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Pop Music Challenge '50s-'00s Trivia Quiz

Do you know much about music? Test your skills on popular pop and rock music with this challenging quiz.

A multiple-choice quiz by galaga6846. Estimated time: 6 mins.

Author
galaga6846

Time
6 mins

Type
Multiple Choice

Quiz #
260,944

Updated
Dec 03 21

# Qns
25

Difficulty
Tough

Avg Score
13 / 25

Plays
3548

Awards
Top 35% Quiz

Last 3 plays: Guest 24 (17/25), mspurple54 (21/25), Guest 104 (7/25).

One at a Time - Single Page - Timed Game

Question 1 of 25

1. This band debuted in 1976, and featured an album cover with a guitar shaped spaceship. Who were these guys? Hint

Electric Light Orchestra

Journey

Jefferson Starship

Boston

NEXT>

Question 2 of 25

2. Which of the following bands had four women in it, including one named Michael? Hint

The Bangles

The Go-Gos

The Runaways

NEXT>

Question 3 of 25

3. Finish the lyric:

"Now all around the world, girls will be girls, it's the...": Hint

proof that I really love you

love I feel, I will reveal

same ol', same ol' situation

mountain top and rainbow waters cool

NEXT>

Question 4 of 25

4. Which famous guitarist was featured on the Michael Jackson hit "Beat It"? Hint

Griffen Murphy

Slash

Eddie Van Halen

Randy Rhoades

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Question 5 of 25

5. "People Are People" was a hit song for which of these UK 80s electro-wave groups? Hint

A Flock of Seagulls

Scritti Politti

New Order

Depeche Mode

NEXT>

Question 6 of 25

6. Johnny Cash covered an unlikely band at the end of his long career. Which band's song did he cover? Hint

Def Leppard

Tool

Nine Inch Nails

Cat Power

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Question 7 of 25

7. Finish the lyric:

"In 1814, we took a little trip ______" Hint

above the skies, we heard the cries, it almost make us sick

along with Colonel Jackson down the mighty Mississip.

through the woods so dark, we almost didn't make it

to the great beyond, and you wouldn't believe what we found

NEXT>

Question 8 of 25

8. Before "Live Through This", Hole (the band with Courtney Love) had an album titled: Hint

Baby Doll

Diary of Miss America

Gish

Pretty On The Inside

NEXT>

Question 9 of 25

9. Who wrote "Me And Bobby McGee"? Hint

Miles Henry Rodham

Kris Kristoffersen

Neil Diamond

Janis Joplin

NEXT>

Question 10 of 25

10. Burt Bacharach wrote a lot of songs in the '60s and '70s. Which of these songs written by Mr. Bacharach in the '60s was a huge hit in the 1980s? Hint

"Manic Monday" by The Bangles

"(There's) Always Something There to Remind Me" by Naked Eyes

"Promises Promises" by Naked Eyes

"Hit Me With Your Best Shot" by Pat Benatar

NEXT>

Question 11 of 25

11. Nirvana covered a few songs by other bands on their "MTV Unplugged In New York" album. Who originally did the song "Jesus Doesn't Want Me For A Sunbeam"? Hint

David Bowie

The Vaselines

Captain Beefheart

The Meat Puppets

NEXT>

Question 12 of 25

12. The late Brad Nowell of Sublime was a dog lover. What was his beloved dog's name? Hint

Royce the Pit Bull

Lou Dog the Dalmatian

Baxter the Bulldog

Spot the Dalmatian

NEXT>

Question 13 of 25

13. On R.E.M's 1991 album "Out of Time", singer Michael Stipe and the boys collaborated with which rapper on the song "Radio Song"? Hint

Ice Cube

LL Cool J

KRS-One

Young MC

NEXT>

Question 14 of 25

14. What town are the members of R.E.M originally from? Hint

Tupelo, MS

Athens, GA

Columbus, OH

Bellingham, WA

NEXT>

Question 15 of 25

15. One of my favorite bands is the New York based Interpol. What does the word "Interpol" also refer to? Hint

a large international police organization

a machine that tracks the low frequency sound waves of ghosts

the name of the layer closest to the Earth's core

one of the seven realms of the afterlife

NEXT>

Question 16 of 25

16. Who was Desmond Dekker? Hint

the founder of Trojan records

a record producer in the '50s, who signed such artist as Carl Perkins and Ricky Nelson

a founding pioneer of Ska music

a blues pianist who was the first black member of Tommy Dorsey's big band in the 1940s

NEXT>

Question 17 of 25

17. Which sensitive alt-rocker use to dress up in a bear suit, mingle with his fans, and bash his own music before concerts? Hint

Sufjan Stevens

Chris Carrabba (Dashboard Confessional)

John Mayer

Kurt Cobain

NEXT>

Question 18 of 25

18. Henry Rollins was once a member of which '80s punk band? Hint

The Circle Jerks

Dead Kennedys

Fear

Black Flag

NEXT>

Question 19 of 25

19. Which of the following musicians did NOT die at the age of 27? Hint

Shannon Hoon

Janis Joplin

Jim Morrison

Kurt Cobain

NEXT>

Question 20 of 25

20. Whose real name was Eric Lynn Wright? Hint

Jam Master Jay

The Notorious B.I.G

Eazy-E

Old Dirty Bastard

NEXT>

Question 21 of 25

21. The band Television was from which city? Hint

London

New York

Melbourne

Los Angeles

NEXT>

Question 22 of 25

22. In the Guns'n'Roses video for the hit song "November Rain", which super model is set to marry lead singer Axl Rose during the wedding scene? Hint

Stephanie Seymour

Claudia Schiffer

Cindy Crawford

Tawny Kitaen

NEXT>

Question 23 of 25

23. Which of the following bands are not from Washington state? Hint

Nirvana

The Posies

Bikini Kill

Sonic Youth

NEXT>

Question 24 of 25

24. The night that Buddy Holly, The Big Bopper and Richie Valens died in a plane crash is often referred to as "the day the music died". In which US state did that fatal crash occur? Hint

Indiana

Iowa

Ohio

Idaho

NEXT>

Question 25 of 25

25. Which song in full length is longer? Hint

"Freebird (Live)" -Lynyrd Skynyrd

"In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida" -Iron Butterfly

"American Pie" -Don McLean

"Close to the Edge" -Yes

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Most Recent Scores

Nov 30 2024 : Guest 24: 17/25
Nov 20 2024 : mspurple54: 21/25
Nov 07 2024 : Guest 104: 7/25
Nov 03 2024 : Guest 99: 8/25
Oct 27 2024 : Guest 184: 13/25
Oct 24 2024 : Guest 174: 23/25

Score Distribution

Quiz Answer Key and Fun Facts

1. This band debuted in 1976, and featured an album cover with a guitar shaped spaceship. Who were these guys?

Answer: Boston

Boston was originally meant to be a showcase for guitarist and MIT student Tom Scholz to demonstrate his innovative musical equipment. Lead singer Brad Delp committed suicide in March of 2007.

2. Which of the following bands had four women in it, including one named Michael?

Answer: The Bangles

The Bangles' biggest hit was "Walk Like An Egyptian".

3. Finish the lyric: "Now all around the world, girls will be girls, it's the...":

Answer: same ol', same ol' situation

The song "Same Ol' Situation" by Motley Crue song was on their 1989 album "Dr. Feelgood".

4. Which famous guitarist was featured on the Michael Jackson hit "Beat It"?

Answer: Eddie Van Halen

Eddie Van Halen was born in Nijmegen, Netherlands.

5. "People Are People" was a hit song for which of these UK 80s electro-wave groups?

Answer: Depeche Mode

The song "People Are People" deals with the issue of racism.

6. Johnny Cash covered an unlikely band at the end of his long career. Which band's song did he cover?

Answer: Nine Inch Nails

Johnny Cash covered the song "Hurt" by Nine Inch Nails in 2002. It was his last hit song before his death. The video for this song shows Cash, as an old man, looking back on his life; it takes on a somber mood that pulls at your emotions.

7. Finish the lyric: "In 1814, we took a little trip ______"

Answer: along with Colonel Jackson down the mighty Mississip.

Johnny Horton's "Battle of New Orleans" was a hit in 1959.

8. Before "Live Through This", Hole (the band with Courtney Love) had an album titled:

Answer: Pretty On The Inside

Courtney is the widow of Nirvana singer and guitarist Kurt Cobain.

9. Who wrote "Me And Bobby McGee"?

Answer: Kris Kristoffersen

Versions of this song have been recorded by both men and women. The best known version is the one recorded by Janis Joplin, which became a hit in 1971, after her death.

10. Burt Bacharach wrote a lot of songs in the '60s and '70s. Which of these songs written by Mr. Bacharach in the '60s was a huge hit in the 1980s?

Answer: "(There's) Always Something There to Remind Me" by Naked Eyes

Burt recorded his song "What The World Needs Now" with The Posies for the "Austin Powers" soundtrack in 1997.

11. Nirvana covered a few songs by other bands on their "MTV Unplugged In New York" album. Who originally did the song "Jesus Doesn't Want Me For A Sunbeam"?

Answer: The Vaselines

Nirvana singer and guitarist Kurt Cobain committed suicide in 1994. Drummer David Grohl has gone on to front his own band, Foo Fighters, and Krist Novoselic is a left-leaning political activist who has been in lesser known bands after Nirvana's demise.

12. The late Brad Nowell of Sublime was a dog lover. What was his beloved dog's name?

Answer: Lou Dog the Dalmatian

Brad Nowell sings about his dog in the hit song "What I Got". Lou use to hang out on stage with the band during performances.
Brad died of a drug overdose in 1996.
Lou Dog died in September, 2001.

13. On R.E.M's 1991 album "Out of Time", singer Michael Stipe and the boys collaborated with which rapper on the song "Radio Song"?

Answer: KRS-One

KRS-One echoes Stipe on the lyric "hey, hey, hey", and does a rap toward the end of the song.

14. What town are the members of R.E.M originally from?

Answer: Athens, GA

Other bands to come out of Athens are The B-52s, Widespread Panic, Neutral Milk Hotel, The Olivia Tremor Control, and the extremely LOUD Jucifer.

15. One of my favorite bands is the New York based Interpol. What does the word "Interpol" also refer to?

Answer: a large international police organization

Interpol's sound has been compared to that of Joy Division. It is said that the band did not name themselves after the international police, but it's instead a play on the lead singer's name, Paul.

16. Who was Desmond Dekker?

Answer: a founding pioneer of Ska music

Desmond Dekker died in May of 2006. His best known song was the Ska hit "Israelites" in 1969.

17. Which sensitive alt-rocker use to dress up in a bear suit, mingle with his fans, and bash his own music before concerts?

Answer: John Mayer

John Mayer use to mingle with his unsuspecting fans before concerts in a bear suit, often saying derogatory things about himself. Even though his songs are sensitive and serious, he's a very funny guy. He's even done some stand-up comedy.

18. Henry Rollins was once a member of which '80s punk band?

Answer: Black Flag

Henry Rollins joined Black Flag after getting on stage with them during one of their shows. Since being in Black Flag, Rollins has hosted a talk show, been in several movies, and has recorded solo music and spoken word albums.

19. Which of the following musicians did NOT die at the age of 27?

Answer: Shannon Hoon

Blind Melon lead singer Shannon Hoon died at the age of 28.

20. Whose real name was Eric Lynn Wright?

Answer: Eazy-E

Eazy-E died of AIDS in 1995.

21. The band Television was from which city?

Answer: New York

Television was one of the bands that got their start playing at CBGBs in New York City. Television's debut "Marquee Moon" is their most popular album, released in 1977.

22. In the Guns'n'Roses video for the hit song "November Rain", which super model is set to marry lead singer Axl Rose during the wedding scene?

Answer: Stephanie Seymour

In 1992, when this video was made, Miss Seymour and Mr. Rose were dating.

23. Which of the following bands are not from Washington state?

Answer: Sonic Youth

Sonic Youth are from New York.

24. The night that Buddy Holly, The Big Bopper and Richie Valens died in a plane crash is often referred to as "the day the music died". In which US state did that fatal crash occur?

Answer: Iowa

Don McLean's "American Pie" is partly about this incident.

25. Which song in full length is longer?

Answer: "Close to the Edge" -Yes

The song "Close to the Edge" by Yes is over 18 minutes long!

Source: Author galaga6846

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