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One Hit Wonders of the 80s Trivia Quiz

Remember all that quirky music during the 1980's. Here are 10 questions about one-hit wonders in the U.S. during the 80s. They may have had other borderline hits, but they are generally known for one huge hit.

A multiple-choice quiz by wahoowa94. Estimated time: 3 mins.

Author
wahoowa94

Time
3 mins

Type
Multiple Choice

Quiz #
285,724

Updated
Dec 03 21

# Qns
10

Difficulty
Easy

Avg Score
8 / 10

Plays
5507

Awards
Top 35% Quiz

Last 3 plays: Hawkmoon1307 (8/10), Guest 184 (10/10), Guest 108 (10/10).

One at a Time - Single Page - Timed Game

Question 1 of 10

1. This is a common trivia question, but which group sang "Video Killed the Radio Star," the video for which was the first video ever played on MTV? Hint

The Tubes

Men at Work

The Vapors

Buggles

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Question 2 of 10

2. Her real name is Antonia Christina Basilotta and she was a singer and choreographer whose only major hit was this cheery song that hit #1 in 1982? Hint

My Sharona

Physical

Maneater

Mickey

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Question 3 of 10

3. Despite its childlike title, "99 Red Balloons" was the English version of which war protest song sung by this German artist in 1984? Hint

Tinka

Nena

Scorpions

Rammstein

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Question 4 of 10

4. This Canadian synth-pop's only top ten hit in the U.S. was the eccentric song "The Safety Dance," which was accompanied by an even more eccentric video with a medieval theme. Hint

Human League

Flock of Seagulls

Arcadia

Men Without Hats

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Question 5 of 10

5. Norwegian pop group a-ha used the process of rotoscoping in their video for what song released in 1985, their only #1 hit in the United States? Hint

Train of Thought

Hunting High and Low

Take on Me

The Sun Always Shines On T.V.

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Question 6 of 10

6. "Come on Eileen," which charted at #1 on the Billboard Hot 100 in 1983, was the only successful US hit for this British group with an odd name? Hint

Naked Eyes

The The

Thompson Twins

Dexys Midnight Runners

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Question 7 of 10

7. Despite having an earlier #5 hit in the U.S., which Austrian pop singer, who sang "Rock Me Amadeus" in 1985, is still looked upon as a one-hit wonder in the U.S.? Hint

Ultravox

After the Fire

Falco

Talk Talk

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Question 8 of 10

8. This New Wave band from England made some waves with its 1980 hit "Turning Japanese," which some believed contained lyrics with various sexual euphemisms? Hint

The Vapors

Real Life

The Tubes

Erasure

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Question 9 of 10

9. "If You Leave," which was recorded in 1986 for the soundtrack to the John Hughes film "Pretty in Pink," was the only top 5 hit in the U.S. for this English synth-pop group? Hint

The Human League

Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark

A Flock of Seagulls

Heaven 17

10. The synthesizer-heavy instrumental "Axel F" was the theme song for the movie "Beverly Hills Cop" and reached #3 on the U.S. Billboard charts in 1984. It was composed and produced by which German artist? Hint

Herbert Gr�nemeyer

Tocotronic

Joachim Witt

Harold Faltermeyer

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Most Recent Scores

Dec 19 2024 : Hawkmoon1307: 8/10
Dec 15 2024 : Guest 184: 10/10
Dec 10 2024 : Guest 108: 10/10
Dec 06 2024 : Guest 76: 9/10
Dec 06 2024 : Guest 96: 9/10
Dec 03 2024 : Guest 108: 8/10
Dec 03 2024 : Robinsgirl28: 8/10
Dec 03 2024 : Guest 79: 9/10
Nov 27 2024 : Guest 209: 7/10

Score Distribution

Quiz Answer Key and Fun Facts

1. This is a common trivia question, but which group sang "Video Killed the Radio Star," the video for which was the first video ever played on MTV?

Answer: Buggles

The Buggles success as a one-hit wonder likely would not have happened were it not for the newly created MTV. The song itself did not chart all that well (barely making the Top 40 in the US), but the video's place in music history has transformed the song (and group) into a well-known piece of music trivia lore.

The video first aired on MTV just after midnight on August 1st, 1981, nearly two years after the single was released. As sort of commemoration, MTV aired the video once again as its one millionth video on February 27, 2000.

2. Her real name is Antonia Christina Basilotta and she was a singer and choreographer whose only major hit was this cheery song that hit #1 in 1982?

Answer: Mickey

Of course we all know her as Toni Basil. Her cheerleading video was a hit on MTV and she parlayed that one hit into a long career as a choreographer of both music videos and films. This song seems to be resurrected every few years by one form of media or another, including the 2000 Kirsten Dunst movie "Bring It On."

3. Despite its childlike title, "99 Red Balloons" was the English version of which war protest song sung by this German artist in 1984?

Answer: Nena

Interestingly enough, the German version "99 Luftballons" actually reached #2 in the U.S. Billboard Hot 100, charting higher than the subsequently recorded English version.

4. This Canadian synth-pop's only top ten hit in the U.S. was the eccentric song "The Safety Dance," which was accompanied by an even more eccentric video with a medieval theme.

Answer: Men Without Hats

"The Safety Dance" reached #3 in the US in 1982. MWH did follow up that success with a top 20 hit "Pop Goes the World," which was featured in the 1987 Phoebe Cates movie "Date with an Angel," but I can't remember the movie or the song.

5. Norwegian pop group a-ha used the process of rotoscoping in their video for what song released in 1985, their only #1 hit in the United States?

Answer: Take on Me

The process of rotoscoping involves animators tracing over live action film. The avant-garde video to "Take on Me" combined rotoscope animation in black and white with live action in color and was truly one of the best videos of the 80s. In fact, it won 6 awards at the 1986 MTV Video Music Awards.

Despite selling over 83 million records worldwide, a-ha is generally known as a one-hit wonder in America due to the failure of any of their other songs to chart any higher than #20 on the Billboard singles chart.

6. "Come on Eileen," which charted at #1 on the Billboard Hot 100 in 1983, was the only successful US hit for this British group with an odd name?

Answer: Dexys Midnight Runners

If you recall, the video consisted of all the band members walking around shirtless with just overalls on. Apparently, they were instructed by lead singer Kevin Rowland not to bathe or shave to achieve a more ruffian look. Reportedly, one bandmate (drummer Seb Shelton) did not follow such orders and was kicked out of the band during the making of the video.

7. Despite having an earlier #5 hit in the U.S., which Austrian pop singer, who sang "Rock Me Amadeus" in 1985, is still looked upon as a one-hit wonder in the U.S.?

Answer: Falco

As stated in the question, Falco actually hit #5 on the US charts with "Der Kommissar" in 1981, four years prior to his #1 "Rock Me Amadeus." Perhaps, most Americans remember the British rock band After the Fire's cover version of "Der Kommissar" in 1982 instead of Falco's earlier version, thus causing Falco to languish in one-hit wonder land.

8. This New Wave band from England made some waves with its 1980 hit "Turning Japanese," which some believed contained lyrics with various sexual euphemisms?

Answer: The Vapors

The song was only a modest hit in the US reaching #36 on the Billboard Hot 100, but The Vapors could not even duplicate that success with any other song and thus, remain a one-hit wonder.

9. "If You Leave," which was recorded in 1986 for the soundtrack to the John Hughes film "Pretty in Pink," was the only top 5 hit in the U.S. for this English synth-pop group?

Answer: Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark

Good Charlotte covered the song for the soundtrack of "Not Another Teen Movie," the 2001 comedy which parodied many teen movies, including "Pretty in Pink." In fact, Molly Ringwald, star of many a John Hughes film, has a rather humorous cameo near the end of the film.

Answer: Harold Faltermeyer

For those of us in the US, we remember hearing this song ad nauseum in the 1980s. However, "Axel F" was resurrected for those in the UK, when Crazy Frog remixed the song in 2005. The song went straight to #1 in the UK and was even remastered as a ringtone.

Source: Author wahoowa94

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