one of those metaphor-type things though.

11. These rockers hit with what was one of the last medleys to hit it big on the charts, 1980's 'Beat Goes On - Swichin' to Glide.' Who were they?

Answer: The Kings

Now only heard between whistles at hockey games as far as I can tell ...

12. Of course you know that 'Wild Thing' was sung by rapper Tone Loc, but what artist wrote it?

Answer: Young MC

He would have a minor hit of his own later with 1989's 'Bust a Move.'

13. Who sang 1985's 'Oh Sheila'?

Answer: Ready For the World

I thought for a long time that this was Prince (as I'm sure many did), but then saw it was by these guys when I happened to be leafing through a Billboard book.

14. This group is obscure even by one-hit-wonder standards, charting with the mild hit 'In the Dutch Mountains' in 1987. Who are they?

Answer: The Nits

Nits are baby lice by the way. Now, this group might seem too out-there, but believe it or not my mom actually bought their album that year - I have no idea why. So they must have been fairly well-known.

15. If you really paid attention, you would have heard 'Every Angel,' a 1988 song that seemed to last on the charts for about 10 minutes before it disappeared. What group performed it?

Answer: All About Eve

This was from their debut album. It is actually one of the best songs of the {80s;} it should have been a way bigger hit than it was.

16. What was the name of the album on which Styx's 1983 hit 'Mr. Roboto' appeared?

Answer: Kilroy Was Here

Kilroy is the name of the singer in 'Mr. Roboto,' which he reveals at the end. I don't know what all of it meant, but the music was pretty good. 'Kilroy Was Here' was one of the last rock 'theme' albums - thank God!

17. According to John Lennon's posthumous 1984 hit 'Nobody Told Me,' there was a 'UFO over ____' what?

Answer: New York

'... and I ain't too surprised.'

18. Comedian Rodney Dangerfield had a novelty hit with this 1983 song, based on his act. What was it called?

Answer: Rappin' Rodney

Not to be confused, of course, with 'Rappin' Ronnie,' another novelty tune that featured a Reagan impersonator.

19. Still in the novelty genre, 'Classy' Freddie Blassie had a minor hit with what nerd-bashing ballad?

Answer: Pencil Neck Geek

Blassie was a fixture of the 80s wrestling scene, with his trademark crutch used to whack enemies. He often called people Pencil Neck Geeks. I heard this song on another 80s fixture, the Dr. Demento Show!

20. The 80s was the heyday of so-called 'Hair Bands.' Which hair-band recorded 'Headin' For a Heartbreak' in 1989?

Answer: Winger

Winger was derided in the 80s by 'real' metal fans as bogus and wimpy. For example, Beavis and Butthead fans will know that the loser kid on the show wears a 'Winger' t-shirt - that says it all.

21. This Cuban-American singer had a hit in 1988 with 'Toy Soldiers.' Who was she?

Answer: Martika

Martika went to number one with this hit, but faded quickly afterwards. This song is so typical of the way 80s music always felt the need to make a half-hearted attempt at social commentary, with usually awkward results. It's as if singers felt guilty back then if their music wasn't 'socially conscious,' a feeling which singers these days are definitely not burdened by. 80s PhDs wil also remember that Martika, like many 80s acts, had a fashion trademark: in her case, it was a fingerless glove-type thing of some sort.

22. UK group The Housemartins sang this gospel tune, a cover of Chris Jasper's original, taking it to the top of the international charts in 1987. What was the song?

Answer: Caravan of Love

Some music web site names this tune as 'one of the best Christmas tunes of the 80s.' Huh? I never knew it was a Christmas song, but whatever. It is one of the best songs of the 80s, though, a really beautiful melody and feel-good lyrics about brotherhood and all that. Definitely one of the underrated 80s songs.

23. This UK act's biggest hit, 1988's 'Crash,' starts off with the lyrics: 'Here you go, way too fast, Don't slow down, you're gonna crash...'

Answer: The Primitives

It reached number 5 in the UK, but never charted in North America. Still, I remember lots of sullen artsy-types in my high school in Canada that loved them.

24. In 'King of Pain' by the Police, whom of the following was 'choking on a crust of bread'?

Answer: A skeleton

From the 'Synchronicity' album, 1983.

25. In Frankie Goes to Hollywood's video for 'Two Tribes,' what two people are depicted fighting in a ring? (last names only)

Answer: Reagan and Chernenko

Ronald Reagan and Konstantin Chernenko, Soviet leader for about 5 minutes in the 80s. It was an odd image, considering relations were already starting to thaw between the two superpowers by this time. But it was memorable for its violent content, which got it banned for a while from video airing.

Source: Author panderson

This quiz was reviewed by FunTrivia editor gtho4 before going online.
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